Dead people gave nearly $600K to campaigns since 2009

The party argues it should have received the money in a lump-sum, rather than annual installments. “This is pure free speech,” said Alan Gura, an attorney representing the Libertarian Party. “A dead person can’t corrupt someone.”

Gura said Burrington wasn’t known to party officials before his death.

His Knoxville attorney, Steven Bowling, and a neighbor, Glenn Sullivan, who helped manage his affairs before his death, said they have no idea why Burrington donated to the party.  Sullivan described Burrington as a day trader and said he had no children.

A trust handling Burrington’s bequest already has distributed $153,200 to the Libertarian National Committee, making him the top deceased giver to any party or federal candidate since Jan. 1, 2009, and the party one of the top recipients of money of bequeathed donations, the analysis shows. (The Libertarians also received $10,000 from a deceased Texas man.)

In first place: the Democratic National Committee, which took in more than $245,000. Party officials declined comment.

Article Appeared @http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/08/04/campaign-contributions-from-the-dead/2616245/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=206567

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