Democratic insider and Clinton donor Ed Buck is facing four additional felony charges, the Department of Justice announced on Tuesday.
The longtime liberal activist was already in prison facing five felony charges related to the deaths of two male prostitutes in his home.
According to authorities, Buck enticed poor Black men to come to his home and would pay them to inject dangerous amounts of methamphetamine for his sexual pleasure.
The original indictment in October 2019 ‘alleges that Buck engaged in a pattern of soliciting men to consume drugs that Buck provided and perform sexual acts at Buck’s apartment,’ which is a practice described as ‘party and play.’ Buck allegedly solicited victims on social media platforms, including a gay dating website, and used a recruiter to scout and proposition men.”
Multiple young Black men overdosed inside Buck’s apartment over the years, including two who died and one who was forced to flee and call for medical help on a payphone.
The Horn News reported on his alleged activities as far back as 2017 — two years before his arrest.
At the time, Buck was a well-known and well-connected Democratic donor in the Los Angeles area. He donated thousands to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s failed 2016 presidential campaign, as well as high-profile donations to numerous Democrats in Los Angeles city and California state elections.
Buck was considered one of California’s most influential political donors before his arrest.
The grand jury added a superseding indictment on Tuesday that includes four additional felony charges. One charges that Buck paid men to travel interstate to engage in dangerous drug use and prostitution. He’s also charged with distributing narcotics “such as methamphetamine, and the sedatives gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and clonazepam,” the Justice Department press release said.
If convicted, the 65-year-old Buck would likely spend the rest of his life in jail. Each charge carries a minimum 20-year sentence and up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
His trial is scheduled to start on January 19, 2021.
READ MORE: Dead prostitute linked to major Clinton donor
The Horn editorial team