DNC on Fred Thompson: "Thompson Advisor Has Criminal Past"

November 5, 2007 -- After weeks of lackluster campaign appearances, cancellations, and staff defections, today the Washington Post reports Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson has been traveling to campaign events using the private jet of Philip Martin, a friend and advisor with a criminal record for dealing drugs.

Though Thompson was asked about the story this morning on Meet the Press, he failed to denounce ties to Martin, pledge to stop using his plane, or agree to return the money raised by him.

Thompson's failure to cut ties with Martin may raise questions for voters looking to turn the page on the Culture of Corruption that has plagued the Republican Party in recent years.

Excerpts of the Washington Post story are below. To read the entire story click on: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/03/AR200711...

Thompson Adviser Has Criminal Past
Washington Post
By Matthew Mosk

"Republican presidential candidate Fred D. Thompson has been crisscrossing the country since early this summer on a private jet lent to him by a businessman and close adviser who has a criminal record for drug dealing. Thompson selected the businessman, Philip Martin, to raise seed money for his White House bid. Martin is one of four campaign co-chairmen and the head of a group called the "first day founders." Campaign aides jokingly began to refer to Martin, who has been friends with Thompson since the early 1990s, as the head of 'Thompson's Airforce…'

"Martin entered a plea of guilty to the sale of 11 pounds of marijuana in 1979; the court withheld judgment pending completion of his probation. He was charged in 1983 with violating his probation and with multiple counts of felony bookmaking, cocaine trafficking and conspiracy. He pleaded no contest to the cocaine-trafficking and conspiracy charges, which stemmed from a plan to sell $30,000 worth of the drug, and was continued on probation…

"Martin has been more than just a key fundraiser to Thompson, though. The use of his plane eases a major logistical burden stemming from the intense demands on presidential candidates this year for appearances in more than 20 states holding early primaries. It also may have saved the campaign at least $120,000, given that Federal Election Commission rules allowed Thompson to reimburse Martin for the use of the private jet at the commercial ticket rate until Congress changed the rules in September."

Source: Fred Thompson campaign

Bookmark/Search this post with:

 •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •