By Steve Neavling
A federal appeals court on Tuesday reversed a conviction against former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, who was accused of lying to the FBI about illegal campaign donations.
Three judges on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the nine-term Nebraska Republican should not have been tried in Los Angeles because his crimes were committed in Washington, D.C., and Nebraska, Politico reports.
Fortenberry was convicted by a jury in March of concealing information and making false statements to federal authorities about an illegal $30,000 contribution to his campaign from a Nigerian billionaire.
Fortenberry, who began serving in Congress in 2005, was sentenced to two years’ probation and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.
