Court Seizes Hart Funds to Pay Debts From 1984

Xerox Corp. on Tuesday obtained a court order seizing federal funds earmarked for Gary Hart’s renewed campaign for the presidency to satisfy a debt left from the Colorado Democrat’s 1984 campaign.

The effect of the ruling by the District of Columbia Superior Court on the transfer of $100,000 in federal campaign funds to Hart, which was approved on Monday, was not clear. The court order to pay off the $10,480 debt to Xerox actually was served on the Federal Election Commission.

The FEC, which does not possess the money, certified Hart as eligible for matching campaign funds and told the U.S. Treasury to issue the check. Agency spokesmen had no comment on the court order.

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