Former Dewhurst campaign adviser sentenced to 7 years

AUSTIN — An ex-campaign adviser to David Dewhurst was sentenced Friday to more than seven years in federal prison for embezzling millions of dollars from the former lieutenant governor's campaign accounts.

Kenneth "Buddy" Barfield, an ex-Austin political consultant, plead guilty last October on charges of wire fraud, falsified tax returns and theft of campaign funds from a candidate for federal office, admitting to siphoning funds between 2008 and 2012 from two campaign accounts, the David Dewhurst Committee and Dewhurst for Texas.

In all, Barfield admitted to stealing nearly $2.8 million from the Dewhurst committees, including cash pilfered from Dewhurst campaign contributions during a 2012 U.S. Senate race against Ted Cruz. Barfield used the money to pay the mortgage on a columned, two-story mansion in West Austin, on school tuition for his children, on personal investments and for assorted other living costs.

Appearing before U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, Barfield said he deeply regretted his actions and apologized.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Former-Dewhurst-campaign-adviser-sentenced-to-7-6105651.php