Posted on 11/05/2007 11:14:15 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Thompson Adviser Quits Campaign Nov 5 02:58 PM US/Eastern WASHINGTON (AP) - An adviser to Republican Fred Thompson quit the presidential candidate's campaign Monday, one day after a report about his decades- old criminal record for drug dealing.
"I have decided to resign my position as chair of 'First Day Founders' of 'The Friends of Fred Thompson,'" Philip Martin said in a statement. "The focus of this campaign should be on Fred Thompson's positions on the issues and his outstanding leadership ability, not on mistakes I made some 24 years ago. I deeply regret any embarrassment this has caused."
The campaign issued the statement.
Thompson has flown around the country in a private jet borrowed from Martin, a businessman and co-chairman of Thompson's campaign, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
Martin pleaded guilty to the sale of 11 pounds of marijuana in 1979, but the court withheld judgment pending completion of his probation. In 1983, he was charged with violating probation and multiple counts of bookmaking, cocaine trafficking and conspiracy. He pleaded no contest to the cocaine-trafficking and conspiracy charges, and was continued on probation, the newspaper said.
Thompson said Sunday he was unaware of Martin's criminal past, but that he wouldn't "throw my friend under the bus" for decades-old indiscretions.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
“made some 24 years ago.”
Truly sad, the Clinton war room must be up and running.
That did not take long. ROFL
Knight-Ridder actually ran an article about this guy back in July highlighting some of his questionable dealings.
He should have seen the writing on the wall and resigned back then.
Better late than never.
How'd he get off so easy twice?
it’s the right move..........for now
I wonder if he ever did any business in Mena? ;-)
Has Sandy Berger resigned yet? Oh yeah, the rules are different for Democrats.........
So how is Fred going to fly around now that he has to pay for it. Is there another friend around that owns a plane. Surely all his Hollywood friends own them. Maybe his buddy John Travolta will loan one or two of his from the fleet he owns.
The press jumped all over this story about a thin connection between Thompson and this guy’s prior criminal history, but nary a word about Hillary and the Peter Paul fiasco.
All of his offenses were small potatoes.
Clean break.
Well, violating probation is never small potatoes.
Obviously, nothing news worthy there./s
The guy resigned, so far I have not heard Fred attack him.
This is all I have heard him say within hours of learning about it.
“”Meet the Press transcript:
“MR. THOMPSON: Nobody’s made any accusations that he’s done anything illegal with regard to our campaign. Now, what, what I understand is, from, from, from reading this story and from, from third parties is that when, when, when Phil was in his 20s, 24 years ago or something like that, these things came about. I know that—I did not know about that. They were in Florida; I was in Tennessee. After this he moved to Tennessee. I know Phil is a good man. He is my friend. He is going to remain my friend. He didn’t go to jail, he got probation, he’s paid his debt to society and turned himself around and become a good, productive, successful citizen. And I’m going to have to take a look at it. I’m going to have to talk to Phil, make sure I understand the nature of the situation and figure out what the right thing is. I’m not going to throw my friend under the bus for something he did, you know, 25 years ago if he’s OK now. On the other hand, I’m running for president, I—I’ve got, you know, to, to do the right thing, you know, and problems occur, and I’ll just have to figure it out.”””
Fred did not throw him under the bus.
All of his offenses were small potatoes.
____________
Too funny.
Small potato offenses for which you or I would have spent a bit of time in the jailhouse. Offenses that, had they been committed by a Clinton advisor, would have this site screaming bloody murder.
Hell, there was a poster on a thread last week that would have had this advisor put to death, a la Singaporean justice.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1920004/posts
It really was the only solution for the Thompson campaign.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.