Alexandria Man Sentenced for Breaking Federal Campaign Laws

An Alexandria man was sentenced today to two years in prison for illegally coordinating campaign contributions between political committees, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Republican political operative Tyler Harber, 34, was sentenced today in federal court by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady in Alexandria.

Harber pleaded guilty to one count of coordinated federal election contributions, and one count of making false statements to the FBI.

“There has been growing suspicion that there is indeed coordination between some super PACs and the candidates they back, but this is the first federal prosecution for such activity,” OpenSecrets.org notes.

Harber managed the campaign of Republican Chris Perkins three years ago; he ran a super PAC that spent $325,000 on Perkins’ campaign. Perkins ran unsuccessfully for the 11th congressional District seat, held by Congressman Gerry Connolly (D).

“The defendant’s criminal conduct was not borne of ignorance, naiveté or mistake,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark D. Lytle wrote in a pre-sentencing memo filed with the court. “Rather, the conduct engaged in here was undertaken by an intelligent and careful man with significant experience in politics and campaign finance. He knew exactly what he was doing and exactly the best way to conceal it from his party and from law enforcement.”

In February, Harber became the first person convicted of illegally coordinating campaign contributions between political committees, the AP noted.

In 2010, a Supreme Court decision allowed for the creation of “super PACS” that can spend and raise unlimited money as long as there is no coordination of the spending with candidates.

Harber also admitted a company owned by his mother billed the super PAC for $138,000 in services that were never performed, according to a report by the Knoxville News Sentinel. His mother kept $20,000 of the money, according to court records, and Harber got $118,000 for his and his wife’s personal use. His mother and wife will not be prosecuted under the terms of his plea agreement.

Harber and his wife, Cristin, who writes steamy romance novels, face credit card debt and have been living on his wife’s income, the newspaper reported. Harber’s family includes a son, 1 and a daughter, 3.

“Mr. Harber has not only ruined his professional reputation but his family’s financial well-being as well,” the newspaper reported his attorneys as writing on his behalf. “Beyond any sentence imposed by this court, these are heavy burdens that Mr. Harber must bear.”