State senator indicted over campaign spending
Fletcher Hartsell, the longest serving member of the North Carolina Senate, was indicted by a Wake County grand jury Tuesday on three felony counts of filing false campaign reports.
Posted — UpdatedThe indictment alleges that, from 2010 to 2013, Hartsell used campaign donations to pay for upkeep and maintenance of his property as well as other goods and services through his law firm and personal credit cards.
Calls Tuesday afternoon to Hartsell's office and to his attorney, Wade Smith, were not immediately returned.
Although state lawmakers can spend campaign money on expenses related to running for and holding office and even charitable contributions, campaign finance laws effective since 2006 ban spending on personal expenses.
Hartsell's reports, along with those of every other lawmaker, should have been audited by the state board after each election cycle, but Strach said the board's strained resources makes that all but impossible.
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