“One Ron Paul staffer convicted, another acquitted”

Des Moines Register:

The high-profile trial of two former Ron Paul presidential campaign staffers accused of buying an Iowa senator’s endorsement and then lying about it ended Thursday with a muddled verdict from a jury stuck at an impasse.

The jury acquitted Jesse Benton, Paul’s former campaign chair, of  lying to FBI agents and convicted deputy campaign manager Dimitri Kesari of a charge of causing false records.

They also acquitted him of an obstruction of justice charge. But the jury was hung on three additional charges against Kesari — conspiracy, causing false campaign expenditures and false statements scheme — holding open the possibility of a retrial. The judge gave federal prosecutors 10 days to decide whether they’ll seek to retry Kesari.

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