Ten months after calling the feds’ case against him a “witch hunt,” outgoing state Sen. Brian Kelsey is set to plead guilty to federal campaign finance violations, according to a court filing.
Kelsey’s attorneys, Paul Bruno and Jerry Martin, filed documents in federal court Thursday requesting a hearing to change his not guilty plea.
The Germantown Republican is charged with funneling more than $90,000 from his state account to his failed 2016 congressional campaign through two political actions committees and then to the American Conservative Union, which bought independent radio/digital ads supporting his run for office.
The request for a plea change comes a week after Kelsey’s co-defendant, Joshua Smith, pleaded guilty to one charge in the case. Smith’s sentencing is set for June 2023.
Federal prosecutors say Kelsey gave a $103,000 check six years ago to Smith, proprietor of The Standard Club, a downtown restaurant that catered to Republican lawmakers. The money was filtered through The Standard Club PAC and Citizens 4 Ethics in Government PAC to the American Conservative Union, which bought the advertising shortly before Kelsey finished fourth in the race, according to the indictment.
In an impassioned statement on the Senate floor this year, Kelsey blamed the indictment on political divisiveness and the Biden Administration, even though the investigation started during the Donald Trump presidency.
Kelsey also pinpointed former friend, ex-state Rep. Jeremy Durham, for talking to federal prosecutors in exchange for immunity. The Tennessee Lookout obtained a copy of Durham’s subpoena, which required him to provide copies of all documents and records related to Kelsey, Kelsey’s wife, Amanda Bunning, who worked for the American Conservative Union at the time, Jessica Durham, Josh Smith, Andrew “Andy” Miller, Zach Crandell, Matt Schlapp of the American Conservative Union, and several other people and organizations believed to be connected to the scheme.
Durham, an unindicted co-conspirator, also was required to turn in all records related to the transfer of funds between several entities and the Standard Club PAC.
Bunning, who later married Kelsey, is listed in the indictment as an individual who received information from the senator and passed it on to others who handled the ACU’s advertising.
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