Nevada GOP: Reid contributor ‘crooked’

On the strength of an indictment, the Nevada Republican Party has convicted a contributor to Harry Reid of bank fraud.

“In 2006, Sen. Harry Reid promised to run an open and honest government, but after refusing to return over $20,000 from a crooked Missouri businessman charged with bank fraud, it is clear that statement was just another phony promise,” said Nevada GOP publicist Jahan Wilcox in a prepared statement.

The party’s statement refers to St. Louis downtown developer John Steffen, who pleaded not guilty on Aug. 18 to one count of fraud. He is accused of selling state environmental tax credits that he was already using for collateral on a loan from a St. Louis bank.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Steffen has given $175,000 to Republicans and Democrats around the nation. He has contributed to political action committees, national party committees and Congressional candidates, including Reid, Reid’s Searchlight Leadership PAC, and the Nevada Democratic Party.