Kentucky Official Charged With Fraud
A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted the Speaker of the Kentucky House on charges of influence-peddling and campaign finance fraud after an FBI investigation that focused on horse racing legislation.
The indictment alleges that Kentucky State Rep. Don Blandford accepted $1,500 in payoffs for help in killing the legislation and engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity by defrauding his campaign fund of about $6,500.
Blandford, 54, became the 10th person and the highest-ranking in state government to be indicted in the investigation that became public in March, when FBI agents served subpoenas and interviewed potential witnesses.
Blandford was among those interviewed and is considered a central figure. He vowed this week to fight any charges.
Among the four counts against Blandford are that he accepted money from former state Rep. Bill McBee in January, February and March in exchange for his influence as Speaker. Blandford also is charged with extorting money from McBee, who pleaded guilty to other charges in the investigation.
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