Tom Noe, the man at the center of the Ohio GOP "Coingate" scandal, pleaded guilty today to federal charges that he funneled illegal donations to the 2004 Bush/Cheney re-election campaign.
Noe was charged with exceeding federal campaign contribution limits, using others to make the contributions and causing the Bush campaign to submit a false campaign-finance statement.An embezzlement charge against Noe remains unresolved. The allegation is connected to a $50 million coin investment he managed for the Ohio workers' compensation fund.
He said Wednesday that he pleaded guilty to "spare my family and many dear friends" the ordeal of a trial.
Noe, 51, has been free on bond since he was indicted in October and is living in Florida. Prosecutors planned to recommend a sentence of 2 to 2 1/2 years. The maximum sentence would be five years on each of three counts and a combined $950,000 in fines. A sentencing date was not set.
Federal prosecutors have said the case was the largest campaign money-laundering scheme prosecuted under the 2002 campaign finance reform law, which set limits on donations.
Prosecutors said Noe gave $45,400 directly or indirectly to 24 friends and associates, who made the campaign contributions in their own names, allowing him to skirt the $2,000 limit on individual contributions.
1 comments:
good luck getting it back. you'd have to pry it from cheney's cold dead fingers.
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