Judge orders political parties to return Stanford money

A federal judge in Dallas says five national political party groups are obligated to return the more than $1.6 million they received from Allen Stanford, accused of operating a $7 billion Ponzi scheme that swindled thousands of investors from south Louisiana. Judge David C. Godbey granted a summary judgment in favor of Ralph Janvey, the Stanford receiver, and ordered the groups to turn the money over. Godbey says the groups were “innocent beneficiaries” who deserved “some sympathy” but were not entitled to special treatment exempting them from returning contributions that are thought to be the result of fraud. Stanford’s biggest contribution was $950,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Other groups that got Stanford money and the amounts reported by The Washington Post are: the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, $200,000; the National Republican Congressional Committee, $238,500; the National Republican Senatorial Committee, $83,345; and the Republican National Committee, $128,500. See the full story here.