Liebermann receives campaign donations from now-indicted Galante

[Democrat 4 Ever]

Holy Joe has some 'splaining to do!

Galante Donors Gave To Senator
Lieberman Received $14,000 In 2003
By EDMUND H. MAHONY

And JON LENDER Courant Staff Writers

October 28, 2007

(snip)

The contributions to Lieberman, a longtime Democrat who became an independent in 2006, are similar to allegedly bundled contributions to three Republican officeholders that earlier this month led to state charges against Galante, who is also facing a 2006 federal racketeering indictment.

What's more, people familiar with the campaign matters say, the names of Lieberman, the three Republicans and about a dozen other Connecticut and New York politicians have turned up on what the FBI loosely refers to as a "ledger" that agents seized from Galante's office while investigating mob influence in the trash industry.

The so-called ledger, a subject of interest to a legislative committee investigating state Sen. Louis DeLuca, R-Woodbury, summarizes information provided to Galante by his lobbyists on fundraising goals set by a number of candidates, the people familiar with the documents said.

A Lieberman spokesman said no one knew of any irregularities or improprieties at the time of the contributions.

Galante was charged Oct. 13 with violating state campaign finance laws, based on a series of suspect $1,000 contributions in 2002 and 2003 to political action committees controlled by DeLuca, state Sen. David Cappiello, R-Danbury, and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. Galante is accused of trying to disguise up to $38,000 in personal contributions to the three Republican candidates' political action committees.

"Bundling" of contributions - that is, gathering together the checks of several associates and giving them to a candidate all at once - is not illegal in itself. It becomes illegal when someone uses bundling to exceed a legal contribution limit by passing money through third parties, who each write checks within the legal limit.

Read the rest here -

http://www.courant.com/news/custom/topnews/hc-lieberman1028.artoct28,0,5750220.story