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A federal jury in Los Angeles has convicted Jeff Fortenberry of three felony counts for lying to the FBI about a 2016 foreign campaign contribution.The nine-term Nebraska Republican Congressman was found guilty of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts, along with two counts of making false statements to federal investigators.The three felony charges in the indictment each carry a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 28.”It was certainly very vindicating to see the hard work of the federal agents and the U.S. Attorney’s office roundly supported by the jury’s verdict,” federal prosecutor Mack Jenkins said outside the courthouse after the verdict was announced.Jenkins added that the verdict shows that it’s “paramount” lawmakers follow the law and are held accountable.Jurors deliberated for about two hours before the decision was announced. Fortenberry said he plans to appeal the verdict.”We always felt like it was gonna be hard to have a fair process,” Fortenberry said outside the courthouse.Prosecutors said Fortenberry concealed information from FBI investigators as they questioned the Congressman about an illegal, $30,000 foreign contribution to Fortenberry’s 2016 re-election campaign.Fortenberry declined to comment on the future of his re-election campaign. His chief Republican rival, Norfolk State Senator Mike Flood, declined to comment Thursday evening.In closing arguments, US Attorney Susan Har said Fortenberry “… chose to conceal the truth, he chose to lie to federal investigators when they came to ask question … believing his status and privilege as a congressman would shield him from his choices.”Fortenberry never took the witness stand during his federal trial, but his defense argued the Congressman was not aware he had been told in a 2018 phone call that he had received an illegal foreign contribution. The defense blamed Fortenberry’s poor cell service at his Lincoln home, and the Congressman’s tendency to multi-task during fundraising callsOn Thursday, Fortenberry’s wife Celeste testified to those points on the witness stand Thursday.”We live in Nebraska. The state has kind of lousy cell phone service,” Mrs. Fortenberry testified.Prosecutors again walked the jury through the June 2018 phone call with Dr. Elias Ayoub, the fundraiser host in Los Angeles. Ayoub was cooperating with the FBI and federal investigators recorded that phone call.During the conversation, Ayoub told Fortenberry about the foreign campaign contributions, saying $30,000 had been distributed at a 2016 Fortenberry fundraiser in Los Angeles to donate to his campaign. Ayoub told Fortenberry the cash likely came from Gilbert Chagoury, a Lebanese-Nigerian businessman. Chagoury paid a fine of $1.8 million in 2019 after admitting to illegally suppling money to U.S. political campaigns.Fortenberry is heard asking Ayoub to organize another fundraiser during the 2018 phone call.The Congressman’s defense team argued Thursday that the FBI had conducted a failed memory test on Fortenberry, and said the recording only represented what Ayoub heard, not what Fortenberry may have heard.
LOS ANGELES —
A federal jury in Los Angeles has convicted Jeff Fortenberry of three felony counts for lying to the FBI about a 2016 foreign campaign contribution.
The nine-term Nebraska Republican Congressman was found guilty of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts, along with two counts of making false statements to federal investigators.
The three felony charges in the indictment each carry a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 28.
“It was certainly very vindicating to see the hard work of the federal agents and the U.S. Attorney’s office roundly supported by the jury’s verdict,” federal prosecutor Mack Jenkins said outside the courthouse after the verdict was announced.
Jenkins added that the verdict shows that it’s “paramount” lawmakers follow the law and are held accountable.
Jurors deliberated for about two hours before the decision was announced. Fortenberry said he plans to appeal the verdict.
“We always felt like it was gonna be hard to have a fair process,” Fortenberry said outside the courthouse.
Prosecutors said Fortenberry concealed information from FBI investigators as they questioned the Congressman about an illegal, $30,000 foreign contribution to Fortenberry’s 2016 re-election campaign.
Fortenberry declined to comment on the future of his re-election campaign. His chief Republican rival, Norfolk State Senator Mike Flood, declined to comment Thursday evening.
In closing arguments, US Attorney Susan Har said Fortenberry “… chose to conceal the truth, he chose to lie to federal investigators when they came to ask question … believing his status and privilege as a congressman would shield him from his choices.”
Fortenberry never took the witness stand during his federal trial, but his defense argued the Congressman was not aware he had been told in a 2018 phone call that he had received an illegal foreign contribution. The defense blamed Fortenberry’s poor cell service at his Lincoln home, and the Congressman’s tendency to multi-task during fundraising calls
On Thursday, Fortenberry’s wife Celeste testified to those points on the witness stand Thursday.
“We live in Nebraska. The state has kind of lousy cell phone service,” Mrs. Fortenberry testified.
Prosecutors again walked the jury through the June 2018 phone call with Dr. Elias Ayoub, the fundraiser host in Los Angeles. Ayoub was cooperating with the FBI and federal investigators recorded that phone call.
During the conversation, Ayoub told Fortenberry about the foreign campaign contributions, saying $30,000 had been distributed at a 2016 Fortenberry fundraiser in Los Angeles to donate to his campaign.
Ayoub told Fortenberry the cash likely came from Gilbert Chagoury, a Lebanese-Nigerian businessman. Chagoury paid a fine of $1.8 million in 2019 after admitting to illegally suppling money to U.S. political campaigns.
Fortenberry is heard asking Ayoub to organize another fundraiser during the 2018 phone call.
The Congressman’s defense team argued Thursday that the FBI had conducted a failed memory test on Fortenberry, and said the recording only represented what Ayoub heard, not what Fortenberry may have heard.