Whittemore grand jury secrecy extended
Federal authorities on Wednesday extended the cloud of secrecy over a Reno grand jury investigating the campaign contribution practices of longtime lobbyist Harvey Whittemore.
Steven Myhre, the Las Vegas-based federal prosecutor leading the investigation, wouldn't comment as he left the Reno federal courthouse about 1:30 p.m.
Reno defense attorney Scott Freeman also would not comment, as he left with clients just before Myhre.
Earlier, security officers refused to allow reporters to stay on the second floor of the courthouse where the grand jury was meeting. One officer said prosecutors didn't want the media near the panel.
By law, federal grand jury proceedings are secret, but it is unusual to ban reporters from a hallway in a public courthouse.
The grand jury is investigating allegations that Whittemore, who once wielded much influence with the state's political hierarchy, funneled tens of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions to Nevada federal races. He has denied wrongdoing.
As many as a dozen of the more than two dozen subpoenaed witnesses appeared Feb. 29, when prosecutors first convened the grand jury.
Whittemore business associates, family members and employees are among those subpoenaed.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal first reported last month that the investigation is focusing on allegations Whittemore used his employees and family members as conduits to help him spread campaign money to federal candidates as far back as 2007.
Allegations surfaced that employees of Whittemore's former development company, Wingfield Nevada Group Holding Co., and its subsidiaries contributed to the campaigns and were reimbursed by Whittemore with company money the same day or the next day.
Conduit contributions are illegal under federal campaign finance laws that put ceilings on how much individuals can contribute to candidates.
Grand jury subpoenas served on witnesses sought documents related to campaign contributions they made and copies of checks to and from the politically connected lobbyist dating to January 2007.
Contributions made on one date -- March 31, 2007 -- to U.S. Sen. Harry Reid's re-election campaign have attracted the interest of FBI agents.
On that day, the Democratic majority leader's campaign received at least $133,400 from 29 Whittemore associates, including his family members and his employees and their spouses, most of whom each contributed the maximum allowed $4,600, according to federal campaign reports.
Some of the people who contributed to Reid's campaign on Whittemore's behalf that day appeared before the grand jury on Feb. 29.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.
