There Is No Cat

Vampires, leeches, they’re all the same thing

I loathe disgraced former New Jersey Senator Bob Torricelli. I thought he was a disgrace to his party, his state, and his office, and I was delighted when scandal drove him from office and gave me an opportunity to vote for someone I respect (because, after all, even a lowlife scum-sucking leech like Torricelli is better than a Republican). As I recall, he was one of the first Democrats to call on Al Gore to surrender the fight against Dubya for Florida, which really steamed me.

Now Torricelli has brought his ethically-challenged perspective to this year’s Democratic primaries. The AP reports that Torricelli was one of the main backers of the shadowy group, Americans for Jobs, Healthcare and Progressive Values, that ran ads in New Hampshire and South Carolina that linked Howard Dean to Osama bin Laden, giving $50,000 to the group’s efforts.

Torricelli, the former New Jersey senator who is now raising money for front-runner Kerry, donated $50,000 from his Senate campaign fund to the group.

Federal Election Commission spokesman Bob Biersack said it was "fuzzy" whether Torricelli’s contribution was permissible under FEC rules. Donations to such groups are not included on an FEC list of permitted uses for campaign funds.

Bob still hasn’t learned to handle his money legally, apparently. What does this mean for John Kerry? Because, as the AP noted in that story, and in another story focusing solely on Torricelli’s fundraising, that’s what Bob’s doing these days, shaking his contacts down for money for Kerry.

Presidential Democratic hopeful John Kerry is letting former Sen. Robert Torricelli raise money for him less than two years after the Senate formally rebuked Torricelli for his actions with a political donor.

My mom told me she’s trying to like Kerry. I’m not even trying. Associating with people like Torricelli shows that he’s just part of the same old same old. Sure, I’ll hold my nose and vote for him in November if it comes to it. But that’s all I’ll do. After all, if he’s got Bob raising money for him, he sure doesn’t need my money.

Whatever happened to those criminal cases against Torricelli? Can’t someone just drive a wooden stake through this vampire’s heart?

Posted at 5:34 AM