Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is defending NRCC Finance Chair Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) over allegations he schemed to illegally reimburse employees of his former car dealership for donations to his political campaign.
The allegations against Buchanan are the subject of both Justice Department and House Office of Congressional Ethics investigations. The Federal Election Commission has asked a federal court to fine his former company $67,900.
“Vern Buchanan has been forthright and brought the information to the committee and to the Department of Justice himself,” Sessions told Bloomberg’s Al Hunt, also saying he has “confidence” in the Florida Republican.
Buchanan’s former business partner told investigators back in 2009 that Buchanan told him to instruct their employees to write checks to his campaign and then reimburse them for the cost.
