Posted on 06/28/2003 9:02:53 AM PDT by FourPeas
Businessman wants donation evidence thrown out Saturday, June 28, 2003 By Ed White
HOLLAND -- A Holland businessman accused of making illegal campaign contributions is asking a judge to prevent the prosecutor from including $22,000 in additional donations as evidence at trial. Andrew Santangelo, owner of Michigan Technic Corp., is charged with using $7,000 in company money to reimburse employees who contributed to U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, during her run for office in 2000. Separately, the U.S. Attorney's Office has identified at least 11 other contributions to federal candidates or political committees made by Michigan Technic employees in 1999 and 2000. They were preceded or followed by payments to employees that closely matched the amounts, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Murray said in a letter to Santangelo's attorney. They suggest "reimbursed contributions," Murray wrote June 6. "Depending upon the nature of the defense and the results of our further investigation, both of which are incomplete, evidence concerning these incidents may be offered." The letter was placed on the public record Friday by Santangelo's lawyers, who filed a request to keep a lid on the additional contributions. Among the reasons, they said such evidence could unfairly sway a jury. U.S. Magistrate Judge Ellen Carmody will decide before the Aug. 13 trial. Murray was away from his office and could not be reached for comment. It is illegal to use corporate money in federal campaigns. Santangelo, who was Holland's Small Business Person of the Year in 2000, has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge, which carries a maximum penalty of a year a jail. Michigan Technic has done work for NASA, the federal space agency. Lawmakers who have benefited from the donations have influence over NASA's budget, including U.S. Rep. Robert "Bud" Cramer, D-Ala., and U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala. Employees, including Santangelo's wife, Lisa, also donated to President Bush and a political group that works to get Republicans elected to the Senate.
The Grand Rapids Press
Some of the dems right now are starting to grumble about John Edwards getting illegal contributions from the lawyers, who are making donations and putting them in the names of everyone they know.
I know Kerry and Dean and Joe Liberman have been hinting that they would like to see Edwards contributions investigated.
He's already been caught twice, when at different times, lawyers had there secretary's put campaign donations in for Edwards in there own names, in one case, the lawyer re-imbursed the scretary, the other, he just gave her the money. The only reason they ratted on there bosses was because they liked different democratic canidates for the nomination.
Not to worry, Hillary is on the Senate Armed Services Committee, she'll have lots of juicy secrets to sell for campaign cash.
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