In an error-riddled statement released Tuesday night, the Donald Trump campaign claimed Ted Cruz was “coordinating with his own Super PACs (which is illegal), who totally control him.” That’s more than just campaign bluster; the charge of illegal coordination between a federal candidate and a super PAC is serious. The penalties for such illegal activity can include prison sentences.
But the Trump statement offered no evidence or verifiable claims of the Cruz campaign’s illegal coordination. Is there any evidence? Will the Trump campaign be filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission? Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks has not yet responded to an email asking these questions.
For its part, the Cruz campaign denies any such illegal activity. “Our campaign attorneys make sure all of Ted’s events and appearances comply with campaign finance rules,” campaign spokeswoman Alice Stewart tells THE WEEKLY STANDARD.
Without any evidence to the contrary, there’s no reason not to take the Cruz campaign at their word, especially given Trump’s tendency to hurl baseless accusations at his opponents. After losing in Iowa, for instance, Trump took to Twitter to claim Cruz had “stolen” the caucuses (a similar tweet, which Trump quickly deleted, claimed Cruz’s supposed vote theft was “illegal”). Trump also said Cruz engaged in “fraud” and that he would “probably sue” unless a new election was held. It wasn’t, and he didn’t.
What’s more likely is that the Trump campaign’s post-Wisconsin claim, like the candidate’s own post-Iowa one, is made up. That would be in keeping with Trump’s general style of offering lies, half-truths, and falsehoods.
