Cong. Blunt Called To Return Gill Contributions

As another one of Congressman Blunt's Friends Heads to Prison, Will He Return the Contributions?

Today the Robin Carnahan campaign is calling on Congressman Blunt to return the $15,000 he has received from convicted felon Gladwin Gill. Gill pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison on money laundering charges after funneling money through other donors to skirt campaign finance laws.

Congressman Blunt is no stranger to money laundering (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgD5XZi6nYA) in politics. In fact, as Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has reported, "Rep. Blunt participated in an elaborate money-laundering scheme with former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) during the 2000 presidential campaign. The scheme was designed to hide the source and use of funds solicited for the expressed purpose of financing Republican convention parties." [Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, 01/24/06]

"Congressman Blunt should immediately return the $15,000 he took from convicted felon Gladwin Gill and needs to come clean with Missourians about whether or not he knew about this money laundering scheme that benefited his campaign," said Linden Zakula, a Carnahan campaign spokesman."This is not the first convicted felon that Congressman Blunt has accepted contributions from and his repeated refusal to answer questions or return the money is just more evidence that he has become the very worst of Washington."

The news of more tainted campaign contributions and ties to convicted felons is just the latest in a mounting case against Congressman Blunt and his 14-year record of waste, corruption, and sticking it to the middle class. Missouri newspapers have been taking Blunt to task for his time in Washington highlighting secret deals for Big Tobacco that helped family and friends and his ties to convicted felon and super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff. [KC Star, 9/3/10; STL PD, 9/7/10]

Gladwin Gill's contributions have already become an issue in campaigns across the country including the Attorney General race in California. [LA Weekly, 8/26/10]