A former campaign aide and friend to Mayor Vincent Gray has been charged with making a false statement to federal investigators.
According to a charging document filed by the U.S. Attorney’s office, Vernon Hawkins is accused of lying to FBI agents about sending a caterer out of D.C. so they couldn’t speak to federal agents. Hawkins allegedly “coordinated” a $653,000 shadow campaign on behalf of Gray. He allegedly gave money from businesswoman Eugenia “Jeanne” C. Harris, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations last year, to the caterer.
The Post reported this weekend that Hawkins was working on a plea deal with Ron Machen, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. As the Associated Press notes, charging documents filed as information usually precede a guilty plea.
The Post’s Mike DeBonis asked the $1 million question.
The big question: What kind of cooperation has Hawkins offered to earn his favorable plea deal? (Brooks got probation-only sentence.)
— Mike DeBonis (@mikedebonis) August 12, 2013
