South Carolina treasurer indicted on cocaine charges [State Chairman Giuliani campaign]

CNN ^ | June 19, 2007 | Not Stated

[Islander7]

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) -- South Carolina Treasurer Thomas Ravenel, a former real estate developer who became a rising political star after his election last year, was indicted Tuesday on federal cocaine charges.

Ravenel is also the state chairman for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign.

Ravenel has stepped down from his volunteer responsibilities with the campaign, according to a statement released by Mark Campbell, Giuliani's political director.

Campbell said the campaign has no information about the accusations pending against Ravenel.

The millionaire is accused of buying less than 500 grams of the drug to share with other people in late 2005, U.S. Attorney Reggie Lloyd said.

Ravenel, 44, is charged with distribution of cocaine, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

[burzum]

That is the oddest apology I have ever heard. You should start with “I’m sorry” or “I apologize for ...” and then go on from there.

[TKDietz]

That depends a lot on how much “less than 500 grams” he bought. Maybe he just bought an ounce or less. The guy is a multimillionaire businessman. If he was a drug dealer too, he’d probably be dealing in a lot more than “less than 500 grams” amounts. I don’t know any of the facts other than what little appeared in this article, but “less than 500 grams” isn’t generally a big drug dealer amount. It could certainly get you put away for a long time, but the big time guys are dealing in big amounts. Less than 500 grams could be a little over a pound, or only just a little bit. This could very well be a case of a rich guy buying party supplies for a wild party with some friends.

[George W. Bush]

The millionaire is accused of buying less than 500 grams of the drug

Oh, well, maybe a day or two in jail like Paris Hilton then.

How many pounds of cocaine in 500 grams? Something like 1.1 pounds is what I get. State treasurer or not, buying over a pound of coke should get you 10-20 years depending on the state.

Somehow, I'm thinking a well-connected politician won't get that sentence and will go to a nice Club Fed prison.

Of course, the tie-in with Rudi is ominous. Just how many of Rudi's supporters are hardened dope peddlers in public office? I was thinking Drier must be after he explained to Chrissy yesterday how Giuliani's kids hating him and moving to change their last name is actually a Good Thing because it means he can devote himself more fully to being president, but at the same time how its no one's business and every family has problems, blah-blah-blah.

[HerrBlucher]

Its hard to believe that a 44 year old millionaire with EVERYTHING going for him would throw it all away for cocaine. What an idiot.

[TKDietz]

How do you know that he bought over a pound? “Less than 500 grams” could mean a lot of things. In my state they’d put that on the charging document if a guy had anywhere from one ounce (28 grams) on up to 499.9 grams. I don’t know how much he had, but it certainly could have just been “party supplies” for him and his buddies planning a blow out. The guy is a multimillionaire so he didn’t need to be dealing cocaine, especially not relatively small amounts.

[investigateworld]

To: Congressman Billybob The elephant in the living room that even conservatives don't want to acknowledge is the simple fact that any fence or 'enhanced' border security will also slow down the amount of drugs coming in. It's a tax free and all cash business, what, anyone think the dealers don't share?

39 posted on 06/19/2007 8:49:54 AM PDT by investigateworld ( Abortion stops a beating heart.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

Looks like my crystal ball was working just fine this AM when I made the previous post ;^)

[antiunion person]

This explains why Ravenel isn’t going to run for Lindsay Graham’s Senate seat. LOL! What was the name of the mayor of Washington DC?? Wasn’t he the guy that was arrested for also use and sale of cocaine?? My memory isn’t that good, but didn’t that POS get reelected as mayor?? If Ravenel was a democRAT liberal lefty piece of crap, all he’d have to do is apologize, through his teeth of course, and everything would be forgiven. But, he’s a republican, so he can’t get away with something as easy as that. <>

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Look on the bright side, at least he wasn’t selling the stuff. just using it and giving it away!!

[Cementjungle]

Look on the bright side, at least he wasn’t selling the stuff. just using it and giving it away!!

