As a result of the campaign not properly disclosing the money spent on opposition research

Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign fined

  • The Clinton campaign gave more than $1 million to the law firm Perkins Coye.

    Father

  • Research led to the infamous Donald Trump dossier.

    Reuters

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Federal election organizers imposed a fine on former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign and the Democratic National Committee earlier this month, as a result of the campaign's failure to properly disclose money spent on controversial opposition research that led To the infamous dossier of former President Donald Trump and Russia.

The Democratic National Committee was fined $105,000 and the Clinton campaign $8,000, according to a letter the Federal Election Commission sent to a conservative group that requested an investigation.

Candidates and political groups are usually required to publicly disclose their spending to the FEC, and they must explain the purpose of any specific expenditures over $200.

The FEC concluded that the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee misreported and concealed the funds that funded the dossier, claiming it was "legal services" and "legal advice and compliance" rather than dissenting research.

It contained unverified obscene allegations about then-candidate Donald Trump, including allegations that his campaign colluded with the Kremlin to win the 2016 election. Trump's campaign had numerous contacts with Russian agents, but no one was formally accused of conspiring with Russia.

Clinton's campaign gave more than $1 million to the law firm Perkins Coye, which then hired opposition research firm Fusion GPS.

That company later hired the British spy, Christopher Steele, and told him to use his foreign contacts to research Trump's ties to Russia.

Steele emphasized that his research had not been verified and required further investigation.

But his memoirs were leaked in January 2017, weeks before Trump took office.

Over the years, a series of investigations and lawsuits have called into question the credibility of many of Steele's allegations of collusion.

According to the FEC's letter, the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee never acknowledged violating campaign finance laws, but agreed to drop their response and accept civil fines.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee said the committee has settled complaints to the Federal Election Commission about 2016 election violations.

• The Democratic National Committee was fined $105,000, while the Clinton campaign was fined $8,000.

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