You're right, Tom Turnipseed was born in Montgomery Alabama. That is where Will Turnipseed was Bush's CO and where Will has retired to.
I would bet you anything they are closely related. Given their ages, they are probably brothers.
Tom Turnipseed is now a president of the trial lawyers (in South Carolina), so that is probably why Will gave Edwards the $500.
Tom Turnipseed isn't just your run of the mill ex-Dem Senator and Democrat Party Exec. Tom is also a member of the radical left ADA.
He is a rabid Bush-hater and whackjob more along the lines of Michael Moore.
He is a regular on "Democracy Now!" and in the pages of the most hard left publications.
He works with the Communist funded group ANSWER:
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/j18/endorsers.html Here is an article where he talks about becoming a "human shield" in Iraq:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0302-06.htm Here's an article where Tom talks about his history of struggle with mental illness:
http://www.counterpunch.org/turnipcrazy.html He has been bi-polar and manic depressive all of his life. He has even had to undergo shock therapy.
If he is actually the person who dreamed up the AWOL story, this could be BIG NEWS.