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+#REDIRECT [[Fred Thompson]]
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-{{AfDM|page=Fred Thompson controversies|date=2007 July 11|substed=yes}}
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-{{main|Fred Thompson}}
-Over the years, '''Fred Thompson''' has been involved in various '''controversies'''.  Some of those controveries are described below, in a way that should include a balance of relevant and significant viewpoints regarding each controversy.
-==Watergate==
-[[Scott Armstrong (Journalist)|Scott Armstrong]], a Democratic investigator for the Senate Watergate committee, has criticized Thompson for disclosing committee information to the Nixon White House while they were under investigation, and calls Thompson "a mole for the White House."<ref name="GlobeJuly4">{{cite news |last=Kranish |first=Michael |title=Not all would put a heroic sheen on Thompson's Watergate role |publisher=''[[The Boston Globe]]'' |pages=Sec. 1, p. 10 |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/07/04/not_all_would_put_a_heroic_sheen_on_thompsons_watergate_role/ |date =July 4, 2007 |accessdate=2007-07-08}}</ref> Armstrong stated, "When the prosecutor discovers the smoking the gun, he's going to be shocked to find that the deputy prosecutor called the defendant and said, 'You'd better get rid of that gun."<ref name="Forbes4">{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Fred Thompson Aided Nixon on Watergate  |publisher=''[[Forbes]]'' |pages=Sec. 1, p. 10 |url=http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/07/ap3891484.html |date =July 4, 2007 |accessdate=2007-07-08}}</ref>
-In his 1975 memoir ''At That Point in Time'', Thompson had been very critical of Armstrong, writing, "Armstrong, in my view, should never have been on the staff. Although very capable, he was a close friend...of [[Bob Woodward]] of the Washington Post, which was running exclusive Watergate stories almost daily based on 'informed sources' within the committee... More than once I accused Armstrong of being Woodward's source."<ref>{{cite book
-  | last = Thompson
-  | first = Fred
-  | authorlink =
-  | coauthors =
-  | title = At That Point in Time: The inside story of the Senate Watergate Committee
-  | publisher = Quadrangle/New York Times Book Co.
-  | date 1975
-  | location =
-  | pages = 82
-  | url =
-  | doi =
-  | id =
-  | isbn = 0812905369}}</ref>
-==PAC money transfer==
-{{POV-section}}
-Federal Election Commission records show that Thompson’s political action committee transfered $178,000 to his son’s political consulting firm.  In contrast, the committee made only $66,700 in contributions to other campaigns and political committees in the four years since Thompson retired from the Senate.<ref name="PAC">{{cite web
-  | title =Fred Thompson Ends Fund That Paid $178,000 to Son
-  | url =http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/05/fred_thompson_e.html
-  | author =Avni Patel
-  | accessdate = 2007-06-16 }}</ref>
-==Alleged lobbyist for abortion group==
-[[Judith DeSarno]], former president of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, alleged that Thompson lobbied the [[George H. W. Bush]] administration "to ease a regulation that prevented clinics that received federal money from offering any abortion counseling."<ref name="abortionrights">{{cite news | url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070706/ap_on_el_pr/thompson_abortion | title=Thompson lobbied for abortion rights | publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date= July 6, 2007 | first= | last=  | accessdate =2007-05-17}}</ref> The purported minutes of a 1991 board meeting of the group, provided by DeSarno, indicate that the group hired Thompson that year.
-However, a spokesman for Thompson has "adamantly denied" the claim, saying "There's no documents to prove it, there's no billing records, and Thompson says he has no recollection of it, says it didn't happen." <ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-thompson7jul07,0,54260.story?coll=la-home-center | title=Thompson lobbied for abortion-rights group, it says | publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date= July 7, 2007 | first= | last=  | accessdate =2007-05-17}}</ref> In addition, [[John H. Sununu]]--the White House official who was "the president's point man on the rule"--said "I don't recall him ever lobbying me on that at all. I don't think that ever happened. In fact, I know that never happened."<ref name=abortionrights/>
-[[Bill Hamilton]], then director the Washington office of the [[Planned Parenthood Federation of America]], said "I definitely recall her reaching out to [Thompson] and engaging him in some way, and trying to squeeze the White House through him."<ref name="abortionrightsLATimes">{{cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-thompson7jul07,0,4223445.story?coll=la-home-nation | title=Thompson lobbied for abortion-rights group, it says | publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date= July 7, 2007 | first= | last=  | accessdate =2007-07-10}}</ref> Thompson spokesman Mark Corally denied the claim and explained, "He may have been consulted by one of the firm’s partners who represented this group in 1991.  As any lawyer would know, such consultations take place within law firms every day."<ref>Becker, Jo and Kirkpatrick, David.  [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/07/us/politics/07thompson.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin Group Says It Hired Fred Thompson in Abortion Rights Bid], ''New York Times'' ([[2007-07-07]]).</ref>  Former Rep. [[Michael D. Barnes]] (D-Md.), who employed DeSarno as a senior aide while in Congress and allegedly recommended Thompson to DeSarno, claims that, "I talked to him while he was doing it, and I talked to DeSarno about the fact that she was very pleased with the work that he was doing for her organization."<ref name=abortionrightsLATimes/>
