At-large Councilman Vincent Orange says a preliminary audit of his 2011 campaign has cleared him of any wrongdoing.
“As far as I’m concerned, the case is closed,” Orange told News Channel 8.
District regulators began reviewing records from Orange’s 2011 special election campaign after the lawmaker acknowledged he had received dozens of “suspicious and questionable” money orders.
Some of the money orders were sequential and appeared linked to Jeffrey Thompson, a city contractor who has since been linked to the illegal shadow campaign that helped elect D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray.
That shadow campaign is the subject of a federal probe, but Orange said his campaign had no ties to anyone behind the illicit effort. He also said he didn’t expect law enforcement officials to investigate his campaign.
“This isn’t a matter that’s going to be referred to the U.S. attorney’s office,” Orange said.
Although the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance hasn’t issued its report, Orange said he had reviewed the agency’s preliminary findings. He predicted the final report would be available within weeks.
“All is good,” Orange said. “This is the fourth examination of my records for the 2011 special election, so I’m elated and moving on.”SClBSClBWesley Williams, a spokesman for Office of Campaign Finance, declined to confirm Orange’s account.
“Those were the councilman’s words not the words of this office,” Williams said in an email. “The audit is not complete and is confidential until then.”
