Unlike Ed Still, I don’t regularly cover “politicians in trouble.” But there has been so much news lately in this area, I thought I’d link to some of the more prominent coverage:
TRMPAC/DeLay: The New York Times offers Treasurer of Texas Group is Fined Nearly $200,000, which begins: “A Texas judge ruled on Thursday that the treasurer of a political action committee formed by United States Representative Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, broke campaign finance laws as the group propelled the party into power in the Texas House in 2002.” You can find the judge’s ruling here.
Tennessee corruption probe: The New York Times offers U.S. Indicts 4 Tennessee Lawmakers in Corruption Case, which begins: “Four members of the Tennessee legislature, including a member of the Ford family dynasty in Memphis, were indicted on Thursday after a two-year undercover operation by the F.B.I. whose outcome has rattled the state’s political establishment. Among those indicted was State Senator John N. Ford, one of the most powerful politicians in Memphis, who was charged with extorting $55,000 from a bogus company created by the bureau. He was also indicted on three counts of threatening to shoot or kill anyone he suspected was an F.B.I. agent or was trying to set him up.”
The Hiliary Clinton fundraiser trial: A.P. offers Jury Gets Case in Ex-Clinton Aide Trial, which begins: “Jurors began deliberations Thursday in the trial of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s former finance director, who is charged with lying to the government about the cost of an extravagant 2000 Hollywood fundraising gala. Jurors deliberated for four hours without reaching a verdict in the case against ex-Clinton aide David Rosen. Deliberations were to resume Friday.”
Jesse Jackson and the Democrats: The Chicago Tribune offers Democrats, Jackson fined $200,000 by FEC, which begins: “Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Democratic National Committee violated campaign finance law when Jackson used Rainbow/PUSH Coalition funds to travel the country in 2000 drumming up voter registration and staging get-out-the-vote rallies, according to a Federal Election Commission decision released Thursday. Under an agreement with the FEC, Jackson, two of his organizations, Rainbow/PUSH and the Citizen Education Fund, and the Democratic committee were levied a $200,000 fine.
A trend, or just a coincidence? I have enabled comments.