Kingston knew source of funds, attorney says

Rep. Jack Kingston, in a GOP primary runoff for the Georgia U.S. Senate seat, returned $80,000 in campaign donations linked to Khalid Satary, a Palestinian businessman convicted of music piracy and facing a deportation order. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

Rep. Jack Kingston, in a GOP primary runoff for the Georgia U.S. Senate seat, returned $80,000 in campaign donations linked to Khalid Satary, a Palestinian businessman convicted of music piracy and facing a deportation order. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has major new developments in the campaign finance scandal rocking the U.S. Senate campaign of Rep. Jack Kingston.

An Atlanta attorney claims he informed Kingston’s campaign six weeks ago about potentially illegal contributions to his campaign and the criminal background of Khalid Satary, a Palestinian who allegedly orchestrated the fundraiser where the funds were collected.

» KINGSTON RESPONDS: Says no 'discussion of a felon' during meeting

Alex Kaufman’s account of a face-to-face meeting with Kingston’s campaign attorney and an attorney for the Georgia Republican Party on May 1 contradicts what Kingston told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview June 4. In that interview, Kingston said he had no knowledge of Satary’s criminal past or that his campaign had received potentially illegal contributions.

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