Ex-North Carolina congressional candidate enters guilty plea

RALEIGH. N.C. — RALEIGH. N.C. (AP) — A former North Carolina congressional candidate pleaded responsible Wednesday to a federal marketing campaign finance violation associated to a mortgage from a member of the family that prosecutors mentioned was falsely portrayed in marketing campaign reviews as originating from her personal private funds.

Lynda Bennett, 65, of Maggie Valley, entered the plea to at least one depend of accepting contributions within the identify of one other in U.S. District Courtroom in Washington, in accordance with a U.S. Justice Division information launch and court docket paperwork. Bennett’s sentencing is ready for June 20. Bennett’s plea settlement mentioned attorneys within the case have collectively really helpful probation for the crime, which is a felony.

Bennett, who was formally accused in late January in what’s known as a legal data filed by Justice Division attorneys, ran unsuccessfully for the 2020 Republican nomination for the eleventh Congressional District seat. She misplaced in a GOP major runoff to Madison Cawthorn, who finally gained the November 2020 basic election.

Prosecutors mentioned Bennett borrowed $25,000 from a member of the family in late 2019, representing that she wanted the cash as a result of she had to spend so much of private cash on her personal marketing campaign. Quickly after depositing that cash, Bennett precipitated $80,000 — together with the $25,000 in loaned funds — to be transferred into her marketing campaign committee, the federal government mentioned. She reported by means of her marketing campaign that the total $80,000 was a mortgage utilizing her personal private funds, somewhat than disclosing a few of it got here from one other particular person, in accordance with the Justice Division information launch.

Bennett lawyer Kearns Davis mentioned in an electronic mail after Wednesday’s listening to that “Lynda is grateful for the help of her household and buddies, and glad to maneuver on to the following step within the course of.”

Bennett, an actual property agent, was certainly one of a number of Republicans in search of the eleventh District seat that was held by former Rep. Mark Meadows. He was vacating the seat to turn out to be former President Donald Trump’s chief of employees. Bennett was a pal of Meadows’ spouse and endorsed by Meadows and later Trump.