US Rep. Fortenberry found guilty in probe of campaign finances
U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska was convicted Thursday on charges that he lied to federal authorities about an illegal $30,000 contribution to his campaign from a foreign billionaire at a 2016 Los Angeles fundraiser.
A federal jury in LA deliberated about two hours before finding the nineterm Republican guilty of one count of falsifying and concealing material facts and two counts of making false statements. Fortenberry was charged after sitting for two interviews with FBI agents who were investigating the donor, Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire of Lebanese descent.
Fortenberry showed no emotion as the verdict was read but one of his daughters in the front row of the gallery began sobbing uncontrollably. After the jury left the courtroom, Fortenberry calmly walked over to his wife and two daughters and clasped them in a hug. He then kissed his wife on the lips and returned to a seat next to his lawyer.
The judge set sentencing for June 28.
It was the first trial of a sitting congressman since Rep. Jim Traficant was convicted of bribery and other felony charges in 2002.
Fortenberry, 61, argued at trial that prosecutors knew that the congressman didn’t know about the contribution, but directed an informant to feed him the information in a 10-minute call with the intention of trying to prosecute him.
Fortenberry argued at trial that the congressman didn’t know about the contribution, but federal agents directed an informant to feed him the information in a 10-minute call with the intention of trying to prosecute him.
His attorneys said FBI agents then used false pretenses to interview Fortenberry nearly a year later and indicted him when he failed to recall all of the details from the conversation.
Each count carries a potential five-year prison sentence and fines.
The trial could all but end the political career of a congressman seen as a reliable conservative who coasted to easy wins but isn’t a familiar name outside of Nebraska. Felons are eligible to run for and serve in Congress, but the vast majority choose to resign under threat of expulsion.
Fortenberry, who is running for reelection in a reliably Republican district, took a big political hit when prosecutors announced the charges.