A Texas businesswoman who at one time dated embattled Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm has pleaded not guilty to three federal felony charges, in a campaign finance violation case that has linked her with the congressman. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn unsealed her January indictment against Diana Durand in April after she reportedly refused to help them build a stronger case against the congressman. Durand appeared Monday in the same federal courtroom where Grimm proclaimed his innocence a week ago before returning to work on Capitol Hill. Her indictment says she caused  $10,600 in donations to be made in the names of other Americans between November 2009 and October 2010, and then later reimbursed the donors.
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Houston businesswoman Diana Durand could face up to eight years in prison and $600,000 fine if convicted
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Se was indicted in January for using straw donors to funnel more than $10,000 to Grimm's campaign
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The FBI has been investigating the New York Republican for two years
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Grimm pleaded 'not guilty' to his own felony charges a week ago, and now his girlfriend has followed suit
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He is the congressman who infamously threatened to throw a reporter off a Capitol Hill balcony for asking about campaign finance allegations
He also said she would refuse to testify against @placeholder even though federal prosecutors offered her a deal.