Politician Charged With Coke Distribution

Indictment Accuses South Carolina Treasurer Thomas Ravenel Of Distributing Cocaine, Starting In 2005

(AP)  South Carolina Treasurer Thomas Ravenel, a former real estate developer who became a rising political star after his election last year, was indicted Tuesday on federal cocaine charges.

The millionaire is accused of buying less than 500 grams of the drug to share with other people in late 2005, U.S. Attorney Reggie Lloyd said. Ravenel, 44, is charged with distribution of cocaine, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The investigation into Ravenel arose from a drug case last year in Charleston, Lloyd said. State Law Enforcement Division Chief Robert Stewart said his agents were aware of the allegations before Ravenel was elected in November, but they didn't have enough information to pursue criminal charges. The case was turned over to the FBI in April.

"The investigation is just beginning," the federal prosecutor said.

The man accused of selling Ravenel the drug, Michael L. Miller, is in custody on the same charge.

Ravenel will be allowed to turn himself in, authorities said. The treasurer's office referred all questions to Ravenel's lawyer Joel Collins, who did not return a message left at his office.

Gov. Mark Sanford suspended Ravenel immediately based on the serious nature of the charge. The governor said he would name an interim treasurer soon.

"These are obviously very serious allegations that we're constitutionally bound to act upon, and they'll ultimately be decided by the courts." Sanford said in a statement.

Ravenel started his political career in 2004, funding his own campaign for a U.S. Senate seat. He finished a close third in the Republican primary.

Ravenel was founder of the Ravenel Development Corp., a commercial real estate development company. His father, Arthur Ravenel Jr., was a powerful politician from Charleston who served eight years in the U.S. House and is a former state representative and state senator.

Thomas Ravenel is also the state chairman for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign.

[killtheliars]

***, I saw the headline and thought maybe someone actually looked into George and Laura's past. I guess we will have to wait until 2008 for the George W Bush cocaine stories to come out.

[nottellin1]

Having said that, we do need to take a serious, common sense look at the law, when illegality creates such a valuable commodity, there is something wrong with the law.
Posted by brianbwb at 01:07 AM : Jun 20, 2007

I've been thinking this for years. Not just coke, the price of an oz of marijuana is also more than the price of an oz of gold. Consider this, average Joe gets his paycheck, spends whatever amount on drugs and that money goes straight to the source, many not even in the US. So Joes hard earned dollars go right to an offshore entity. No wonder US finances are so horrible. Just think of all the money lost in sales and business income tax dollars.

[motamanx]

Why does every neocon complain about the Liberal press, when an article like this is the antithesis of Liberal? The writers of the comments herein have pointed out that Ravenel is getting off rather lightly. I agree.

Is CBS News part of of the Cheney Cabal, also?

[cosmicfluke]

If he was a Dem, it'd be listed in the first paragraph, maybe even in the headlines, but since this is the usual story- another morally bankrupt Republican gets busted- they waited til the very end of the story to mention it.

It was as if we already knew what party he belonged to.

[lmwilker]

500 grams is a pound. If the person upthread is correct that coke is $2500.00 on ounce then the Rethug scumbag allegedly had $40,000.00 in coke on him, twice what I make in a year working full time in a public library. Throw the b@tch in jail.

Speed Freaks are the worst. Give me a good, old fashioned pothead any day of the week.

[meboard]

And I'm sure he's a "real good" Christian too...looks like a "pro-family" man. God bless his little coced-up heart. Hey, South Carolina...better do an audit!!!

[meboard]

I wonder if there's a White House link to this? Someone has to be supplying "w" and company with loads of hard narcotics...that's the only explanation I can come up with as to why this administration operates under non-stop disillusionment!!!

But I have to agree, I'd be using hard drugs too if I was republican't. I frankly don't see how any of them make it trough the day? Sad...

