PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A former congressional political strategist has been sentenced to a year in federal prison in what authorities said was a scheme to illegally pay a 2012 Pennsylvania primary challenger to drop out of the race.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 64-year-old Donald Jones, once an ex-aide to former Democratic U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, expressed remorse as he was sentenced Monday. He told a federal judge that the case destroyed a reputation he said had worked his entire life to build.
Prosecutors said Jones and another consultant orchestrated a scheme in which the Brady campaign made an illegal $90,000 donation to the campaign of a rival candidate to induce him to drop out of the race.
Defense attorney Alan Tauber had sought no prison time, citing his client’s cooperation with authorities in that case and another case in Missouri.
Fifty-eight-year-old Kenneth Smukler, a top consultant who got dozens of Democrats elected in a 30-year career, was sentenced in May to a year and a half in prison on campaign violations in the case and another case.
Brady, who wasn’t charged, didn’t run for re-election after his term ended in January, ending 20 years in Congress. He said he did nothing wrong and was retiring to spend more time with his family.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.