Kennedy Relative Tied to Fund-Raising Case -NYT

[Rose Siding]

A brother-in-law of Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts has been working as a confidential informant in a criminal case against Hillary Rodham Clinton's former fund-raising director, according to people involved in the case.

The brother-in-law, Raymond Reggie of Louisiana, has apparently been acting as an undercover informant in the case and secretly recorded a conversation he had with Mrs. Clinton's former fund-raising director during a steak dinner.

In that conversation, the two discussed a 2000 fund-raiser for Mrs. Clinton that is at the center of the federal government's criminal investigation, those with knowledge of the case say.
....
Mr. Reggie, who comes from a politically prominent Louisiana family, pleaded guilty to fraud charges on Thursday as part of a plea bargain in an unrelated case in New Orleans. He had been accused of taking part in a scheme to cheat banks out of money.

http://nytimes.com/2005/04/23/nyregion/23hillary.html

[NVMojo]

1. A house divided against itself falls or is easily conquered. Shame, shame.

[Catherine Vincent]

2. "Hillary Rodham Clinton's former fundraising director"

It will always lead off with that. You won't see the man's name until the further down in the article I presume. How about that liberal media? Sigh!

[justice4all_1]

3. "Campaign Finance Reform"?

The laws on running a campaign are so complicated and convoluted that I almost always discount any "scandal" associated with the process.

It just seems like you can pick through any political campaign and find some technical, and irrelevant, glitch.

This goes for both sides. Enough of the stupid scandal mongering on running for office. We just need to go to some kind of campaign financing system that gives each side enough money to run a campaign without all the fundraising garbage.

[AlCzervik]

4. Raymond Reggie may be trying to get a lighter sentence

Raymond Reggie Pleads Guilty To Bank Fraud Charges

POSTED: 11:39 am CDT April 21, 2005

NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Raymond Reggie, a media consultant and the son of a politically prominent former Louisiana judge, pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal bank fraud charge in a plea bargain stemming from accusations that he cheated banks in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Reggie pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of bank fraud conspiracy. Sentencing was set for Oct. 26 before U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier.

The conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the fraud charge, up to 30 years and $1 million, although federal sentencing guidelines, along with the plea agreement, likely will result in lesser sentences.


Reggie is the son of Edmund Reggie, a former judge and longtime friend of former Gov. Edwin Edwards. The younger Reggie's sister, Victoria, is married to U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, of Massachusetts.

The younger Reggie has a media consulting firm, Media Direct LLC, active in high-profile local campaigns like those of former New Orleans mayoral candidate Richard Pennington and former Mayor Marc Morial.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


just a guess but it sure looks that way.
http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/news/4402305/detail.html

[creeksneakers2]

5. This is from the NY Sun

Reggie also faces a separate, unrelated state trial in Louisiana next month for allegedly impersonating a police officer. The felony charge stems from a 2002 incident in which Reggie allegedly used a blue light to stop another vehicle.

"He pulls over a car full of young girls, tells them he's a cop; and wants one of them to get out; tried to get them to follow him somewhere," the prosecutor handling the case, Kim McElwee, said in an interview.

Ms. McElwee complained that she has had great difficulty obtaining routine evidence for the case. "I've never had a case quite like this," she said. "People say they have a document. I call back. Not only is the document gone, they're gone. It's bizarre."

Reggie, who has maintained his innocence, has waived his right to a jury trial. Ms. McElwee said the judge will probably acquit Reggie. "I'm getting entertainment out of this. I'm certainly not going to get a conviction," she said.

http://www.nysun.com/article/12645

[Rose Siding]

6. Oh, brother!

Well, as long as Ms McElwee's entertained, I guess he should slide on the offense against a car full of young girls. :eyes:

[hector459]

7. Doesn't necessarily mean Hillary knew anything about it.

eom

[BR_Parkway]

8. Well, don't look at DeLay anymore, see, even Hillary is doing it, this is

just a "lib'rul plot to tarnish the good speaker's reputation"

</sarcasm>

[cruadin]

9. This is a very odd story from beginning to end, and the timing...

of it---with Delay's ethical problems simmering away---is WAY too convenient.