From the trail

Last update: November 3, 2007 - 10:38 PM

Key Thompson fundraiser has drug record

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson has been crisscrossing the country since early summer on a private jet lent to him by a close adviser who has a criminal record for drug dealing. Philip Martin, one of four campaign co-chairmen, entered a plea of guilty to the sale of 11 pounds of marijuana in 1979; the court withheld judgment pending completion of his probation. He was charged in 1983 with violating his probation and with multiple counts of felony bookmaking, cocaine trafficking and conspiracy. He pleaded no contest to the cocaine-trafficking and conspiracy charges, which stemmed from a plan to sell $30,000 worth of the drug, and was continued on probation. Thompson's campaign said the candidate was not aware of the multiple criminal cases, for which Martin served no jail time. Karen Hanretty, Thompson's deputy communications director, said Martin was not subjected to the campaign's standard vetting process because "he's a longtime friend." The two have been friends since the 1990s.

HUCKABEE CLIMBS, EDWARDS LAGS

A new University of Iowa poll puts Republican Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, into a virtual tie for second place with Rudy Giuliani. Huckabee was at 12.8 percent; Giuliani at 13.1 percent. Both trail former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who's at 36 percent. Among Democrats, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton led with 28.9 percent, Sen. Barack Obama was second at 26.6 percent and former Sen. John Edwards was third at 20 percent. That's troubling for Edwards, who's effectively banking his campaign on Iowa. The polls were taken Oct. 17-24. Error margin: 5.8 percent for Republicans, 5.5 percent for Democrats.

THIS WEEK

Clinton, Obama and Edwards are to appear today at Rep. Bruce Braley's "Bruce, Blues and BBQ" event in Davenport, Iowa.

NEWS SERVICES

Comment on this story | Read all 0 comments | Hide reader comments

Someone’s trying to scam David Undlin. What should he do?

Today, Whistleblower wants your help in solving a dilemma in Apple Valley, and maybe take a bite out of Internet fraud in the process. Last month, David Undlin wanted to sell some rims from his Acura, so he put an ad on Craigslist. Undlin quickly got an email from someone saying he would pay the [...]