Former Oregon GOP bigwig who owes millions to fraud victims continues donating cash to McCain

[DogPoundPup]

Source: Willamette Week

Former Oregon Republican Party chairman and one-time gubernatorial candidate Craig Berkman owes millions to some of Portland’s wealthiest investors—but that hasn’t stopped him from making generous political contributions to Sen. John McCain and others.

Last month, in Multnomah County Circuit Court, a jury found that Berkman had defrauded local investors—including timber baron Peter Stott, real-estate heir Jordan Schnitzer and former barge line owner Peter Brix—and a large British Columbian public pension fund.

Jurors concluded Berkman, 66, defrauded investors and must pay them a total of $28 million for using their money as his own and lying to them about the failure of various companies in which he invested.

Their verdict came as a humbling defeat for Berkman. Once known as Oregon’s leading venture capitalist, Berkman admitted to WW two years ago that after two decades of making impossible promises to investors, he dipped into their funds for personal use (see “The Talented Mr. Berkman,” WW, Jan. 25, 2006).

Despite his personal indebtedness of $12 million, Berkman opened his wallet often in this election year from his adopted 12,000-square-foot lakefront home in Florida.

Read more: http://wweek.com/editorial/3435/11207/

[gratuitous]

1. Why should McCain suffer?

Just because a bunch of people got defrauded, isn't John McCain entitled to all the campaign contributions he can get, regardless of their source? McCain's a veteran and former prisoner of war, you know. Why do you hate the troops?

[DogPoundPup]

2. I admit, don't know why ...

:rofl:

[pattmarty]

3. This is all these peoples "MO". Republican=Crook

[Owl]

4. It's his hope to be pardoned by President McSame.