Republican pleads guilty to fraud, campaign finance violations

Former R.I. congressional candidate pleads guilty to fraud, campaign finance violations

By KATIE GALIOTO

A former congressional candidate from Rhode Island pleaded guilty Thursday to using more than $1 million in political donations for personal use, according to the Justice Department.

Harold Russell Taub, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully against Democratic Rep. David Cicilline in 2016, solicited more than $1.6 million to two organizations he falsely presented as political action committees. According to the Justice Department, Taub used more than half of what he collected for “purely personal expenses.”

Taub, 30, said donations to the two organizations — which he called Keeping America in Republican Control and Keeping Ohio in Republican Control — would be used to support GOP candidates in federal and state races. He did not register either entity with the Federal Election Commission or make proper reports to the federal agency as required by law.

On Thursday, Taub pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and campaign finance violations in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island. He will be sentenced July 12.

Taub also claimed to be a former ambassador, repeatedly using a high-level military officer’s name even after being instructed not to do so, the Justice Department said.

The scam dates back to 2016 and continued up until late last year. Prosecutors said Taub spent contribution money on airfare, hotel rooms, restaurant meals, clothes, cigars, strip club visits and “escort services,” the Providence Journal reported in February.