Katherine Harris' contributor fined $1 million
BY LESLEY CLARK
Miami Herald
A campaign contributor who once wined and dined former Rep. Katherine Harris agreed Wednesday to pay a $1 million fine -- the second-largest in the Federal Election Commission's 32-year history -- for breaking campaign laws by funneling corporate contributions to Harris and another member of Congress.
The fine came as defense contractor Mitchell Wade reached a settlement with the FEC, acknowledging that he used $78,000 in corporate funds to reimburse employees and their spouses for contributing to Harris, a Sarasota Republican who lost a 2006 race for U.S. Senate, and Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va.
Wade had previously plead guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally steering the money to the two lawmakers in hopes of securing ''lucrative contracts'' for his company, MZM.
Commission chairman Robert Lenhard said the ''historic'' size of the fine shows ``there are serious consequences for those who knowingly and willfully try to funnel illegal contributions into federal election campaigns.''
The commission said it found ''no evidence'' that Harris or Goode knew that the contributions from MZM employees were illegal and that both campaign committees had ``either refunded or disgorged all MZM-related contributions.''
Neither Harris nor Goode could be reached for comment Wednesday night.
(Continued here.)
Miami Herald
A campaign contributor who once wined and dined former Rep. Katherine Harris agreed Wednesday to pay a $1 million fine -- the second-largest in the Federal Election Commission's 32-year history -- for breaking campaign laws by funneling corporate contributions to Harris and another member of Congress.
The fine came as defense contractor Mitchell Wade reached a settlement with the FEC, acknowledging that he used $78,000 in corporate funds to reimburse employees and their spouses for contributing to Harris, a Sarasota Republican who lost a 2006 race for U.S. Senate, and Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va.
Wade had previously plead guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally steering the money to the two lawmakers in hopes of securing ''lucrative contracts'' for his company, MZM.
Commission chairman Robert Lenhard said the ''historic'' size of the fine shows ``there are serious consequences for those who knowingly and willfully try to funnel illegal contributions into federal election campaigns.''
The commission said it found ''no evidence'' that Harris or Goode knew that the contributions from MZM employees were illegal and that both campaign committees had ``either refunded or disgorged all MZM-related contributions.''
Neither Harris nor Goode could be reached for comment Wednesday night.
(Continued here.)
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