Legality of Donations to Dole’s ’86 Senate Drive Questioned
Kansas Sen. Bob Dole’s 1986 Senate campaign received thousands of dollars in what may have been illegal campaign contributions from executives of a now-bankrupt company, the Kansas City Star reported Thursday in a copyrighted story.
Some former executives of Birdview Satellite Communications Inc. of suburban Overland Park, Kan., say they were encouraged or ordered to contribute to Dole’s campaign and were reimbursed by the company, the Star said.
The Dole presidential campaign said it had no knowledge of improper contributions.
The newspaper said that Federal Election Commission records and interviews indicated that two former Birdview executives--Steven Small, now a businessman and city commissioner in Chanute, Ka1848519712area financial consultant--and their spouses made $4,000 in contributions that were later repaid with company funds.
The two told the Kansas City Star that they gave to the Dole campaign after they were asked to contribute by Charles A. Ross, Birdview’s president at the time, or other company officers.
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