Legal Ethics
Biden Donates Campaign Contributions by Scruggs and Associates
Posted Aug 22, 2008, 07:44 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
Former Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has donated charity campaign contributions to charity from trial lawyer Richard “Dickie” Scruggs and other associates involved in a plot to bribe a judge.
Biden gave $4,600 to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition from Scruggs and his son Zach, the Delaware News Journal reports. He also donated $4,600 to the group from former state auditor Steven Patterson and former lawyer Timothy Balducci.
Scruggs is serving a five-year sentence after pleading guilty in a conspiracy to bribe a judge, while his son is serving a 14-month sentence failing to report the bribe plot. Balducci and Patterson also pleaded guilty in the case.
Biden also donated $2,300 to the foundation from Claire Scruggs, identified in other news reports as Scruggs’ daughter. The donations are summarized on a chart published by the Los Angeles Times.