A federal appeals court has denied a bid by former Nevada developer and power broker Harvey Whittemore to stay out of prison while he appeals his campaign finance conviction. Nevada U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Natalie Collins says Friday's ruling means Whittemore must surrender to a federal prison on Wednesday to begin serving a two-year sentence for making illegal contributions to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Whittemore attorney Justin Bustos declined comment Saturday on the decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Whittemore was convicted last year of violating campaign-spending laws by using family and employees of his billion-dollar real estate company to funnel more than $130,000 to Reid's re-election committee in 2007. Reid was not accused of wrongdoing in the case.
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