Donald Trump may have violated federal law | McClatchy Washington Bureau

Welcome to McClatchy’s Voter Survival Guide, an interactive presentation of daily events from one of the strangest presidential campaigns in modern history.

A front-page Newsweek report alleges that Donald Trump spent money doing business in Cuba during Fidel Castro’s presidency. The Republican nominee spent money on a consulting firm that traveled to the island to explore a potential business venture in 1998.

Trump has yet to respond to the report but campaign manager Kellyane Conway said “They paid money, as I understand, in 1998.”

Hillary Clinton was endorsed by 40 Republican and independent politicians and senior government officials, continuing a pattern of Republicans breaking from party ranks.

But the Democratic nominee is having trouble in Florida, a state Trump will likely need to win if he is to be successful in November.

The polls open nationally in 38 days. Let’s get started.

Trump may have violated the Cuban embargo

Documents show that Trump’s hotel company spent $68,000 in Cuba when it was against federal law to spend a dollar in the country without approval from the U.S. government.

The alleged expenditure was made in 1998, so Trump will not face any legal consequences for the expenditure because the statue of limitations has expired.

Conway appeared to admit that Trump broke the law by saying “they paid money” on The View Thursday morning but she later refuted that claim in a later Tweet.

Clinton responded saying “he puts his personal and business interests ahead of the laws and values of the United States.”

Former Trump foe and somewhat lukewarm supporter Marco Rubio weighed in on the report.

“The article makes some very serious and troubling allegations,” Rubio said in a statement. “I will reserve judgment until we know all the facts and Donald has been given the opportunity to respond.”

Clinton is feeling the love—from Republicans

The Clinton campaign touted 40 new endorsements from a slew of Republicans and independents on Thursday, including former George W. Bush and John McCain officials.

“I have seen firsthand Hillary’s commitment to helping people, and how hard she works to deliver what she’s promised,” said Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R., N.Y.). “As a senator, she worked across party lines to get things done, including helping bring jobs to the rust belt communities of upstate New York. She’s smart, she’s informed, she’s responsive, and she’s responsible. She has the right temperament for the job. The choice in this election is obvious.”

But her Florida campaign hits a snag

The Clinton campaign in Florida is falling short of goals when it comes to registering voters and local Democrats are speaking out.

“There needs to be more of a presence,” said Ken Welch, a Democratic County Commissioner near Tampa. “I haven’t seen it yet in the places where I would expect to -- churches, even Little League games. You absolutely saw that four years ago with the Obama campaign.”

And the Clinton campaign is struggling to excite black voters—a group she will need to win heavily in order to counteract elderly whites in the state that overwhelmingly support Trump.

"Hillary Clinton's campaign is in panic mode. Full panic mode," said Leslie Wimes, a South Florida-based president of the Democratic African-American Women Caucus.

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