From the ArcaMax Publishing, News & Features Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/newsheadlines/s-383228-108183
LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- A well-known Los Angeles lawyer could face felony
charges for illegal campaign contributions.
Lawyers for Pierce O'Donnell say the U.S. Justice Department has made
him a target for political reasons, the Los Angeles Times reported
Thursday.
The newspaper cites sources who say that a federal grand jury is
investigating O'Donnell's contributions to the presidential campaign
of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. The sources say the U.S.
Attorney's Office has rejected O'Donnell's offer to plead guilty to a
misdemeanor, insisting on his admitting a felony charge that would
mean he could no longer practice law.
O'Donnell allegedly encouraged employees of his law firm to contribute
to Edwards' Democratic presidential campaign and repaid those who made
gifts. His lawyers have assembled a list of cases where campaign
wrongdoing involving larger amounts of money was handled
administratively by the Federal Election Commission.
Even some Republicans question whether O'Donnell deserves a felony
charge, the newspaper said.
"There are very legitimate questions as to how one can justify
imposing a professional death penalty over this type of conduct," said
George Terwilliger III, who was a legal adviser in the Florida recount
in 2002 and served in the Justice Department under President George
H.W. Bush.