If a candidate skims from their political contributions (campaign funds) is that criminal?

Probably. Unless its a "management cost" an "administration fee" or an "accounting procedure" in which case it can take up to 90% of the funds raise. These are called "Fund raising expenses" Ask Trump. He does his own..😷

You have to look at the fine print on the donation page.

In the case of Trump using around $50 million(*) of last year's campaign donations to pay his legal fees, I'll bet he's covered in the fine print.

BUT. Since his donors didn't read the fine print, I'll bet many of them are less than 100% happy to learn how their money is being spent. I'll bet that makes them a little less likely to give this year.

Also, I kinda doubt the fine print allows him to use campaign donations to pay the fines and penalties in the E. Jean Carroll sexual assault and defamation cases, so I expect he personally will have to pay them.

(*) Source:
[quote]The Republican frontrunner used his leadership political action committee, Save America, to pay $25.7 million in legal fees to fend of criminal and civil charges in the final six months of 2023, according to a disclosure filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday. The entity covered $25.5 million worth of legal fees in the first half of the year.[/quote]
[b]https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-01/trump-s-legal-travails-drained-51-2-million-from-his-2024-bid[/b]

Yes. Privatized elections are criminal. The USA is not a legitimate democratic country. And war beats democracy dead every day because America!

Campaign finance fraud. trump was just indicted with 30 some more counts for doing just that to pay off the whores he screwed behind his porn ho wifes back.