Shamed Former Congressman John Sweeney's Back! And He Wants George Maragos' Money

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/04/shamed_former_c.php


Former Congressman John Sweeney after one of his two DWI arrests since 2007.


If you're running for one of the highest political offices in the country, you'd probably be advised to avoid certain unsavory characters who could potentially derail your campaign. You might want to avoid hiring a former congressman who was arrested for DUI (twice) and "had a woman on his lap when he was pulled over" to run your campaign, for example.

But that hasn't stopped former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and GOP Senate hopeful George Maragos from hiring (er...allegedly hiring in Maragos' case. More on that below) shamed former Congressman John Sweeney -- who was arrested for DUI in 2007 (and again in 2009) and "had a woman on his lap when he was pulled over," according to police.

As first reported by Jimmy Vielkind at the Albany Times Union, Sweeney sent a letter to the Federal Elections Commission claiming Maragos owes him $125,000 after the two agreed that Sweeney would run Maragos' Senate campaign.

As even Sweeney notes, though, there was no written agreement -- just a handshake.

"It was a handshake -- I thought he was a credible guy," Sweeney tells the Voice. "He kept telling me how much of a billionaire he was and not to worry about it."

The former congressman -- who was dubbed "Congressman Kickass" by former President George W. Bush for his role in organizing the so-called "Brooks Brothers Riot" during the 2000 Florida presidential recount -- says he traveled to Rochester with Maragos last month to wrangle delegates at the GOP Convention with the understanding that he would be running Maragos' Senate campaign.