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Katherine Harris Denies Investigation
Rep. Katherine Harris denied Tuesday that she is a target of a federal probe involving a corrupt defense contractor who funneled $32,000 in illegal contributions to her U.S. Senate campaign.
Harris issued a statement in the wake of reports that her former chief political strategist, Ed Rollins, was questioned by the Justice Department about her association with Mitchell Wade.
Harris said she urged Rollins to cooperate with federal agents, and the Justice Department told her she wasn't a target of the investigation. She has denied knowingly doing anything wrong when she took money from donors who were reimbursed by Wade.
The Justice Department "requested information in May that we were more than willing to give, but our cooperation is now being exploited by people engaged in an unsuccessful, coordinated effort to end my candidacy for the United States Senate," Harris said in the statement. She didn't elaborate.
Story Continues Below Rollins did not return phone calls from The Associated Press Tuesday, but he told the Orlando Sentinel that government lawyers and FBI agents recently interviewed him for two hours about Harris' dealings with Wade.
The Justice Department declined to comment.
Wade pleaded guilty in February to bribing former U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham in exchange for more than $150 million in government contracts since 2002.
Harris has acknowledged that her campaign failed to reimburse her share of a $2,800 meal with Wade at an exclusive Washington restaurant.
At that dinner, Wade offered to organize a fundraiser for Harris and sought her help in obtaining $10 million in federal money to develop a counterintelligence facility near Sarasota.
Harris submitted the request to an appropriations committee, but said she was trying only to bring jobs to Florida.
Harris, a Republican, trails Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson by more than 30 points in most polls. Fundraising has been slow, GOP leaders tried to find another candidate, and core campaign staff has defected.
© 2006 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note:
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