Fred Thompson Apparently Bails on Background Checks

The man in question is Phil Martin, he is one of four campaign co-chairman for the '08 Republican candidate.

Fred Thompson Courtesy: catholicsfordemocracy.org

(SALEM, Ore.) - Fred Thompson is finding himself in a sticky mess that he would like to have avoided. In fact this contender for the GOP Presidential ticket wants to avoid the revelation that his top aide is a convicted drug dealer so much apparently, that he doesn't make any reference to it on his own Website.

An explanation would have been nice, don't you think Fred?

It isn't like he has evaded it. Thompson has spoken to several media sources about his staff member's background, even if he isn't addressing it on his own site.

People can't always be held accountable for the past actions of others, but they are still subject to the fallout, so a background check just might have been a good idea. In fact, I'm sure most people assume these things really happen when you're talking about a Presidential campaign.

But that costs money and takes time, who knows?

The man in question is Phil Martin, he is one of four campaign co-chairman for the '08 Republican candidate. He is known for loaning Thompson his airplane to fly to campaign related events.

The Washington Post and FOX News have both reported that Martin was convicted in 1979 for selling 11 pounds of marijuana, and that he entered a no contest plea in 1983 for cocaine trafficking and conspiracy.

In response, Martin stated, "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." He added, "I deeply regret any embarrassment this has caused."

Thompson told reporters Sunday that he does wish that he had known earlier about his key presidential campaign adviser's guilty plea to a drug charge years ago, but Thompson says he still thinks Phil Martin is "a good man."

Martin never was jailed over the charges. His sentencing was probation on the marijuana charge. The cocaine charges, along with a felony bookmaking charge, happened while he was still serving that probation, but still led to no jail time.