March 26, 2007 07:31 PM UTC

Bill Leone Back in the News

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• by: Colorado Pols

Have you been wondering what happened to former interim U.S. Attorney Bill Leone?

No? Oh.

Well, we weren’t really wondering either, but look whose name popped up in a story about former Sen. Ben “Nighthorse” Campbell’s troublesome top aide:

A former top aide to ex-Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell pleaded guilty Friday to a charge of making a false statement in a 2002 financial disclosure report.

As part of a plea agreement, Ginnie Kontnik, 51, admitted to the charge during a federal court appearance.

Kontnik served as Campbell’s chief of staff from shortly after his party switch in 1995 from Democratic to Republican until February 2004, when she resigned amid published reports that she asked a personal assistant to give her $2,000 from an inflated bonus she had given him…

…Kontnik faces up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 at her July 6 sentencing and will remain free on her own recognizance until then. She has agreed not to apply for any public jobs for five years and to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Senate.

Kontnik declined to comment after the hearing. Her attorney, Bill Leone [Pols emphasis], said she is ready to “get on with her life.”