GOP fraudster donates to party despite owing millions

When you're the Republican presidential nominee, I guess having to accept campaign contributions from con men goes with the territory.

Craig Berkman was the head of the Oregon Republican Party and a onetime gubernatorial candidate. Last month, a court found that Berkman had defrauded investors and ordered him to pay them $28,000,000.

While he owes tens of millions to people he defrauded, he keeps donating to the McCain campaign. In just the past year, Berkman and his wife have given $50,000 to Republican causes - including almost $24,000 to the Republican National Committee.

In 2005, Berkman moved from Oregon to Florida - a state that has right-wing laws protecting fraudsters from having to pay their creditors. True to form, Berkman also donated thousands to the Florida GOP and to the laughable Senate campaign of Katherine Harris, the right-wing hack who helped rig the election in 2000 for Bush.

Needless to say, Florida's GOP establishment has welcomed Berkman with open arms.

(Source: http://wweek.com/editorial/3435/11207)