[incog-nito]

Up to 20 years? That's insane. Peolpe get less than that for killing someone. Is this guy a dealer? Get real. The guy's is a millionaire. The article stated that he was going to share it with some other people. A dealer is a guy who makes a regular living selling dope. Our criminal justice is so screwed up it can't tell the difference, and it's the reason why petty drug users serve long sentences and crowd prisons, while murderers and thugs are out on the streets killing people

[brianbwb-2009]

to monstersound,

Read the caption to the picture.

"South Carolina Treasurer-elect Thomas Ravenel talks with supporters after winning the election and defeating Democratic Grady Patterson, in Columbia, S.C., on Nov. 7, 2006."

Still can't figure it out, eh?

[brianbwb-2009]

Last I heard, good coke was going at $2,500 per oz.
What is the price of gold, like 200 per oz?

People murdered, stole, indeed went to war over gold, here we have a perishable item 10 to 20 times more valuable, due to two factors, desirability and illegality.

I don't condone a rich white man selling an illegal substance, he should rot with all other convicted dealers for breaking the law.

Having said that, we do need to take a serious, common sense look at the law, when illegality creates such a valuable commodity, there is something wrong with the law.

[MonsterSound]

Ravenel's a right winger? What ever do you mean?
This is an eleven paragraph article, with a title and a sub-title. Nowhere in the title or sub-title does it say Ravenel is a Republican let alone Giuliani's presidential campaign state chairman. Not in paragraph 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, nine...er... well, whaddya know?

[vincan-2009]

Cocaine is a totally unacceptable drug for anyone. Marijuana is what should be made legal. But now illegal is what they are. The holier than thou republicans who claimed all religiousness for themselves are the worst of all time. The republicans in the senate and house are still rubberstamps for Bush. They have forgotten how to think for themselves and sure are not brave enough to do so. Pathetic.

[rharrin1]

Another dirty right winger, where will it all end?

Don't we have just one honest one?

[realpatriot1]

Wake up! He didn't just do coke, he dealt coke!

Maybe Rudy's the client.

[harp1963]

He'll get Paris Hiltons lawyer and be out in two weeks. Laws don't apply to rich connected people. They can traffic cocaine. Poor dope dealers go to jail. That's life in America.

[nottellin1]

The man is 44, that mean he grew up in the 70's, of course he does coke. We may as well come to terms that almost everyone currently between the ages of 35 and 65 has has at least some experience with drugs. Most won't admit it, like they really didn't inhale, but I'm sure most of our younger politicians have either used or continue to use. I'd prefer one that did so they'd be better able to relate to the public.

[seven-pesos]

32% of americans support bush.

32% support war, death, hate and failed right wing policies.

where are these 32% from?

guaranteed you find them all south of the mason-dixon line.

rednecks, war supporters, phony christian snakes, republican snakes...

war, hate, bible thumpers, flag wavers...

nothing good comes out of the south!

[seven-pesos]

another republican snake bites the dust.

those dixie republican creeps are the worst america has.

swaggart, foley, ravenel, delay, robertson, falwell...

all southern, all christian, all evil republican snakes...

war,hate, arrogance, rednecks & reborns...

nothing good comes out of the south!

Last year Thomas Ravenel's daddy got a $1 billion bridge crossing Charleston's Cooper River named after him -- "The Arthur Ravenel Bridge." There is a town in South Carolina named Ravenel. Streets, schools, pathways, gardens named after Ravenel, all "paid for" by South Carolina taxpayers. Ravenel trades on his name, big time. Now maybe we should name a grade of cocaine after the man: "I'll have a Ravenel hit." The Ravenel family is very wealthy. Thomas Ravenel was BORN wealthy.

Thomas Ravenel, born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, used it to shovel cocaine.

Since the Ravenels enjoy their reputations as "blue blood" French Huguenots, plantation- and slave-owners, maybe now, after the bridge-naming for the old man, we can have a prison named after the son.

[menofoz]

Ronald Rangoon didn't even put a dent in the war on drugs, all he did was make criminals rich and those addicted worse off.