Calif. Democratic treasurer perpetrated $7M fraud

By TOM VERDIN and DON THOMPSON
Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, Mar. 27, 2012 - 10:20

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Democratic campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee defrauded at least 50 candidates, officeholders and political organizations out of $7 million in a scheme that dates back more than a decade, according to a court filing made Tuesday by federal prosecutors.

The U.S. attorney's office in Sacramento filed the additional charges in federal court, providing the most detailed account to date in a case that has left some Democratic candidates scrambling for campaign cash in an election year.

Such filings typically are a prelude to a plea, but prosecutors would not confirm such a development or offer any further details.

Durkee, who heads Durkee & Associates in Burbank, was arrested in September and charged with suspicion of mail fraud after millions of dollars disappeared from the campaign accounts of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, other Democratic members of Congress and several Democratic state lawmakers.

The filing details a complex shell game in which Durkee shifted campaign money to cover an array of personal and business expenses.

In one example, $23,000 taken from Feinstein's account was used to help pay American Express credit card charges from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Amazon.com, Disneyland, Trader Joe's and Turners Outdoorsman.

Other misappropriations from Feinstein's account covered payments for a Long Beach condominium owned by Durkee and to the 401(k) plan for her employees.

The court filing said Durkee had devised a scheme from January 2000 until she was arrested last September "to defraud clients of Durkee & Associates, and to obtain money from them by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises."

It said she had signature control over roughly 700 bank accounts, including those used by political campaigns.

Durkee's attorney, Daniel Nixon, did not return telephone and email messages Tuesday evening.

John Kevin Vincent, the assistant U.S. attorney listed as the chief prosecutor in the case, declined to discuss the material in the latest filing and would not say whether a plea deal was in the works.

"When we get to that point, we'll send out a notification," Vincent said.

Durkee was scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon at a hearing that had been set before Tuesday's developments.

She has been accused of looting the accounts of dozens of Democratic officeholders, candidates and political organizations. Prosecutors also say Durkee filed false information with the Federal Election Commission and the California Secretary of State, which track campaign contributions and expenditures.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/27/4371582/prosecutors-filing-hints-at-plea.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/27/4371582/prosecutors-filing-hints-at-plea.html#storylink=cpy

When Will We See Change? Finally in 2012!

There are plenty of Republicans I could, and would never support. 2012, the Republicans have a spirited Ron Paul, who is shaking up the politcal spectrum. Nothing is too bold for his insight, he seems to have pulled me from the social democratic party. I jumped across party lines to help emsure he has the chance to speak against President Obama in front of the masses. Something needs to change, because Individuality is what allows Humans to experience life.

Ron Paul is a constitutionalist, who believes that the constitution was drafted in order to create a more perfect union. If that was the case, why would America start to implement laws that strip us of most of our rights? Dr. Paul defends Liberty more than all the other candidates running against him in the 2012 republican primary elections. To the disbelief of the main street media, Ron Paul is the only Republican who has the chance to beat Obama in November, and turn this ship around.

If the other Republican Candidates see that Paul has the better message, and an authenticity that can be trusted, a rare characterization for a Politician. They should do what's right for the party as well as the Country and step down, to allow Ron Paul to build momentum early, rather than making each other look in-electable.

RON PAUL IN 2012!

THREE NH NEWSPAPERS ENDORSE RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT

CONCORD, NH – The Littleton Courier, Berlin Reporter, and Coos County Democrat all announced today their endorsements of 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul.

The endorsements come on the heels of the 12-term Congressman from Texas’s strong top-three finish in the Iowa Caucus giving one of two viable tickets out of the Hawkeye State.

“Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has been in the lead for months,” wrote the editors, “but voters still seem desperate for an alternative — there’s always another candidate pulling stronger or almost as strong numbers in the polls. Voters have lost faith in Obama, but they are not sold on Romney to replace him.”

Congressman Ron Paul, however, “has never voted to raise a tax and voted against all of the bailouts that have riled up Tea Partiers and Occupy Wall Streeters alike,” they continued. “His prediction that the United States can no longer afford the economic cost of our overseas commitments makes many Republicans uncomfortable, possibly by the very truth of the assertion. For decades he has been that rare sort of politician who speaks what he believes to be the truth and doesn’t flutter in the wind of public opinion. That could not be said of Obama or Romney.

“Powerful leaders like Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan change the political landscape,” the editors concluded. “This is what Ron Paul would do for our country and why we support him.”