Abramoff Scandal Threatens to Derail Ralph Reed's Political Ambitions

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0111-08.htm

Published on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 by Bloomberg.com

Abramoff Scandal Threatens to Derail Reed's Political Ambitions

by Kristin Jensen and Laurence Viele Davidson


The Washington scandal over lobbyist Jack Abramoff may claim a casualty outside the nation's capital: Ralph Reed, a former presidential-campaign adviser who once headed one of the U.S.'s largest Christian activist groups.

Disclosures that Reed once ran an anti-gambling campaign that was secretly financed by casino-owning clients of his friend Abramoff have damaged his ability to raise funds for a bid to become Georgia's next lieutenant governor, other Republicans say. That may undercut his chances of winning an office that he could use as a steppingstone to national political ambitions, they say.

Campaign-finance reports filed this week show that Reed, 44, lagged behind opponent Casey Cagle in fundraising for the July 18 Republican primary during the past six months, after collecting more than twice as much money as his rival before that. Cagle raised $667,000 from June 30 to Dec. 31 to Reed's $404,000.

<snip>
For Reed, who once seemed invincible, with broad support in his party and wide name recognition, that isn't good news, said Towery, who now publishes Insider Advantage, a guide to politics.

..more..

[Roland99]

1. Hmm...maybe there *is* a god!

[Lochloosa]

3. I might consider going to church if this POS leaves the face of the

earth.

On second thought.

[mopaul]

2. besides gary bauer, reed is the creepiest christian out there

i hope he burns in a living hell of regret, and an actual hell of prison, imagine him in general pop.

[underpants]

5. Ooh he's super fresh and pretty

[mopaul]

7. sucked by the devil into a vortex of sin, but the lord will forgive him

[leftchick]

4. could not happen to a bigger scumbag

well maybe Pat Robertson is bigger.

[sharp_stick]

6. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy

Ralph Reed is one weird little dude.

[RubyDuby in GA]

8. As a citizen of GA and a member of the GDP,

I for one couldn't hope for anything more than this:

The young Republicans following in Reed's footsteps -- students, budding activists and campaign managers -- now don't want him to run, said Charles Bullock, a political scientist at the University of Georgia in Athens.

``Without exception, they are hoping he's not on the ticket,'' Bullock said. One concern is ``that he gets the nomination, and then sometime in the fall the smoking gun shows up and he brings down Republicans,'' he said. ``The drumbeat is going to be playing throughout the year.''

[Imalittleteapot]

9. Threatens???????

One would think that his political career is in the hole.

[G_j]

10. ~~