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.

[TommyDale]

Yeah, it’s always someone else’s fault. That’s the first thing a real leader does, is take responsibility for his/her actions. I don’t think I have ever heard Rudy accept responsibility for anything, even his diastrous personal life.

[TommyDale]

Rooty is toast!

[NeoCaveman]

This explains why Ravenel isn’t going to run for Lindsay Graham’s Senate seat. LOL!

Ravenel had pledged not to run for another office when he was campaigning in 2006 for the Treasurer job, which he won. Of course, now he's toast anyways. He was probably looking at the governorship in 2010 but now he's toast.

[LIConFem]

I agree that this has nothing to do with Giuliani. On the other hand, I think Giuliani's campaign could use a little "boost", if ya know what I mean...

;o)

[Liz]

The Ravenel investigation had been ongoing for 2 years? And like Bernie Kerik and others in Rudy’s past, he didn’t check his background?

Now, now, let's be fair----this is not generally known, of course...........

But Rooty did email Nigerian General Kachinga Cheatchusuckah---to check on whether Cheatchusuckah and Ravenel had ever communicated by the internet.

When the distinguished Nigerian General disavowed ever hearing of Ravenel, only then did Rooty put Ravenel in charge of his campaign.

Rooty is now waiting patiently for Gen Cheatchusuckah to transfer Idi Amin's secret Ugandan gold reserves from a Swiss bank vault to Giuliani For President campaign coffers.

[TommyDale]

ROTFLMBO!

[samanella]

Alot of us conservatives in SC “picked him” in the election. We feel betrayed by this revelation of his bad habits. Could you not think that Rudy also feels betrayed? We are not always privy to the “complete package” and when it’s unwrapped, often there is disappointment.

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

It’s the feel good story of the year!

[WalterSkinner]

[dashing doofus]

America’s mayor must not be judged by the campaign advisor he chose for that state.

Nor must he be judged for the PD Commissioner Kerik, a political hack with dubious “business connections” who Giuliani promoted to that position, and who Rudy publicly supported until recently, when he admitted his support was a “mistake.”

Rudy must only be known as the mayor of 9/11, a strong leader, so strong in fact that he tried to get the city to waive term limits so that he could remain in office after his term was up. He felt NYC would not recover, post 9/11, without him.

Somehow NYC did, even with a socialistic nincompoop like Bloomie.

Rudy is simply a 9/11 political opportunist, nothing more. He is not a conservative.

[Liz]

As Rooty said to Jooty:

[Liz]

"All is not lost. I'm pleased to announce "Gaylord" Ravenel will do backup when I take my act to the "Showboat."

" Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I'm a woman's man, no time to talk. Music loud and women warm.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin' alive. Stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin' alive.

Feel the city breakin' And ev'rybody shakin' And we're stayin' alive,
stayin' alive.Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin' alive. Stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin' alive.

Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me. Somebody help me, yeah. Life goin'
nowhere. Somebody help me, yeah.Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin' alive. Stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin' alive."

[jonathanmo]

Don't let reality get in the way of the Rudy-haters! Using their same logic, 120,000 stupid SC voters, who should have known better, voted this man into office. State Treasurer to boot. A man with access to large amounts of money! What a bunch of maroons in SC! /sarc

All South Carolina Republican voters that are responsible for this man being elected should be banned from ever voting again. /double sarc

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I’m not supporting Giuliani for Pres. but, I do like what he did for NYC. The place was a swill hole before he was elected.

At the moment, I’m leaning towards Tancredo in the primaries. I’m sick to death of the illegal situation here in my own “sanctuary town”.

[LilAngel]

FReepers don’t eat our young, but we have been known to give spelling lessons. Here’s another one. Guiliani is not spelled G-o-d.

[LIConFem]

I agree. I respect Giuliani for some of what he did while mayor. But some of what he did (or tried to do) severely tested the limits of what's constitutional and what's not. And therein lies his problem; he's too willing to ignore the constitution to meet his ends.

I like Tancredo as well, but I don't think he has a snowball's chance. I'm currently leaning heavily toward Thompson (assuming he's actually gonna run) and Hunter, although the latter has only a marginally better chance than Tancredo (IMO).

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Unfortunately Sen. Thompson doesn’t seem to be overly enthusiastic with the prospect of running for President, or at least that’s how I’m reading him. The cat & mouse game is beginning to tick me off. :)

[LIConFem]

I don't see it as a cat & mouse game. His intentions have been clear (at least to me) for at least the past month. In short, he's going to run and, in fact, has been actively (if not in the traditional sense) campaigning for at least that long.

And I'm not sure I want an "overly enthusiastic" politician in the WH. Career politicians are what got us into our current mess to begin with. I'd take good conservative ideals, character and a respect for the Constitution over ambition any day of the week.

[flashbunny]

“the desperation to slam Rudy is obvious”

Not desperation. It’s just so easy, and everyone who wants to keep a liberal from being president can enjoy it!

[billbears]

I know he was state chairman, it’s not going to derail the campaign

No, Mr. 'I've been studying terrorists since 1975' is doing that all by himself.