McCann Pleads "Not Guilty" to Federal Charges
Former State Senator and 2018 third party candidate for Governor Sam McCann.
Former Republican State Senator and 2018 third party candidate for Governor Sam McCann pleaded “not guilty” to illegally using campaign funds for personal expenses Tuesday.
From Dean Olsen at the SJ-R:
Former state senator and gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann of Plainview pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges that allege he illegally spent more than $200,000 in campaign funds on cars, debts, other personal expenses and pay for himself.
McCann, 51, a Republican state senator from 2011 to early 2019, was appointed a public defender during a hearing after he told U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Eric Long that he was unemployed, being supported by his wife, a traveling nurse, and had credit card debt and loans totaling more than $30,000.
The Macoupin County resident also received the services of a public defender when he was first investigated in 2018 as part of a federal grand jury investigation, assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Bass said during the hearing.
The story also notes that McCann must sell or transfer 75 firearms as part of his bond.
(Disclosure: McCann was a member I worked directly with while on Senate Republican staff in 2013-2014. I also informally advised him in 2017 as he considered a primary against then-former Governor Bruce Rauner.)
A trial date was set for April, but that is likely to be pushed back.