Taxpayer-funded ads could be 'impeachable offense': Former White House ethics attorney

Both of the spots include disclaimers which say, “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” Under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, public officials cannot use taxpayer dollars for campaigning purposes. Former White House ethics attorney Richard Painter said the White House using taxpayer dollars for TV ads promoting President Trump could be “an impeachable offense.” “As I told @baylisswagner of the @nytimes here, this could be an impeachable offense.

@POTUS has no right to use taxpayer money for campaign ads,” Painter wrote Sunday on the...