Individuals at the center of an ongoing investigation into more than a half-million dollars secretly spent in support of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign have close ties to Terry McAuliffe, who was the chairman for the campaign.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Jeffrey E. Thompson, a Washington, D.C., businessman, paid New York marketing executive Troy White $608,000 to hire "street teams" to distribute official Clinton campaign materials in an effort to raise Clinton’s profile during the primary.
Court documents indicate that it was Clinton adviser Minyon Moore who helped connect Thompson as the funder for White’s endeavor.
Moore has close ties with McAuliffe and worked for him during his time as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
When recalling how he rallied support for his DNC candidacy, McAuliffe credits Moore for lining up the DNC Black Caucus behind him.
"A majority of the DNC Black Caucus had already indicated they would endorse me, thanks to the efforts of Minyon Moore," wrote McAuliffe in his 2008 book, What A Party!
McAuliffe was quick to repay Moore, naming her chief operating officer at the DNC once he won the chairmanship.
"My first official act as chairman was to name Minyon Moore as my chief operating officer," wrote McAuliffe. "Minyon was one of the classiest, most talented women in American politics, as well as one of the most loyal."
Moore, now at D.C. public affairs firm Dewey Square Group, contributed $500 to McAuliffe’s failed 2009 gubernatorial bid and has already contributed $1000 to his campaign this year.
Thompson, the man secured by Moore as a funder for the secret campaign effort, also contributed $2500 to McAuliffe in 2009.
Dewey Square Group told the Post that Moore has been "fully cooperating" with the federal investigation and insists that she acted "not only in full compliance with the law but in accordance with the highest ethical and professional standards."
Dewey Square Group contributed $1,000 directly to McAuliffe in 2009, and its employees have contributed at least $5,250 to his current campaign.