A Black Lives Matter-supported Democrat was sentenced to 22 months in jail for stealing from her own state senate campaign and also from the Democratic Party.
Karen Carter Peterson, a former Democratic state senator from Louisiana, pled guilty to wire fraud and blamed her thefts on a gambling addiction. Her attorneys claimed she had “deteriorating mental health” owing to her addiction, but the court was unimpressed by their request for mercy and home confinement.
Former Louisiana Democratic Party head Peterson unexpectedly quit in April and was charged with wire fraud the following month. She pleaded guilty to funneling $140,000 in campaign and party funding to people and businesses who cashed the checks and gave the money to Peterson.
In July, the Department of Justice stated that she filed “false and misleading” campaign funding records in an attempt to disguise her tracks.
Peterson replied to the DOJ’s announcement revealing her offenses on Twitter by stating she was addicted to gambling and had plans to improve in the future.
“Today marks an important step in my life-long recovery as I continue to address my gambling addiction. I sincerely apologize for the impact from my compulsive behavior resulting from this addiction,” Peterson tweeted.
She said, “I have made full repayment of funds used as a result of my addiction and I will continue to make amends.” “Staying true to the steps of my ongoing recovery, I have been forthright, honest, and fully cooperative with the US Attorneys’ Office in their investigation.”
I have made full repayment of funds used as a result of my addiction and I will continue to make amends.
Staying true to the steps of my ongoing recovery, I have been forthright, honest,and fully cooperative with the US Attorneys’ Office in their investigation. #gamblingrecovery— KarenCarterPeterson (@TeamKCP) July 14, 2022
Fox News said that since January 2021, Peterson was the only federal lawmaker backed by Black Lives Matter. According to federal records, the Black Lives Matter PAC contributed $100,000 to independent efforts supporting Peterson’s candidacy for Louisiana’s second congressional district. This effort failed to elect her to office. On March 6, the court ordered Peterson to go to federal prison.
According to Influence Watch, Black Lives Matter PAC is a center-left political action committee linked with the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the movement’s major organization. It was announced in the end of 2020.
The Black Lives Matter PAC was made public on October 9, 2020. Its stated purpose is to help “elect progressive community leaders, activists, and working-class candidates fighting for Black liberation.” Patrisse Cullors, former executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, told Politico that Black Lives Matter PAC was established because “[w]e want to be able to not just speak in ‘get out the vote’ language.”
A 2020 Impact Report released by the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation explained that Black Lives Matter PAC was created in order “to support the candidates who align with the movement’s foundation.” It further stated that “[t]he people crave a radical, Black-led movement within our body of elected officials.”
Black Lives Matter PAC teamed with the left-leaning Working Families Party to contact 5.4 million voters in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin during the 2020 United States general election.
More on this story via The Republic Brief:
According to the 2020 Impact Report, 44 candidates and measures endorsed by Black Lives Matter PAC during the 2020 United States general election were successful, and the organization specifically singled out U.S. Representatives Cori Bush (D-MO), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), and Nikema Williams (D-GA) “for winning on a platform that invested in Black lives.” Black Lives Matter PAC also participated in the 2021 Georgia Senate runoff elections “to ensure both Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff were victorious.” CONTINUE READING…