RUDY GIULIANI AND SUSAN COLLINS EACH HAS A VERY TOXIC FRIEND

Last night the American senator who has done the most to undermine any chance of ending the Iraq occupation-- and who most participated with Bush and Cheney in creating the atmosphere to allow the public to be deceived into supporting the war against Iraq, Joe Lieberman-- threw a fundraising party for Susan Collins. Lieberman is one of the worst corporate whores in the history of the Congress. Lobbyists all know if you'll pay him enough, you can own him. Last night he supplied the K-Y while they lined up to get to know his pay Collins.

Many bloggers decided to alert the public of the Lieberman/Collins/K Street love triangle, and, at the same time, urge concerned Americans to stand up to Lieberman by contributing campaign funds to progressive Democratic Congressman Tom Allen, who is taking on Collins next year. So far Blue America has seen over 100 new donors from Crooks & Liars, Firedoglake and DownWithTyranny kick in $5,709. Although many donors have given $5 and $10, the average contribution has been $35.30.

Tom noticed too. Jane and John and I just got a great thank you letter from him to the whole Blue America community:

I want to thank communities of Firedoglake, DownWithTyranny!, and Crooks and Liars for your efforts and support over the last week. I am astounded by the blogosphere's effort to counter Joe Lieberman's fundraiser for Susan Collins. The response from the netroots community in the last few weeks shows the incredible power of small donors to make a big difference. Such activism sends a strong message that we must end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home. Unfortunately, my opponent and Joe Lieberman have consistently voted to support the President's failed policies on Iraq.

Again, I thank you. I cannot do this without you-– and I look forward to working with you to end the war and beat Susan Collins!

Tom

Please consider even a small contribution to Tom's campaign. This is the time to rid the Senate of rubber stamps like Collins and getting strong anti-occupation senators like Tom elected. And let's let Lieberman know what we think of treachery. Click here to donate. Of course, Susan Collins isn't the only Republican with sleazy, unsavory friends and supporters.

Rudy Giuliani has a lot of sleazy friends. He's made tens of millions of dollars capitalizing on and exploiting 9/11. In fact he was so busy raking in the dough that he never attended an Iraq Study Group meeting (and was eventually kicked off the panel). Some of his closest associates are mobsters and crooked exploitation artists. Forget his best bud/Mafia connection Bernie Kerik for a minute and go to a more recent Giuliani associate: the director of his South Carolina presidential campaign. South Carolina is HUGE for the GOP field and you'd think Giuliani would pick someone he trusts to handle the state for him, right? I mean he's supposed to be a leaders and an even better version than Bush of a potential CEO president.

Well, Giuliani's South Carolina, the state's Treasurer was just indicted on federal drug charges. But Giuliani has a far more potentially hazardous pal he may have to start explaining. Today Salon published the story of
Giuliani's child molesting priest friend, Alan Placa. Placa is one of Giuliani's tightest cronies and, like lots of other crooked players-- Kerik is the most famous example-- works at Giuliani's suspicious and notoriously unscrupulous lobbying firm, Giuliani Partners. Placa, like many Roman Catholic priests and mentally deranged Republican closet cases, is a serial groper of young boys. He also helped the Church cover up for other priestly child molesters, like 60 of them.

Placa and Giuliani are extremely close. Placa conspired with Rudy on his multiple marriages, divorces, annulments, incest cases, transvestitism, etc. and Rudy has consistently protected Placa from charges that he was having sex with underage boys. Giuliani runs with a bad crowd, a very, very bad crowd. I doubt decent Republican family values voters in South Carolina and Iowa are aware that Giuliani's priest bud felt his role as God's spokesman was to cover up rapes and molestations in churches and on camping trips and even in the homes of minors that priests could gain access to easily from trusting parents. Placa would transfer his fellow molesters from parish to parish to keep them out of the hands of the police. I wonder what cabinet position Rudy has in store for him.

Sometimes you really do have to make a judgment about someone you want to feel you can trust. Looking at the friends they have chosen to stay close to may tell you a great deal about them. Susan Collins picked Joe Lieberman, one of the most disliked and untrustworthy and duplicitous members of the Senate, someone more bloodthirsty than anyone in government outside of Cheney. And Rudy picked a child molester.