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| Court unseals investigative file from ex-D.C. mayor Gray campaign probe | Court unseals investigative file from ex-D.C. mayor Gray campaign probe |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A federal court in Washington is scheduled Friday to unseal dozens of investigative records expected to provide new insight into how prosecutors conducted a long-running probe into the illegal financing of Vincent C. Gray’s 2010 campaign. | A federal court in Washington is scheduled Friday to unseal dozens of investigative records expected to provide new insight into how prosecutors conducted a long-running probe into the illegal financing of Vincent C. Gray’s 2010 campaign. |
| The search warrants, declarations from federal agents and other documents are being released after The Washington Post went to court seeking access to records from the closed investigation that cast a dark cloud over D.C. politics and resulted in guilty pleas from 12 people, including several top aides to the former mayor. | The search warrants, declarations from federal agents and other documents are being released after The Washington Post went to court seeking access to records from the closed investigation that cast a dark cloud over D.C. politics and resulted in guilty pleas from 12 people, including several top aides to the former mayor. |
| The Post asked to review the investigative materials on First Amendment grounds, saying there was no compelling justification to keep records secret after the probe was shut down. | The Post asked to review the investigative materials on First Amendment grounds, saying there was no compelling justification to keep records secret after the probe was shut down. |
| The nearly five-year-long federal investigation uncovered an illegal shadow campaign for Gray funded by former city contractor Jeffrey E. Thompson. The case had been widely viewed as leading to the former mayor, but prosecutors closed the investigation in December without charging Gray. | The nearly five-year-long federal investigation uncovered an illegal shadow campaign for Gray funded by former city contractor Jeffrey E. Thompson. The case had been widely viewed as leading to the former mayor, but prosecutors closed the investigation in December without charging Gray. |
| [Timeline: The investigation of Vincent Gray] | |
| Gray denies allegations that he knew about the off-the-books spending, as Thompson has asserted in court. | Gray denies allegations that he knew about the off-the-books spending, as Thompson has asserted in court. |
| The roughly 90 files totaling at least hundreds of pages include search warrants from 2012 through 2015, and are expected to fill in the blanks about some aspects of the investigation. | The roughly 90 files totaling at least hundreds of pages include search warrants from 2012 through 2015, and are expected to fill in the blanks about some aspects of the investigation. |
| U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips has provided little explanation for his decision to end the probe other than to say that the “admissible evidence is likely insufficient to obtain and sustain criminal convictions against any other individuals.” | U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips has provided little explanation for his decision to end the probe other than to say that the “admissible evidence is likely insufficient to obtain and sustain criminal convictions against any other individuals.” |
| Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell of the U.S. District Court in D.C. on April 1 granted The Post’s request to review materials, ordering the release of the records Friday, after prosecutors redacted some names and other details for privacy reasons. Howell wrote that “any remaining law enforcement and privacy interests implicated by the public disclosure of the relevant warrant materials is insufficient to justify maintaining these warrants under seal entirely.” | Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell of the U.S. District Court in D.C. on April 1 granted The Post’s request to review materials, ordering the release of the records Friday, after prosecutors redacted some names and other details for privacy reasons. Howell wrote that “any remaining law enforcement and privacy interests implicated by the public disclosure of the relevant warrant materials is insufficient to justify maintaining these warrants under seal entirely.” |
| The U.S. attorney’s response to The Post’s motion for access was filed under seal. According to the judge’s order, “the government concedes that maintaining blanket secrecy on the specific records sought from the campaign finance investigation is not necessary.” | The U.S. attorney’s response to The Post’s motion for access was filed under seal. According to the judge’s order, “the government concedes that maintaining blanket secrecy on the specific records sought from the campaign finance investigation is not necessary.” |
| The Post reported Thursday that the shadow campaign case was stalled for months, and possibly aborted, because of concerns about the credibility of Thompson, who was expected to be a key witness against the former mayor. | The Post reported Thursday that the shadow campaign case was stalled for months, and possibly aborted, because of concerns about the credibility of Thompson, who was expected to be a key witness against the former mayor. |
| Investigators began asking questions last year about the ages of Thompson’s sexual partners to determine whether he had committed a crime, according to witnesses who spoke to federal agents and The Post. | Investigators began asking questions last year about the ages of Thompson’s sexual partners to determine whether he had committed a crime, according to witnesses who spoke to federal agents and The Post. |
| [Shadow campaign case delayed over claims key witness had credibility issue] | [Shadow campaign case delayed over claims key witness had credibility issue] |
| A spokesman for Phillips declined to answer questions about whether the investigation into Thompson’s relationships derailed the broader campaign finance case. | A spokesman for Phillips declined to answer questions about whether the investigation into Thompson’s relationships derailed the broader campaign finance case. |
| Thompson’s attorneys also have declined to comment. Thompson, 61, has not been charged with any other crime since he pleaded guilty to two campaign finance-related felonies in 2014. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June. | Thompson’s attorneys also have declined to comment. Thompson, 61, has not been charged with any other crime since he pleaded guilty to two campaign finance-related felonies in 2014. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June. |
| Gray and his supporters have blamed the timing of the broader investigation and comments by the former U.S. attorney for Gray’s loss to now-Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) in the 2014 primary. Gray has mounted a bid for his former seat on the D.C. Council, saying he is seeking to right an “injustice.” | Gray and his supporters have blamed the timing of the broader investigation and comments by the former U.S. attorney for Gray’s loss to now-Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) in the 2014 primary. Gray has mounted a bid for his former seat on the D.C. Council, saying he is seeking to right an “injustice.” |
| The records due to be released Friday are not expected to provide a complete explanation of why the campaign finance case was shut down because the unsealed documents are essentially snapshots from specific points in time. But the records could indicate how the investigation progressed. | The records due to be released Friday are not expected to provide a complete explanation of why the campaign finance case was shut down because the unsealed documents are essentially snapshots from specific points in time. But the records could indicate how the investigation progressed. |
| To obtain search warrants for homes, offices, email accounts and electronic devices such as laptops and phones, law enforcement officials had to submit sworn statements to the court about the status of the investigation, what agents were hoping to find in their search and why such searches were necessary. | To obtain search warrants for homes, offices, email accounts and electronic devices such as laptops and phones, law enforcement officials had to submit sworn statements to the court about the status of the investigation, what agents were hoping to find in their search and why such searches were necessary. |
| Among the records to be released will be warrants from the March 2012 raids on the offices and homes of Thompson and public relations consultant Jeanne Clark Harris, a business associate and friend of Thompson, who was also friendly with Gray. | Among the records to be released will be warrants from the March 2012 raids on the offices and homes of Thompson and public relations consultant Jeanne Clark Harris, a business associate and friend of Thompson, who was also friendly with Gray. |
| Harris is also awaiting sentencing for her role in the shadow campaign after pleading guilty for serving as a conduit for Thompson’s unreported campaign funds. | Harris is also awaiting sentencing for her role in the shadow campaign after pleading guilty for serving as a conduit for Thompson’s unreported campaign funds. |