WWTBAM Bored

Independant candidate Thomas Ravenel who is running against Lindsey Graham is accused by a woman who works for his girlfriend of assaulting her. In 2007 he was indicted on federal cocaine distribution charges. He was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison.

That's South Carolina politics for you.

It goes on all over the place.

I used to live in a Congressional district with competitive elections. Then redistricting put our area (a mile away from the city line) in a city Congressional district where the Democratic incumbent is a shoo-in. Meanwhile, our Congressman's top aide pleaded guilty to campaign fraud. He's still a shoo-in for reelection.

Now a popular State Supreme Court Justice (who gained national fame as a local judge when he created Eagles Court in the basement of Veterans Stadium) has been suspended by his brethren for sending dirty emails.

I saw my first Ravenel 2014 TV spot today. He was holding his new baby.

Texas does it bigger:

Kenneth “Buddy” Barfield was campaign manager for Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst (pictured), and now faces up to 28 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines.

Appearing before a federal judge, Barfield pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud, filing a false tax return and embezzlement…
“You simply do not know what your sentence will be,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane told Barfield on Tuesday, noting the judge could lessen his sentence significantly or impose a harsher penalty.

Over the course of four years, Barfield consistently siphoned off Dewhurst campaign donations, at one point converting more than $162,000 in political contributions during one four-month period to $25,000 to for his own personal use.

Both Barfield, who now lives in Alabama, and his Austin-based lawyer E. G. Morris declined to comment after the hearing Tuesday. Morris said his office would not be issuing a statement.

Once Dewhurst’s most trusted campaign adviser, Barfield admitted in a court filing that he stole funds from two campaign accounts – the David Dewhurst Committee and Dewhurst for Texas – and used the money to pay the mortgage on his columned, two-story mansion in West Austin, on school tuition for his children, on personal investments and for assorted other living costs.

Assorted other living costs. Strippers, Misstress or Gambling?

And don't forget (well, I forgot his first name) "Low Tax" Looper