Thread by @HoarseWisperer

Anyone up for some sleuthing?

The Trump Campaign and the NRA allegedly coordinated their advertising activity during the election to best benefit Trump.

That’s illegal... and kinda odd.

1/

https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1072229353529008128

Essentially, the two parties used the same media buying partner to buy some of their TV ad slots.

The effect was similar to pooling their money.

The partner could use both budgets to execute one media plan.

That’s why it’s illegal. It masks what are essentially donations.

2/

I find it implausible that the two parties ended up using the same vendor by accident.

The NRA has ample experience advertising during elections. One would assume they have media buying partners they typically work with...

Doubt they needed a new partner.

3/

Adding to the curious deal here, we now know Russia funneled money into the NRA to support Trump... and we know the NRA spent a vast sum on his behalf.

$30 mil... close to triple their 2012 spend.

4/

Seems possible:

Russia poured money into the NRA as a disguised donation to Trump —> the NRA then worked with the Trump Campaign to each hire the same firm to spend that laundered money

5/

Here’s what I want to know if anyone knows their way around FEC data from OpenSecrets or some other source...

1) Did the NRA use the firm listed in this piece prior to 2016?

2) When did the NRA and the Trump Campaign each use the firm’s listed?

6/

Based on the way this piece reads, I would not be surprised if:

1) the NRA (read: Russia) poured money into helping Trump late in the campaign
2) Either the NRA or Trump Campaign moved their media buying business to the other’s firm to covertly launder it into the campaign

7/

I have a feeling a little scrutiny of the Trump Campaign and NRA spending histories with the vendors named will reveal a clear moment when the NRA/Russia pushed money in to help Trump...

If anyone has time to poke around, I’d be curious to know what you find.

8/8