Whittemore’s appeal to stay out of prison denied

RENO — A federal appeals court has denied an appeal 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 the 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 attorneys Dominic Gentile and Justin Bustos didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment about Friday’s 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 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.