In a statement posted on his website, Fortenberry, who took office in 2005, told voters that “because of my current circumstances, I can no longer serve you effectively.” The story goes on under the ad Fortenberry charges come from a In 2016, a fundraiser was held in Glendale, California, for the re-election of the MP. There, Fortenberry received a total of $ 30,200 in donations from Gilbert Chagoury, a wealthy Nigerian Lebanese business executive who used other people as pipelines to make contributions, the U.S. Central District Attorney’s Office said in October. Foreign nationals are prohibited from making donations to candidates for federal office in the United States. It is also illegal to hide the identity of a donor through third-party contributions. Fortenberry was convicted of one count of intrigue for falsifying and concealing material facts and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators. Each of the charges carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Criminals have the right to run for office and serve in Congress. The story goes on under the ad Fortenberry’s weekly trial in Los Angeles ended with a guilty verdict announced after two hours of deliberations on Thursday, the Associated Press reported. “After learning of illegal contributions to his campaign, the MP repeatedly chose to cover up violations of federal law to protect his job, his reputation and that of his close associates,” U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison told Thursday. “The lies in this case threatened the integrity of the US electoral system and were designed to prevent researchers from finding out the real source of funding for the campaign.” The lawmaker – who has maintained his innocence since being indicted in October – said he planned to appeal the verdict. His defense team had claimed that the authorities had used deceptive investigative tactics to accuse the MP. The story goes on under the ad The leadership of Parliament, however, demanded his resignation after the conviction. “Mr Fortenberry’s conviction represents a breach of public confidence and confidence in his ability to serve. “No one is above the law,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (California) said in a statement Friday. “Congressman Fortenberry must resign from Parliament.” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) Also called for his resignation. Speaking at the annual Republican House of Representatives in Florida on Friday, McCarthy said Fortenberry “had his day in court.” “I think if he wants to appeal, he can do it as an individual,” McCarthy said. “But I think when someone is convicted, it’s time to give up.” The story goes on under the ad According to court documents, Chagoury, the Nigerian billionaire, and his associates had links to a non-profit organization fighting the persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East. Federal prosecutors said the trio sought to channel money to “politicians from less populous states because the contribution would be more visible to the politician and therefore promote increased donor access.” Fortenberry, who supported the group’s mission, said he knew nothing about the illegal campaign donations. Twice in 2019, investigators interviewed the MP about the contributions while secretly recording him – the recordings of which, according to reports from several stores, were played during the trial. According to the indictment, Fortenberry “knowingly and voluntarily made false statements and statements to the FBI and IRS” about the illegal donations. The story goes on under the ad However, the MP has repeatedly painted a different story. Ahead of the indictment, Fortenberry — sitting in his truck with his wife, Celeste, and their dog — said in a YouTube video that “an outsider was illegally transferring money to my campaign,” adding that “I do not know anything about it.” Fortenberry said he had told the FBI agents everything he knew. The charges against him shocked him, he said. “I feel so personally betrayed,” he said. “We thought we were trying to help.” The GOP 1st District Nebraska by-election currently has at least four other contenders, including Nebraska State Sen. Mike Flood (R), who has put a strong challenge to Fortenberry following the indictment. last October. The winner of the qualifiers will probably face state senator Patty Pansing Brooks (D). The area is strongly Republican. Punching Brooks told the AP on Friday that Fortenberry’s conviction was an “awakening” and that Nebraska was likely to “be the mainstay of some jokes” because of it.
