Co-defendant in Tennessee senator's case plans guilty plea

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Nashville social club's owner has reached a deal to plead guilty to a campaign finance scheme alleged against him and a Tennessee state senator who has criticized the charges as a “political witch hunt."

Attorneys for Joshua Smith last week notified the federal judge in Nashville of the plea deal reached with prosecutors. One of the lawyers signaled Wednesday that Smith is willing to testify, a key development as state Sen. Brian Kelsey, a Republican, is scheduled to head to trial in January 2023 after pleading not guilty.

“Mr. Smith accepts responsibility for his involvement and if he is called to testify he will be truthful regarding the activities that took place,” an attorney representing Smith, Phillip S. Georges, said in a statement Wednesday.

The five-count indictment filed in October 2021 alleges that Smith, owner of The Standard club, and Kelsey violated campaign finance laws by illegally concealing the transfer of $91,000 during the lawmaker’s 2016 failed congressional campaign. Smith's attorneys indicated he plans to plead guilty to one of the counts.

The Standard is a restaurant and private club near the state Capitol that is often frequented by lawmakers and has featured its own political action committee.

Kelsey and Smith “unlawfully and secretly” funneled funds from Kelsey’s state Senate campaign committee to his federal congressional campaign committee, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors also allege that Kelsey and others caused a national nonprofit political organization to make illegal and excessive campaign contributions to Kelsey by coordinating with the organization on advertisements, and they caused the organization to file false reports to the Federal Election Commission.

Authorities did not name the national...