The federal probe into corruption in D.C. politics is expanding again, News4 learned Wednesday.
At-large D.C. Councilmember Vincent Orange’s staff acknowledged that he turned over campaign records and is cooperating with federal prosecutors, who’ve asked Orange not to discuss it, according to his staff.
His staff said Orange was in meetings all day Wednesday and too busy to talk.
As reporters waited outside his office, Orange slipped out a side door Wednesday afternoon and drove away before reporters could ask him any questions.
After more than four years out of D.C. politics, Orange won an at-large Council seat in 2011. During that campaign, he took $26,000 in money orders from companies controlled by millionaire businessman Jeffrey Thompson, who has been implicated in the investigation into Mayor Vincent Gray's 2010 campaign.
When news of the suspicious money orders first surfaced last year, the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance investigated the contributions and found minor problems with his bookkeeping but did not take any official action against Orange.
Earlier this week, former Councilmember Michael Brown admitted taking $20,000 in illegal contributions from Thompson.
Follow Mark Segraves on Twitter at @SegravesNBC4
