Oct 3, 2019

Former N.C. GOP chair pleads guilty to making false statement to FBI

Robin Hayes, R-N.C., during the press conference to announce support by a new coalition of businesses and organizations for the proposed Broadband Internet Access Act of 2000.

Robert "Robin" Hayes. Photo: Douglas Graham/Roll Call/Getty Images

Robert "Robin" Hayes, a former North Carolina congressman and state Republican Party chairman, pleaded guilty Wednesday to making a false statement to the FBI during a federal campaign finance probe, the Justice Department said in a statement.

The big picture: Hayes, 74, was indicted previously along with 3 other men for alleged bribery. They promised to spend "millions of dollars" on the North Carolina insurance commissioner's re-election "if he would remove an insurance regulator that oversaw companies" under the control of a business executive also indicted, Reuters notes.

  • Per the Washington Post, Hayes reached a plea deal to cooperate with federal prosecutors and could potentially testify against the others.

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