A former campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Katherine Harrisformer was interviewed last week by federal investigators investigating her questionalble relationship with a convicted defense contractor.
Jim Dornan spoke to FBI and Defense Department investigators in Washington for about 90 minutes Thursday.
Dornan, left Harris’ staff in November, one of many managers and staff members who have defected from the mistake and strife-ridden campaign. The Department of Justice would not comment, a policy it maintains on pending investigations.
Harris has been in the spotlight for her dealings with Mitchell Wade, a defense contractor who pleaded guilty to bribing a California congressman and admitted funneling $32,000 in illegal donations to Harris. She later said she gave the money to charity. Dornan was not Harris’ campaign manager when she accepted the donations.
The Justice Department investigation already has involved interviews with former top campaign strategist Ed Rollins and Fred Asbell, who quit in June as Harris’ chief of staff in Congress. Harris has said previously she is cooperating with the investigation but claims she is "not a target."
Though she won the recent Republican primary, Harris has not had an easy campaign season. She has faced the departure of staff members, and Republican leaders have not backed her campaign. She trails Democratic Senator Bill Nelson by a large margin and most political observers consider her campaign for a political joke and a longshot at best.
