Topeka ? A former Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau employee claims in a lawsuit the bureau funneled illegal contributions into Mayor Butch Felker’s 2001 election campaign.

Janet Thompson, a former sales manager at the bureau, alleges a former bureau director used falsified expense accounts to create a slush fund and contribute to Felker’s campaign.

Thompson’s attorney, Doug Wright, said in a phone interview Monday the contributions were a side issue in his client’s case that she was wrongfully dismissed from the bureau. Wright said the lawsuit claimed the directors of the Kansas Expocentre and the convention bureau arranged Thompson’s termination after she complained about procedures at the Expocentre.

Wright said the bureau claimed Thompson verbally resigned when she was only informing the bureau she would pursue another job if it became available.

In the process of reviewing the convention bureau’s expenses, Wright said, the alleged illegal contributions were found.

Wright said his client has testified that former Convention and Visitors Bureau director Wayne Bennett used falsified expense accounts to create a slush fund. According to Thompson’s deposition, Bennett then gave the excess funds to Felker.

Thompson testified Bennett told her and another bureau employee to request an extra $100 on an expense form. That $200, plus another $500 from an expense form Bennett turned in, was given to Felker, Thompson testified.

Bennett testified he told single women to request extra money for business trips in case they ran into a client and so they wouldn’t be left “high and dry.”

Felker refused to comment on the allegations. “That’s part of the lawsuit,” Felker said.

The convention bureau has filed a countersuit, accusing Thompson of purchasing personal items with her company credit card, including food items at a grocery store.

Wright said the countersuit was a “feeble attempt” to retaliate against Thompson. He said all of Thompson’s expenses had been reviewed and approved by the bureau.

Thompson’s lawsuit was filed in June 2001 with the countersuit filed a month later. The cases have slowly trudged along in Shawnee County District Court with a number of business records subpoenaed.

The convention bureau requested a summary judgment late last year, and Wright responded. The judgment is still pending. In the meantime, the cases have been assigned to District Judge Richard Anderson, the third judge to oversee them.