Aide accused of stealing from Northup campaign

The Hill ^ | January 27, 2004 | Peter Savodnik

[Republican Wildcat]

A former campaign aide to Rep. Anne Northup (R-Ky.) embezzled $20,000 from the congresswoman’s re-election campaign in 2002, a senior campaign official has confirmed.

The embezzlement allegations will be revealed next week when the campaign files its fourth-quarter fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission.

The woman, Stephine Stottmann, stole the money over several months by cashing her paychecks but telling campaign officials she had lost them and obtaining reimbursement checks, the official said.

There was a delay in discovering the duplicity, the official said, because the money came from two different sources: first the payroll service and later the campaign coffers.

Stottmann, who had served as the campaign’s office director, left Northup’s operation to work for Louisville Councilwoman Julie Adams in January 2003, before the money was found to be missing.

Northup began to suspect embezzlement in the late summer and early fall.

After the fraud was laid bare, Chief of Staff Terry Carmack confronted Stottmann and “she just sobbed,” the campaign official said, adding: “She said she didn’t have enough money. She didn’t know what to do.”

Carmack gave Stottmann 24 hours to tell Adams about what she had done. Adams then fired Stottmann.

Ellen Reitmeyer, Adams’s legislative assistant, confirmed that Stottmann had worked for the councilwoman. Adams did not return telephone and e-mail messages seeking comment.

Northup, in her fourth term, declined to comment.

“She reimbursed us for all of that, plus the cost of the forensic accountant,” the official said, referring to an accountant the campaign hired to pore over its books and clear up discrepancies. “Honestly, it’s a very painful thing.” It is not known whether Stottman faces any criminal charges.

Stottman’s sister, Christina Stottmann, works for House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.).

Dan Bayens, the Northup campaign’s finance director, and another campaign official said they had heard reports that Stephine Stottmann was working at a Target store. Stottmann could not be reached for comment.

Northup has one of the most competitive seats in the House; the district encompasses Louisville and most of Jefferson County. The congresswoman won her 2002 race with 52 percent of the vote.

Northup said she expects to spend $3 million to win re-election in November. Democrat Tony Miller, the Jefferson County clerk of courts, is challenging her for the House seat.

[Republican Wildcat]

ping

[RonPaulLives]

Oh my gosh. Wild story. I actually know this woman's sister. Her sister, Chris (sp?) Stottman, was the former National Committeewoman for the Kentucky Young Republican Federation at the same time that I was the organization's Campaign Services Director.

[skinkinthegrass]

..count the $$$$$ twice.

Sad, but glad she was caught.

[bigfootbob]

"Stottman’s sister, Christina Stottmann, works for House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.)"

This line infuriates me. Let's slime an innocent person because she dares work for an evil Republican.

[Republican Wildcat]

Indeed...Northup could have faced fines if the money was not accounted for--talk about a media firestorm.

[Republican Wildcat]

Yep...a lot of people are very upset and saddened at the whole thing.

[windchime]

I don't know anything about the culprit (or her sister), but it would seem that if her honesty is questionable.....her loyalty would be, too. Glad the problem was exposed and resolved early in Northup's campaign.

[MeekOneGOP]

Wow. Bummer, but it's righted anyway now.

Now for the backlash, I suppose ??