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| Jeffrey Thompson, alleged ‘shadow campaign’ funder, is charged in federal court | Jeffrey Thompson, alleged ‘shadow campaign’ funder, is charged in federal court |
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| D.C. businessman Jeffrey E. Thompson, once a major government contractor, was charged Monday in a campaign finance conspiracy that has tarnished the tenure of Mayor Vincent C. Gray and threatened his ambitions for a second term. | D.C. businessman Jeffrey E. Thompson, once a major government contractor, was charged Monday in a campaign finance conspiracy that has tarnished the tenure of Mayor Vincent C. Gray and threatened his ambitions for a second term. |
| Prosecutors filed a 10-page charging document in the District’s federal court accusing Thompson of subverting campaign finance laws for many years. The charges are a highly anticipated development in a long-running federal investigation that began with improprieties in Gray’s 2010 campaign but later expanded greatly in scope. | Prosecutors filed a 10-page charging document in the District’s federal court accusing Thompson of subverting campaign finance laws for many years. The charges are a highly anticipated development in a long-running federal investigation that began with improprieties in Gray’s 2010 campaign but later expanded greatly in scope. |
| The charges against Thompson are outlined in court papers that are filed in felony cases only with the defendant’s consent, signaling that a plea agreement has been reached. Thompson’s defense team and prosecutors have been negotiating a deal for weeks, according to several people familiar with the talks. | The charges against Thompson are outlined in court papers that are filed in felony cases only with the defendant’s consent, signaling that a plea agreement has been reached. Thompson’s defense team and prosecutors have been negotiating a deal for weeks, according to several people familiar with the talks. |
| Prosecutors have for three years been building a case against Thompson, whom associates have identified as the financier of an illegal $653,000 campaign on Gray’s behalf and as the mastermind behind secret contributions to a long list of other local and federal political candidates. | |
| Seven people connected to Thompson or affiliated with Gray’s last campaign have pleaded guilty in federal court in the past two years. Thompson, 58, has been alluded to in case after case, but until now he had been identified in court documents only as an unnamed co-conspirator. | Seven people connected to Thompson or affiliated with Gray’s last campaign have pleaded guilty in federal court in the past two years. Thompson, 58, has been alluded to in case after case, but until now he had been identified in court documents only as an unnamed co-conspirator. |
| The charges against Thompson reignite questions for Gray about campaign finance irregularities in his first mayoral campaign as he faces a crowded Democratic primary field on April 1. The mayor has not been accused of any crime, but he has apologized to D.C. residents and acknowledged the “misdeeds and missteps” of his associates. | The charges against Thompson reignite questions for Gray about campaign finance irregularities in his first mayoral campaign as he faces a crowded Democratic primary field on April 1. The mayor has not been accused of any crime, but he has apologized to D.C. residents and acknowledged the “misdeeds and missteps” of his associates. |
| Gray has not answered specific questions about what, if anything, he knew about Thompson’s alleged secret efforts and when he learned about them. | Gray has not answered specific questions about what, if anything, he knew about Thompson’s alleged secret efforts and when he learned about them. |
| A more detailed account of what Thompson has told federal investigators about his interactions with the mayor is expected to be outlined when Thompson appears in court. A plea hearing for Thompson has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. | |
| The federal investigation has been a major factor for Gray as he seeks a second term. More than 40 percent of Democrats say the probe will be a major factor in how they vote this year, a Washington Post poll found. And the survey found that concerns about Gray’s trustworthiness are his most significant weakness among a public that generally approves of the job he’s doing as mayor. | The federal investigation has been a major factor for Gray as he seeks a second term. More than 40 percent of Democrats say the probe will be a major factor in how they vote this year, a Washington Post poll found. And the survey found that concerns about Gray’s trustworthiness are his most significant weakness among a public that generally approves of the job he’s doing as mayor. |
| Thompson, who did hundreds of millions of dollars in city business through his health-care firm, has not commented on the investigation since March 2012, when federal agents searched his home and offices. His attorneys were not immediately available to comment Monday. | Thompson, who did hundreds of millions of dollars in city business through his health-care firm, has not commented on the investigation since March 2012, when federal agents searched his home and offices. His attorneys were not immediately available to comment Monday. |
| Thompson lawyer Brendan V. Sullivan Jr. had publicly shown no interest in negotiating with the office of U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. He had fought the government over certain documents seized in the 2012 raids, appealing late last year to the Supreme Court. | Thompson lawyer Brendan V. Sullivan Jr. had publicly shown no interest in negotiating with the office of U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. He had fought the government over certain documents seized in the 2012 raids, appealing late last year to the Supreme Court. |
| In recent weeks, however, Thompson’s defense team has been sharing information with prosecutors as part of plea talks, according to two people familiar with the private discussions. | In recent weeks, however, Thompson’s defense team has been sharing information with prosecutors as part of plea talks, according to two people familiar with the private discussions. |
| Court documents in earlier plea deals describe a tag-team effort by Thompson and public relations consultant Jeanne Clarke Harris to avoid campaign finance laws, which place strict limits on donations. Thompson funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars through companies owned by Harris to benefit candidates he did not want to support publicly. | Court documents in earlier plea deals describe a tag-team effort by Thompson and public relations consultant Jeanne Clarke Harris to avoid campaign finance laws, which place strict limits on donations. Thompson funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars through companies owned by Harris to benefit candidates he did not want to support publicly. |
| Prosecutors have also said in court papers that Thompson used his former accounting firm to direct illegal contributions to scores of political campaigns for nearly a decade. Machen has characterized the firm as an “assembly line” for such donations. | Prosecutors have also said in court papers that Thompson used his former accounting firm to direct illegal contributions to scores of political campaigns for nearly a decade. Machen has characterized the firm as an “assembly line” for such donations. |
| In 2008, Thompson secretly spent more than a half-million dollars on get-out-the-vote efforts for Hillary Rodham Clinton during Democratic primaries in at least four states, according to documents and interviews. That year, Thompson also did not report more than $100,000 he spent to help elect former D.C. Council member Michael A. Brown (I-At Large), according to a court filing this month. | In 2008, Thompson secretly spent more than a half-million dollars on get-out-the-vote efforts for Hillary Rodham Clinton during Democratic primaries in at least four states, according to documents and interviews. That year, Thompson also did not report more than $100,000 he spent to help elect former D.C. Council member Michael A. Brown (I-At Large), according to a court filing this month. |
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