Treasurer McCord to plead guilty in campaign finance case
Source: AP
By MARC LEVY
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Rob McCord, who resigned abruptly Friday after serving six years as Pennsylvania's elected treasurer, plans to plead guilty to federal charges accusing him of using his office to threaten potential campaign donors during his failed gubernatorial primary race last year.
McCord, 55, resigned a day after he announced that he would step down in two weeks without giving a reason. But in a video released by his lawyers Friday, the Democrat apologized, gave details of what sparked a federal investigation into him and said he accepts responsibility for his actions.
"I stepped over the line by trying to take advantage of the fact that two potential contributors hoped to continue to do business with the commonwealth and by developing talking points to remind them that I could make things difficult for them," McCord said in the two-and-a-half minute video. "I essentially said that the potential contributors should not risk making an enemy of the state treasurer. Clearly that was wrong, I was wrong. It was a mistake. I stand ready to pay the price for that mistake."
McCord's lawyers, Robert Welsh and Catherine Recker, said McCord will plead guilty to certain federal charges, but they would not specify which charges those would be or whether McCord will face jail time. The charges, which could be filed as early as next week, stem from the incident last spring, they said.
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FILE - In this May 8, 2014 file photo, Pennsylvania state treasurer Rob McCord waits for the start of a Pennsylvania Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Debate in Philadelphia. McCord said in a video released by his lawyer Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, that he is resigning immediately and plans to plead guilty to federal charging that involve him telling two potential campaign contributors during the 2014 gubernatorial primary that he could make it difficult for them to continue to do business with the state. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
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