Feinstein Also Hit by 'Madoff of Campaign Treasurers'

Dianne Feinstein's campaign was one of those ripped off by an allegedly fraudulent Democratic campaign treasurer, the senator tells the LA Times. Kinde Durkee was arrested on fraud charges two weeks ago, with California Reps. Loretta Sanchez and Susan Davis listed among her alleged victims; Davis dubbed her “the Bernie Madoff of campaign treasurers.” Now, Feinstein’s staff says the senator “was wiped out, too, but we don’t know how much.”

Feinstein has raised $5.2 million this year, but now can’t access the accounts to see how much Durkee may have made off with. Durkee has long worked for Feinstein, handling the money for her 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, and 2006 campaigns, and staffers say her work had never drawn suspicion before. “We’ll have to … make sure going forward we have safeguards,” her chief campaign consultant says. “Right now, we’re just trying to make sure where our money is.” (More Kinde Durkee stories.)