Laffey's consultant worked directly for Tom DeLay and ARMPAC at the time when they were indicted. Chafee's consultant worked at the same firm as the wife of someone who was convicted. Which is worse?

Laffey is apparently veeery desperate....

Anthony:

Does Laffey work for the Washington Post or Projo? Sounds like it is the Chafee campaign (based on your post) who knows that this is a serious ethical issue so you come out swinging at Laffey....with no basis. Pretty lame attempt to turn this around my friend, I expected more from you.

You guys are unbelievable.

Good point. The newspaper pointed out the facts regarding the near $400,000 payment from Chafee, not the Laffey campaign. One would think that if someone was going to spend that much money, that one would do a little more research. So, now the Washington Post is now doing Laffey's bidding? Is that the best you can do? Somebody's getting worried!

Doesn't McCain blow on in Chafee's television ad about how well-informed Chafee is before legislative votes? He intensely studies the issues, according to this particularly flack from Arizona. Such a careful and deliberate man. Extending McCain's wonderful logic, it can be inferred that Chafee spends the same amount of time thoroughly researching those associated with his campaign. So he must have known, but just did not care.

Bounty Hunter,

He knows those associated with his campaign about as well as he knows his position on deportation:

"Whatever my campaign literature says, that's my position."

It sounded like a leak to me. If the Projo did some original reporting to find it out, good for them, but this issue cuts both ways.

I'm sorry I have to comment because of I am laughing too much. The address of Chafee's consultant is the home of a felon and the firm is run by the felon's wife and another woman who was a witness at the felon's trial (see rifuture' post and the comments). Did the Save Chafee campaign not ask for a resume beforing paying almost $400g to these ladies? By the way, I tend to think that a Laffey consultant who may have had Delay as a client once a upon a time can not be remotely compared to this ethical/competence train wreck by Chafee of hiring a consultant with direct ties to someone right now in jail.

I have my own conspiracy theory. I think this was leaked by the Chafee camp itself to find an excuse to fire their consultants since for the last 60 days Chafee numbers have been going further and futher into the toilet. Rasmussen has Chafee losing by 6, and is now at 38% against Whitehouse while Laffey has made up 11 points in 60 days despite the Chafee's camp attacks, and is at 31% against Whitehouse (see rifuture). Can't wait to see the Chafee's consultant next ad or mailer calling Laffey a crook. Just keeps me laffeying.

Fred Sanford: intriguing theory. here's mine: maybe the Chafee folks figured that no one would care who the husband of one of their out-of-state consultants was. And I bet the average voter really doesn't care--it's the hardcore political junkies, the reporters, the posters on anchorrising, who get worked up about stuff like this. So, while this is fun to talk about, I doubt it'll affect the race.

If by some miracle Chafee ends up in the final contest with Whitehouse, I'll tell you who will make hay of this little bit of political back door falderall -- Whitehouse - not junkies like us. He'll play it over and over and over in TV ads. I know, I've seen some of his preliminary ads in a survey I was fortuitously sent. I'd say it's time for Chafee to say goodnight.

Maybe he will. And if that happens, Chafee could hurt Whitehouse worse by dredging up some depressing incidents that happened while Sheldon was AG, including the death of 15-year-old Jennifer Rivera while under the witness protection program.
Maybe I'm an idealist, but I hope neither Sheldon nor Linc takes the low road.