(The Politico) The National Republican Congressional Committee has replaced its treasurer in the wake of an unfolding financial accounting scandal.

The committee has replaced Christopher T. Parana with Keith A. Davis, of Alexandria, Va., according to documents filed last week with the Federal Election Commission.

Parana took over from Christopher J. Ward as the committee treasurer in 2007, according to other FEC filings. Ward is at the center of an internal investigation stemming from a forged audit the committee sent Wachovia, its principal lender during the 2006 election cycle. The committee has alerted the FBI about the irregularities, but many details of the investigation remain unknown.

The NRCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Parana worked closely with Ward during their shared years at the NRCC, according to numerous Republicans who have worked closely with the committee since 2001. The two had oversight of the NRCC's spending at least since the years when Virginia Rep. Tom Davis chaired the committee. Ward left the committee in August but was still being paid as an outside consultant as late as December, according to FEC records.The committee has since severed its ties.

The new treasurer is a partner with Huckaby Davis Lisker, a political accounting firm in Alexandria, according to other campaign finance data. He was the treasurer of former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm's White House run in 1996 and worked on President Bush's reelection effort in 2004. He was also the assistant treasurer on both of the elder Bush's presidential bids.

In addition, the firm has done work this election cycle for numerous House Republicans and performed bookkeeping for Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, as well as his top remaining rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

The address Davis lists as treasurer in the FEC filings is the same as that for Huckaby Davis Lisker.

Copyright 2008 POLITICO

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