COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former Democratic candidate for state auditor has admitted falsifying election documents.
The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/WcRQ3Y ) reports that former Mahoning County treasurer John Reardon pleaded guilty this week to two misdemeanor charges of election falsification. Prosecutors said he listed false loans from his supporters to improve the image of his campaign coffers in 2006.
He was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
Reardon repeatedly denied wrongdoing in multiple interviews with FBI investigators. In court he said he believed at the time that his reports were filed properly but now accepts responsibility for what he called a "mistake."
Reardon eventually dropped out of the race and received $50,000 from the state party.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
