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For McCain, Another Problem Fundraiser
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ShareJuly 09, 2008 12:32 PM
A former investment banker who admitted to "loaning" himself millions from his client's accounts without their knowledge is a fundraiser and donor for John McCain's presidential campaign and the Republican party.
In a 2006 interview with the Willamette Week newspaper, onetime Oregon venture capitalist Craig Berkman said that between 1998 and 2001 he borrowed $5 million from the investors whose funds he controlled, and failed to tell "most" of them what he had done.
Still, "I was a good steward of investors' funds," Berkman told the paper's reporter.
A two-year suit against Berkman was decided last month when a jury found he had defrauded investors and ordered him to pay them $28 million.
Berkman, a former chairman of the Oregon GOP, co-hosted a $1,000-a-plate fundraising luncheon for McCain in January, and has donated $4,600 to McCain’s campaign, the maximum allowable by law, the paper reported today.
In a March filing in his trial, Berkman said he owed debts of $12.5 million beyond what he was actually worth. Two months later, Berkman gave the Republican National Committee $23,900.
Berkman's attorney, Paul George, said the contributions came from "moneys he is entitled to donate. The matters he was sued for involve moneys almost nine years ago."
Neither the McCain campaign nor the RNC immediately responded to a request for comment.
July 9, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (30)
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Ouch! Ron Paul needs to lecture these republicans in fiscal responsibility. They have forgotten soooooo much.
Posted by: antenian | Jul 9, 2008 1:00:07 PM
The Joker supporting the Penguin.
What a team.
Posted by: Nat Turner | Jul 9, 2008 1:02:33 PM
But its McCain, so it'll be okay. It will show up in this obscure article, and then we won't hear of it again. That's how MSM handles negative McCain stuff. Otherwise, they would not be able to ride in his plane.
Posted by: hang | Jul 9, 2008 1:12:08 PM
I guess I'd rather have a wacky pastor, than a thief for a friend.
The RNC could not immediately respond as it takes them a few hours to think up a good lie.
Posted by: DAVID NH | Jul 9, 2008 1:23:03 PM
ABCs website is full of Obama articles, but only this one in the far corner relating to McCain. The man said that he hoped all people in Iran died of lung cancer. His mental capacity should be at issue here, yet no one is discussing that. Instead, we have to read about Obama non-flip-flops the media is creating!! What gives?! WE NEED TO KNOW if McCain is really crazy BEFORE the election!!
Posted by: hang | Jul 9, 2008 1:35:18 PM
Hey, at least McCain isn't having fundraisers at Bill Ayers house. You know, the terrorist and his wife who wish they had done even MORE bombing.
McCain still looks great by comparison.
Posted by: Jo | Jul 9, 2008 1:36:27 PM
Used to be super-criminal "Kenny Boy" Lay of Enron fame that was the biggest GOP supporter...but he's dead.
Now they have this crook.
Posted by: wilder5121 | Jul 9, 2008 2:23:22 PM
Un-believable! he can't pay his debts that he stole of investors but he can max out donations to the RNC
Posted by: CMSgt Preston | Jul 9, 2008 2:39:17 PM
mccain has more than fundraiser problems!!
Posted by: ANGIE | Jul 9, 2008 2:49:29 PM
already a zillion scandals for mccain and he isn't even president... what good republican he is turning out to be
Posted by: earthisnotflat | Jul 9, 2008 3:19:20 PM
That's okay, Republicans don't care about sleazy associates, actually they usually seek them out.
They just pretend they care when they want to run a smear campaign about a political rival.
Posted by: Eileen From Maine | Jul 9, 2008 3:34:30 PM
Two words: Tony Rezko. But alas, nary a peep from the drive-by media...
Posted by: Henry Jones | Jul 9, 2008 11:40:51 PM
In the meantime Judicial Watch has filed a complaint with the US Senate into the preferencial treatment given to Obama on his mortgage. Employees of the same mortgage company donated 71K to Obama. Just like Chris Dodd ,
Posted by: Dennis D | Jul 10, 2008 12:29:24 AM
McCain never should have let this criminal baptize his children. That book McCain wrote for him was a little over the top too. What was McCain thinking?
Posted by: Roy Mustang | Jul 10, 2008 1:12:30 AM
McBUSH..BUSH...Not a nickles difference between the two of them..Both as crooked as a cork screw..
Posted by: Brutice | Jul 10, 2008 1:53:54 AM
I have enough too.
Posted by: Anne Ryan | Jul 10, 2008 2:16:38 AM
The RNC must be in anaphylactic shock tonight with this 80 year old senile clown trying to replace the certifiable moron they already have in the White House..In fact BUSH has only 192 more days to destroy what is left of this country that he has not already destroyed.November cant come soon enough
Posted by: Brutice | Jul 10, 2008 10:19:32 AM
january 2009 when we will throw out king george and his evil empire republican party. we want no more of take from the poor and give to the rich we fair treatment for all not just the rich and republican.
Posted by: tom | Jul 10, 2008 5:45:32 PM
Birds of a feather flock together.
Posted by: Steve Fitter | Jul 10, 2008 11:38:36 PM
Why am I not surprised?
Posted by: Steve | Jul 10, 2008 11:40:17 PM
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