Giuliani Campaign Manager for South Carolina Faces Cocaine Charges

Republican Presidential Candidate Rudy Giuliani just lost his South Carolina campaign chairman to a cocaine charge.

From WLTX-TV:

"South Carolina Treasurer Thomas Ravenel has been suspended from office, following his indictment by a federal grand jury for distribution of cocaine.... [H]e serves as the state chairman for former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign. Late Tuesday, Giuliani's campaign announced he stepped down from that role."

The scandal in an early primary state comes as nagging problems seem to snowball for the Giuliani camp. He's withdrawn from the crucial Ames, Iowa straw poll -- seen as a weakness of his campaign organization there -- and his poll numbers have been diving -- as former supporters flock to the possible candidacy of former Sen Fred Thompson (R-TN).

Now, his campaign faces scandal in the earliest test of a candidate's mettle in the south.

Mr Giuliani's former campaign chairman is scheduled for arraignment in federal court July 9th. He faces 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. (WLTX)