Federal prosecutors for the first time have nailed a political operative for violating election law that forbids the coordination of fundraising between a candidate and a super PAC.

Tyler Harber was charged with using his role as the campaign manager for Chris Perkins, a Virginia Republican running for Congress, to steer help from the super PAC National Republican Victory Fund.

Harber first solicited a large political contribution from New York real estate developer Cary Fields, but instead of having Fields give the money to Perkins, Harber told Fields to give it to the super PAC. The National Republican Victory Fund then spent nearly the same amount of money attacking Perkins’ Democratic rival, incumbent Representative Gerry Connolly, who nevertheless won reelection. Such coordination between a candidate and an outside campaign group is illegal.

Harber pleaded guilty to one count of coordinated federal election contributions, and one count of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He will be sentenced in June.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Campaign Manager Pleads Guilty to Coordinated Campaign Contributions and False Statements (Department of Justice)

DOJ Announces First Prosecution for Illegal Coordination Between Candidate and Super PAC (by Russ Choma, OpenSecrets.org)