Rochester Turning has the story from the Washington Post on Rep. Jim Walsh being robbed by former NRCC treasurer Christopher Ward.
The alleged theft from Walsh's PAC occurred when it was largely dormant. The committee didn't raise a cent in 2007 while only spending a total of $32,000. The revised accounting after the addition of Ward's misappropriation meant the committee ended the year in the red, reporting a cash balance of negative $1,400. Last month, Walsh donated $5,000 from his regular campaign committee to his PAC to cover the loss. Walsh's office did not return a call seeking comment before this item was posted*, and Ward's attorney declined to comment (as he has since the scandal broke).
While COLDPAC has not reported spending any money on lawyers or accountants as a result of Ward's actions, the NRCC hasn't been so lucky. The committee's latest FEC report shows that it has now spent upwards of $140,000 dealing with the scandal, including $28,500 to the law firm Covington & Burling and another $116,000 to the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
*UPDATE 2:36 PM: Walsh's office has responded. "Obviously Mr. Walsh is very angry. He feels he and his supporters were taken advantage of by this guy," said spokesman Dan Gage, adding that the information about COLDPAC had been forwarded to "law enforcement authorities."
Walsh's PAC,according to a chart provided by the Washington Post, was taken for $20,000. The amount that Ward is said to have stolen could be well over $1 million. |
