KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri Ethics Commission has fined three former leaders of a Kansas City political club.
The commission fined Velda Cook, former secretary of Freedom Inc., about $3,000 for allegedly taking club money. Freedom's former president, Craig Bland, was fined about $3,000 for signing checks he wasn't authorized to sign. Former treasurer Carl Evans was fined $556 for failing to keep accurate records.
The Kansas City Star reports (http://bit.ly/GCMWJo ) documents released Monday show the probe focused on 14 payments in 2008 and 2009 totaling about $7,000 from Freedom's political fund, "some of which respondent Cook converted into personal use."
The three former leaders couldn't be reached for comment. Cook, however, signed documents acknowledging probable cause.
Freedom Inc. was founded 50 years ago to give black voters a bigger voice in politics.
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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com