Hart Acknowledges Illegal Funds, Will Return Them to Karl

Gary Hart acknowledged today that his campaign had received contributions from as many as four employees of video producer Stuart Karl, in violation of election law, and was returning the money.

“We are returning those contributions to Mr. Karl,” Hart told reporters. “This was in violation of not only the restrictions placed upon campaigns by the Federal Election Commission but also my own standards for campaign practices, and we’re going to return that money.”

Hart, who has been dogged the past two days by news reports of improper contributions from Karl and others, said: “It is reported now that Mr. Karl may have made or did make contributions through employees of his to my campaign. We have been checking into that as well. We have found that there may have been as many as four such contributions.”

Denied Requesting Payments

On Thursday, past Hart campaign managers and other former aides denied allegations that the 1984 or 1988 campaigns had directed Karl to pay off campaign expenses, or improperly pay the salary of Hart aide Dennis Walto, or that other supporters provided goods and services without expecting payment.

Hart said today: “I cannot stop every person and ask them where they are working or where their compensation’s coming from. Indeed, I think it’s pretty standard practice that people employed by corporations volunteer their services in campaigns. And I don’t know of a candidate, President or otherwise, who asks every one of them what payroll they’re on.

“I have never asked Dennis on any day-to-day basis where he was getting his compensation. So far as I know, he was not paid by . . . certainly was not paid by my Senate office, and I don’t think he was paid by any campaign that I know of.”

Turns to Miami Herald

Hart sidestepped other questions concerning the contributions, instead asking reporters if they thought the Miami Herald, which reported the Karl payments, had a vendetta against him.

“Can anybody tell me what I’ve done to the Miami Herald?” Hart asked. “That’s all I want to know.”

The Herald was also the newspaper that first reported Hart’s relationship with model Donna Rice.