Prosecutor Drops Charges Against Former Va. Candidate

[The Straight Story]

Prosecutor Drops Charges Against Former Va. Candidate

LEESBURG, Va. -- A Circuit Court judge in Loudoun County has dismissed all 11 charges against former state Senate candidate Mark Tate, who was accused of campaign finance fraud.

Special prosecutor Matthew Britton said the case had been tainted by allegations of improprieties in the investigation.

Britton asked the judge Monday to dismiss the two election fraud charges and nine perjury charges.

The judge dismissed the charges without prejudice, meaning that Britton can try the 42-year-old Tate again. Britton said he plans to bring the evidence to a new grand jury as quickly as possible.

Tate said he was relieved by the judge's decision. He lost the Republican nomination in the 27th Senate District in June.

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