Just as Senate hopeful J.D. Hayworth has been promising for months, the former congressman today released the names of contributors to a trust fund he set up to defend against possible charges stemming from Hayworth's relationship with shamed D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Hayworth was never charged with any crime relating to the Abramoff scandal but was forced to hire some pricey lawyers to defend against possible charges, and after he was voted out of office, he was unable to pay the tab.
Hayworth established the Freedom in Truth trust for supporters to donate money to pay off his legal bills, and the names of those contributors have been a hot topic in Hayworth's quest to unseat Senator John McCain in the GOP Senate primary.
McCain's campaign has been requesting the names of the donors for months, and Hayworth promised that he would release them on April 15, which it appears he has.
"People were kind and generous enough to contribute a total of $152,130.42 to this trust to pay lawyers who worked with the DOJ to make clear what I already knew - these were trumped up political charges with no basis in fact," Hayworth says. "I am voluntarily releasing these names, because I have pledged to run a transparent, open, and honest campaign. And that is the way I will run the office entrusted to me by Arizona voters in the United States Senate."
Without further adieu, here is a link to Hayworth's list of contributors. We're checking it out now for any less-than-reputable donors, or shady donations. We'll let you know if we spot anything amiss.