He probably brought a gram to a party and gave out lines and someone nailed him.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Or his pusher, who was also indicted, named him to get a reduced jail term!!

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

"What’s this have to do with Rudy???? This guy was a state chairman for Rudy’s campaign in SC, so what."

Its the company you keep that defines who you are.

Rudy's top go to guy in SC is a coke head - the company you keep ...

[mkjessup]

What’s this have to do with Rudy????
He was Rudy's state chairman! That means he was Rudy's go-to guy in SC, an early, important primary state!
This guy was a state chairman for Rudy’s campaign in SC
Eggsactly! So it's a big deal! Here's another exclamation point for ya!

Well we agree on this Triple-E, the reason it's a big deal is because it provides another look at Rudy's abysmal poor judgment, with a couple previous examples:

- Bernie Kerik (who can forget Rudy's mobbed up buddy?)

- Authorized the placement of New York's new Emergency Command Center in WTC-7, KNOWING the WTC was a terrorist target after the FIRST bombing in '93, and on 9/11, that 13 million dollar center had to be immediately evacuated, and the 6000 gallon fuel tank to run the EOC likely contributed to the rubble and ruin of WTC-7 at the end of the day.

- Rudy's lax enforcement of immigration law while Mayor of NYC allowed some of the actual hijackers to live and work safely and securely right in the middle of Brooklyn where they prepared for their attacks on 9/11 without fear of being detected and apprehended.

That falls under the category of 'unintended consequences' for malfeasance in performing his duties as Mayor, i.e. *enforcing the laws*.

Rudy = poor judgment, and unfit to serve as President.

[Thrownatbirth]

This is jaw-dropping social news in SC. Even in the 60's, the Ravenels were one of "Charleston's finest families". They named towns and bridges after his dad, Arthur, who won his seat in Congress only after he switched to the Republican party (yes, the Ravenels are libs by blood).

I always figured Tommy would be the one to screw up the family name. :-)

[NapkinUser]

[Beagle8U]

“Guiliani is a former federal prosecutor, how in heavens name could he let something like this slip through when picking a state chairman, volunteer or not????? It’s been an ongoing investigation for nearly 2 years.”

Rooty is the same moron that put the mob in charge of NYPD, until he is exposed I don’t think Rooty cares if the people around him are crooks.

[Liz]

Ravenel was touted as a Rudy guy.......all nice and conservative.....even mentioned as a potential opponent of Lindsey Graham.... I guess that ain’t gonna happen— Unless of course, Ravenel didn’t inhale.

Maybe Ravenel will use the patented Rooty excuse-----"It's terrorism, that's what it is. I know how to prevent this----I have the leadership and know-how----cuz I was there on 9/11."

[Liz]

Worth a repeat:

Fruity Giuliani’s SC campaign chairman goes up in flames. Again, be in awe of Fruity’s judgment...he has a history of similar bad decision making.

- Russell Harding, New York City Housing Development Corporation (5 year prison sentence for child porn; graft, cronyism - his daddy was the president of the NY Liberal Party)

- Bernard Kerik (whores, graft, hiring illegals, cronyism, incompetence...)

- Michael Chertoff (all around great guy............NOT)

- Thomas Ravenel (dealing crack)

Put it all together with Fruity’s cross-dressing, and that is one hell of a party! Whores, crack, child porn, illegals......

(pandering to liberals, gays, hyphenates; marching in gay parades behind NAMBLA banner; hiring liberals and gays for top gov't positions; tossing his wife and kids out on the streets to move his mistress in; donating to Planned Parenthood; accepting campaign donations from NARAL).

Rudy 2008!

[SmoothTalker]

This won’t hurt his campaign but he sure does seem to hang out with some unsavory folks. Guys like Bernie and now this fellow.

[TommyDale]

The investigation had been ongoing for 2 years? And like Bernie Kerik and others in Rudy’s past, he didn’t check his background? Another statement of total incompetence on Rudy’s part.

[dforest]

No one told Rooty, he was simply unaware. *snort*

It was those stoopid campaign guys who messed up. LOL