DENVER-
The chief of staff to former Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell plans to plead guilty in a case in which she was accused of receiving $2,000 from an employee she supervised, according to a court document.
Ginnie Kontnik plans to plead guilty to a charge of failing to include the payment in her public financial disclosure report, her attorney, William J. Leone confirmed Monday. He declined to comment further.
Kontnik was accused of receiving a kickback by demanding that employee Brian Thompson pay her a portion of his bonus. Kontnik has described the payment as reimbursement for expenses.
Kontnik is scheduled to enter her plea during an initial court appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in Denver.
The charge is punishable with up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine, but government officials were not expected to seek jail time, The Denver Post reported Monday . Kontnik has agreed to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Campbell was not available for comment Monday evening, his spokeswoman Kate Dando told The Associated Press.
“The senator has faith in our justice system,” she said.
Campbell, a Republican, retired from the Senate in 2004 after two terms.
