SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A political consultant from New Jersey pleaded guilty to conspiring with a former Arkansas lawmaker and Springfield, Missouri, charity executives to spend nearly $1 million on illegal political activity.
Sixty-two-year-old Donald Andrew Jones, of Willingboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to steal from an organization that receives federal funds. Jones' firm, D.A. Jones and Associates, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consults with advocacy and political services.
Prosecutors say Preferred Family Healthcare, a nonprofit based in Springfield, paid Jones about $973,000 for illegal lobbying and political activity.
Five unnamed co-conspirators who worked for Preferred Family have not been charged. Prosecutors say one co-conspirator was an Arkansas lobbyist and former state legislator.
The conspirators allegedly hired lobbyists, including Jones, to influence elected officials and received reimbursements from the charity for political contributions.