The Latest: McConnell rival's campaign donations prosecuted
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Latest on the federal trial of the father of Kentucky's secretary of state (all times local):
1 p.m.
A prosecutor says the father of Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes funneled corporate money into her failed U.S. Senate campaign in violation of federal law.
Jerry Lundergan's attorney told a federal jury on Tuesday that mistakes were made in reporting the contributions, but no laws were broken.
The opening arguments raised the curtain on a trial expected to last about four weeks. The charges stem from Grimes' unsuccessful 2014 campaign against Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell.
Prosecutors allege that Jerry Lundergan paid for campaign consultants and vendors through his business account without seeking reimbursement. Federal authorities say that amounted to an improper campaign contribution.
___
8:44 a.m.
The father of Kentucky's secretary of state is going to trial on charges that he made illegal contributions to his daughter's unsuccessful campaign to unseat Sen. Mitch McConnell.
Prosecutors allege that Jerry Lundergan hired consultants and vendors to work for his daughter's 2014 campaign, paying for them out of his business account without seeking reimbursement. Federal authorities say that amounted to an improper campaign contribution.
Lundergan's daughter is Alison Lundergan Grimes, who lost to the Republican majority leader. Grimes has called the charges politically motivated and predicted her father will be vindicated.
Lundergan has been a fixture in Kentucky Democratic politics for decades. He's a former state lawmaker and formerly served as chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party.
