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Fred Thompson Campaign Advisor Has Drug Crimes in His Past

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 12:16:20 AM EST
Tags: Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani (all tags)
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The Washington Post reports that Republican candidate Fred Thompson's good buddy since the mid-90's, Philip Martin of Tennessee, who also supplies the plane for Thompson's campaign trips, has a criminal past:

Martin 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.

So, he gets a deferred in state court for pot, violates probation, pleads "no contest" (same effect as a guilty plea) to coke (more than a kilo's worth, if my memory serves me correctly as to what coke sold for back then) and gets continued on probation with no jail time?

Sounds like he cooperated big time. [More...]

Thompson was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Tennessee from 1969 to 1972. Told today about Martin's record, of which he says he was previously unaware,

Senator Thompson was unaware of the information until this afternoon. Phil Martin has been a friend of the senator since the mid-1990s and remains so today."

Sounds a little like Rudy saying he didn't know about Kerik's connections to a company that allegedly had mob ties but sticking by Bernie even after he found out.

I'm all for former offenders participating in the political process and see no reason why Martin shouldn't be a player if he can. What I find amusing -- about both Thompson and Rudy -- is that they are former federal prosecutors who clearly don't share my views on the topic or support the rights of the criminally accused. Except, apparently, when it's their friends we're talking about.

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    Fred Thompson Campaign Advisor Has Drug Crimes in His Past | 18 comments (18 topical)
    Minorities (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Jgarza on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 12:40:18 AM EST
    So, he gets a deferred in state court for pot, violates probation, pleads "no contest" (same effect as a guilty plea) to coke (more than a kilo's worth, if my memory serves me correctly as to what coke sold for back then) and gets continued on probation with no jail time?

    Jeralyn don't you know.  There is only a war on drugs against minorities or poor white people, involved in drug crimes.  If you are white and affluent, and involved in drugs, clearly you are the victim of some drug pusher.

    Ms. TL: (1.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Wile ECoyote on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 05:59:45 AM EST
    Show me where Thompson does not support the rights of the criminally accused.  

    check his voting record as Senator (none / 0) (#6)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 09:31:21 AM EST
    and his position on crime and drug issues:

    Impose truth in sentencing for violent crime. (Nov 1994)
    Voted YES on limiting death penalty appeals. (Apr 1996)
    Voted YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses. (Nov 1999)
    Position: Death penalty DOES deter murders. (Jun 2007)
    Appoint strict constructionist judges. (Jun 2007)

    [ Parent ]

    So you mean (none / 0) (#7)
    by Wile ECoyote on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 11:43:24 AM EST
    not as many rights as you would like.  

    [ Parent ]
    It;s like saying you have no rights in Iran (none / 0) (#12)
    by Jgarza on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 03:22:33 PM EST
    Who are we to say there are no rights in Iran.  There just aren't as many as we would like.  You are allowed to worship, i mean sure only Allah, but thats a right, you have the right to worship Allah.  If your a woman you have right to listen to your husband.  In some cases you may even have more rights, if your a man, you have the right to more than one wife, and in one of them gets out of line... then you have lots of rights.  

    Iran and Fred Thompson they are both think you should have rights!

    [ Parent ]

    It is nice to see a Leftie (1.00 / 0) (#14)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 07:01:46 PM EST
    have somewhat a grip on the situation in not only Iran, but all countries governed by Shari law.

    I mean, it looks like you have thought of something besides:

    Bush Bad.

    But I'm probably wrong.

    [ Parent ]

    interesting (none / 0) (#2)
    by cpinva on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 01:44:19 AM EST
    thompson, who was an AUSA in TN, from 69 to 72, and presumably still had contacts there in the mid-70's, knew nothing about this guy's past? possible, hell, you can't know everyone.

    what bothers me is the seeming coincidence, between thompson's tenure, and this guy's apparent good fortune, in sentencing.

    how do we know, for sure, that thompson and martin only met in the 90's? or didn't have common acquaintences?

    So.... (none / 0) (#4)
    by kdog on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 06:27:47 AM EST
    I take it the Thompson campaign is against drug prohibition, and an announcement is forthcoming.  Cool.

    Remember (1.00 / 0) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 08:39:47 AM EST
    it took Nixon to open relations with China.

    Bush to get Rx Insurance for the elderly.

    So, why not??

    Do you think any candidate is going to say up front they will reform our drug laws?? Much less a Repub?

    [ Parent ]

    Thompsons (none / 0) (#8)
    by jondee on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 12:02:43 PM EST
    obvious embalming fuid addiction is another thing he will have to face up to at some point, though he desrves alot credit for his bravery in coming out of the undead closet. Another upside of a possible Thompson Presidency will be the money freed up that would ordinarily be used for Secret Service protection..

    [ Parent ]
    Gee, what an intelligent comment. (1.00 / 0) (#13)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 06:59:07 PM EST
    Thompson looks bad....

    duh.... what's next?

    From you?? Let me guess. He is a racist and member of the KKK.

    [ Parent ]

    Gee Jim, you can always hope (none / 0) (#18)
    by jondee on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 03:20:44 PM EST
    Whatsa matter: is Jimmy still mad?

    [ Parent ]
    Bring it on Jim.... (none / 0) (#16)
    by kdog on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 07:55:55 AM EST
    I'm no Democrat, I'm a proud Independent.  If the Republicans made drug prohibition repeal part of the platform, they'd win my vote.

    But neither party will ever do it...makes too much sense.

    [ Parent ]

    They will sooner or later (none / 0) (#17)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 08:32:54 AM EST


    [ Parent ]
    This is good news, right? (none / 0) (#9)
    by Peter G on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 12:05:52 PM EST
    A current major supporter of Sen Thompson for president was a drug dealer around 25 years ago.  Is someone trying to imply that Thompson should not associate with that person? I think it's a positive consideration -- although obviously nothing that would make me even consider supporting him.  I hope it shows that Thompson believes in second (or, in light of this case, third) chances, and that he consistently opposes mandatory, "throw-away-the-key" sentencing.  

    He and Larry "Bojangles" Craig (none / 0) (#10)
    by jondee on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 12:13:09 PM EST
    both have an oppurtnity to do some positive soul searching and maybe broaden their perspectives a little. We'll see.

    [ Parent ]
    Wealthy White males in prison? (none / 0) (#11)
    by JSN on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 01:13:28 PM EST
    Martin was convicted in 1979 for selling pot to a undercover police officer and then pleaded no contest to the charge of trying to selling cocaine with a 1983 street value of $30,000. Where I live someone like that would be considered to be a drug kingpin.

    From the description of his lifestyle it appears he has enough money to pay for his own drugs (if he is a user). Evidently he was told to "go and sin no more". It is gratifying to see an ex-con do well. It would be a terrible thing to put a wealthy White male in prison in particular one with influential friends.

    Dirty (none / 0) (#15)
    by txpublicdefender on Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 08:52:02 PM EST
    And my poor clients said it wasn't fair the judge was revoking their probation and sending them to prison just for getting a simple misdemeanor conviction.  I didn't realize you could sell $30k worth of coke and be a bookmaker, and get to stay on probation.  

    You're right, Jeralyn.  Either he was a major cooperating witness or the beneficiary of some seriously dirty dealing.

    Fred Thompson Campaign Advisor Has Drug Crimes in His Past | 18 comments (18 topical)