FORMER CAMPAIGN MANAGER PLEADS GUILTY TO MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Acting Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wray of the Criminal Division announced today that Adrian Plesha, a former campaign manager for a congressional candidate who ran in California’s Tenth Congressional District during the November 1998 general election, pleaded guilty today to making false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Plesha, 33, of Washington, D.C., entered the plea this morning before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates in the District of Columbia.

Prior to Election Day 1998, registered Democrats in the Tenth Congressional District received letters and telephone calls purportedly made by the “East Bay Democratic Committee,” a fictitious Democratic organization, urging them not to vote for the incumbent Democratic congresswoman. The letters falsely appeared to be signed and approved by the sitting Democratic congressman from California’s Seventh Congressional District. Falsely identifying the political affiliations of the individuals or entities sponsoring and/or paying for campaign letters and phone calls is a criminal violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA). The FEC began investigating those responsible for originating the letters and telephone calls and served written investigative interrogatories, seeking a written response to several questions concerning the creation, review, editing, approval and financing of the letters and phone calls.

Plesha, the campaign manager for the Republican candidate for the congressional seat, filed a written response with the FEC in October 2000 in which he denied any knowledge of who originated the letters and calls, when in fact Plesha himself created, reviewed, approved, authorized and caused the letters and phone calls to be disseminated and financed, in violation of the FECA. In his plea today, Plesha admitted that his written response to the FEC was knowingly false. After today’s hearing, Plesha was released on his own recognizance. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2003.

This prosecution is being handled by trial attorneys Alison Van Horne and Kartik K. Raman of the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., headed by Noel L. Hillman, Chief. The investigation is being conducted by the Washington Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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