Despite scandal, DC mayor makes pitch for 2nd term
Published Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | 3:05 p.m.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A scandal involving a convicted campaign donor nicknamed "Uncle Earl" is endangering District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray's re-election chances.
The district's Democratic mayoral primary is April 1, and Gray is facing seven challengers. On Monday, federal prosecutors alleged that Gray signed off on an illegal scheme to help his 2010 campaign with a $668,000 slush fund. Gray has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
The allegations are included in a plea deal signed by Jeffrey Thompson, who supplied the funds. Thompson asked Gray to refer to him as "Uncle Earl." Gray told The Associated Press that he did nothing illegal and that Thompson is lying.
Gray's opponents are calling him unfit to serve and pledging to restore integrity to the office.)
Documents: Clinton aide sought ‘street teams’
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Published Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | 1:21 p.m
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal court documents say a campaign adviser to Hillary Rodham Clinton was personally involved in an off-the-books operation to help the former first lady's 2008 presidential campaign in four states and Puerto Rico.
The court papers say Washington businessman Jeffrey Thompson told prosecutors that Clinton adviser Minyon Moore sought his help in recruiting so-called street teams to help Clinton's campaign during the 2008 primaries. According to the documents, Thompson paid more than $600,000 to a New York marketing executive to fund the street teams and canvassers.
Thompson pleaded guilty Monday to two conspiracy charges. Prosecutors have said they have no evidence that Clinton was aware of the operation.
Moore's firm has said previously that she was cooperating with federal investigators and was unaware of any inappropriate activities.
Feds Say Nonprofit Org Secretly Aided Hillary Campaign
A nonprofit group believed to be the League of United Latino American Citizens (LULAC) used illegal corporate contributions to secretly aid Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign, according to federal court documents.
Democratic donor and District of Columbia businessman Jeffrey Thompson pleaded guilty on Monday to funneling millions in illegal donations to local and federal candidates, including Clinton in 2008.
Thompson said in his plea agreement that he financed a $600,000 “shadow campaign” for Clinton using funds from his D.C.-based for-profit corporation D.C. Healthcare Systems Inc.
The money was routed through Troy White, a marketing director who pleaded guilty to insurance violations last September, and through a group identified in the plea agreement as “Civic Organization A.”
The unnamed group is LULAC, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
LULAC, a Hispanic advocacy group headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a 501(c)(4) and subject to Internal Revenue Service limits on its political activities and expenditures.
According to Thompson’s plea agreement, a senior Clinton campaign adviser asked him in February 2008 to fund paid street teams that would assist the campaign.
The adviser is believed to be long-time Clinton aide Minyon Moore, the Washington Post reported.
Moore allegedly introduced Thompson and an unnamed Texas Clinton supporter affiliated with LULAC, with the understanding that the two would work to organize teams of paid Clinton canvassers recruited from LULAC’s membership ranks.
The canvassers would distribute materials created by the Clinton campaign in Texas, according to the documents.
Thompson transferred $233,000 through an intermediary to pay for the services.
