State House representative accused of pocketing $140K in campaign contributions

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A state representative from Charlotte is accused of pocketing $140,000 in campaign contributions.

Election officials have referred issues they found with Rep. Rodney Moore, D-Mecklenburg, and his campaign to the district attorney.

Moore denied the claims Thursday and said he doesn't believe his campaign even raised that amount of money.

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Reporter Tina Terry spoke with Moore who said he doesn’t know anything about the allegations.

He has spent four terms representing North Carolina's 99th District.

State ethics officials claim Moore did not disclose more than $141,000 in receipts and expenditures.

Officials said he reported nearly $79,000 in contributions but failed to report nearly $37,000 from 2010 to 2017.

They also said he reported more than $16,500 in expenditures but failed to report nearly $96,000 of expenditures during that seven-year period.

Officials subpoenaed his bank records and said Moore illegally spent campaign contributions on things like clothing, gas, bank fees and nearly $25,000 in cash withdrawals.

“I dispute the fact that my campaign committee, that $141,000 ever went through my campaign committee, Moore told Terry on the phone. “As you know, I'm a Democrat that is a minority member, and I don't, I don't, I couldn't possibly have because I don't do fundraisers.”

Moore said he often ran for the seat unchallenged and didn’t have a need for fundraising.

“I have not seen the inconclusive evidence they're referencing, Tina, but I will say I dispute that particular report,” Moore said.

Charlotte Attorney Harold Cogdell said the district attorney will conduct its own investigation of the findings.

“Given (the) severity of findings, it's foreseeable the charges could be coming,” Cogdell said.

Cogdell said Moore would likely face felony charges if the case moves forward.

“If it's willful with knowledge, it is a criminal act but with low-level felonies, if they don’t have (a) prior history, he may not be facing any jail time,” Cogdell said.

Moore denies the claims, but he said he's taking the case very seriously.

He is still an acting member of the House, but he was defeated during the Democratic primary.

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