Donald Trump attempted to end the NFL’s investigation of the New England Patriots for the 2007 Spygate scandal by offering cash to former Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), according to Specter’s son Shanin and Charles Robbins, the senator’s longtime communications aide and ghostwriter for his two memoirs.
Arlen Specter wrote openly to urge the NFL to mount a more thorough investigation of the videotaping scandal. “If the NFL continues to leave a vacuum, Congress may be tempted to fill it,” Specter wrote. Specter also wrote letter to commissioner about the destruction of the Patriots’ spygate videotapes.
In a memoir, Specter, who died in 2012, wrote that a mutual friend of Specter and Patriots owner Kraft offered “a lot of money in Palm Beach” with hopes the senator would cease his investigation of New England’s videotaping scandal. That mutual friend had gone unnamed until Shanin and Robbins told ESPN that the offer was coming from Trump, who said he was acting on behalf of Kraft.
Spokespeople for Kraft and Trump have denied involvement.
The legality of such a gesture is uncertain, per ESPN.
“Federal statute 18 U.S.C. 201 covers the bribery of public officials: The government must identify “a question, matter, cause, suit, proceeding or controversy” that “may at any time be pending” or “may by law be brought before a public official.” The law also covers an offer made on someone’s behalf for an official decision. The statute of limitations is five years.”
Trump has a longstanding relationship with Kraft, coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots organization, which included visits to locker room in the early 2000s.
