Magliocchetti Pleads Not Guilty to Campaign Contribution Charges

Paul Magliocchetti, founder of the PMA Group lobbying firm, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he made hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fraudulent campaign contributions to Members of Congress, the Associated Press reported.

Magliocchetti declined to comment following his arraignment in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, the AP reported.

Magliocchetti was indicted earlier this month on eight counts of making illegal campaign contributions and three counts of making false statements. His trial date has been set for Oct. 5.

His son, Mark Magliocchetti, pleaded guilty Aug. 5 to making illegal corporate campaign contributions at his father’s behest.

According to the indictment, Paul Magliocchetti is accused of using personal funds and PMA corporate money to reimburse his associates, family members and two Florida acquaintances for making hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of political contributions at his direction. Magliocchetti and his family made $1.5 million in political contributions from 2000 through 2008, according to a CQ MoneyLine study of campaign finance records.

Read more: (Jennifer Yachnin, “Magliocchetti Pleads Not Guilty to Campaign Contribution Charges,” Roll Call, 08/20/2010)