-==Cuban cigar/embargo debate==
-On [[May 2]] [[2007]], Thompson wrote an article critical of [[Cuba]]'s government-run health care, and of filmmaker [[Michael Moore]]'s alleged violation of [[United States embargo against Cuba]].<ref>{{cite news
-|url=http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OWNhNzA2YmY3NTNjZjZhNjE1NmZjMDFkOTdjN2Q4ZmE= |title="Paradise Island": The myth of Cuban health care |first=Fred |last=Thompson |publisher=''[[National Review|National Review Online]]''
-|date=[[May 2]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref>
-Moore responded on [[May 15]] [[2007]] with a challenge for a health care debate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=208 |title=A Challenge from Michael Moore to Presidential Hopeful Fred Thompson |first=Michael |last=Moore |authorlink=Michael Moore |date=[[May 15]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2007-05-17}}</ref> Moore also cited the fact that Thompson was mentioned in an article by ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'' to own "box upon box of cigars--[[Montecristo (cigar brand)|Montecristo]] from [[Havana]]."<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/content/public/articles/000/000/013/673ytudf.asp</ref> Montecristo are Cuban cigars, owned and operated by the Cuban government<ref>http://www.cigarsclub.com/Montecristo-Cigars.htm</ref>, and as such are illegal.<ref>http://cigars.about.com/od/cubantradeembargo/qt/0062002a.htm</ref> Thus, Moore asked "do you think the 'box upon box of cigars – Montecristos from Havana' that you have in your office have contributed to Castro's reported wealth?".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=208 |title=A Challenge from Michael Moore to Presidential Hopeful Fred Thompson |first=Michael |last=Moore |authorlink=Michael Moore |date=[[May 15]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2007-05-17}}</ref>
-Later that day, Thompson responded with a video,<ref>{{cite web
-|url=http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=611 |title=Thompson Responds to Michael Moore Challenge |publisher=Breitbart.tv |format=video clip |date=[[May 15]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2007-05-17}}</ref> in which he declined to debate Moore and mentioned the case of Cuban filmmaker [[Nicolás Guillén Landrián|Nicolás Guillén]], who was jailed by the Cuban government and subjected to [[electroconvulsive therapy]]. The story was followed in the press.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,272558,00.html</ref><ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/21/opinion/main2831391.shtml</ref>
-==Jean-Bertrand Aristide==
-In the early 1990s Thompson was a lobbyist for deposed Haitian President [[Jean-Bertrand Aristide]].  "Aristide was restored to power in 1994 by U.S. troops under President Clinton," even though he was criticized for endorsing "necklacing" where "gasoline-soaked tires are thrown over a person's neck and set ablaze."<ref name="DefendsLobbying">{{cite news
-|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-06-26-thompson-lobbyist_N.htm |title=Fred Thompson defends lobbyist past |first= |last= |publisher=''[[USA Today]]'' |date=[[June 26]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2007-07-25}}</ref> According to ''[[USA Today]]'', "In a brief interview with the AP, Thompson said he expects to hear criticism about his lobbying activities as he moves closer to declaring his candidacy."<ref name="DefendsLobbying"/>
-==Castro and immigration remarks==
-On [[June 27]], [[2007]], Thompson spoke about border security. He expresed concern that many illegal immigrants came from terrorist-related states and he mentioned a thousand illegal Cuban immigrants who had been apprehended in the United States. He said, "If they're coming from Cuba, where else are they coming from? And I don't imagine they're coming here to bring greetings from  [[Fidel Castro|Castro]]. We're living in the era of the [[suitcase bomb]]."<ref>{{cite web | title = Thompson: "They're Coming From Cuba"  | url = http://youtube.com/watch?v=Kya5KUHf6ko |  date = 2007-06-28  | accessdate = 2007-07-05 }}</ref>  Subsequently, Thompson posted a clarification, "The Castro regime remains dedicated to infiltrating American institutions to spread his ideology of tyranny. ... It’s also why we must oppose the illegal immigration of Castro’s agents into the United States while welcoming the vast majority who immigrate legally and with legal intentions."<ref>{{cite web
-|url=http://fredfile.imwithfred.com/2007/a-good-day/ |date=2007-06-28 |title="A Good Day" |publisher=Official Fred Thompson Blog |accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref>
-==Relationships==
-Thompson divorced in 1985, and had several relationships. Thompson admited, "I was single for a long time, and, yep, I chased a lot of women... And a lot of women chased me. And those that chased me tended to catch me."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/05/02/publiceye/entry2753818.shtml | title=Fred Thompson, Putting It Out There| publisher=[[CBS News]] |date= May 2, 2007 | first= | last=  | accessdate =2007-07-09}}</ref>  Mark Corallo, a Thompson spokesman, noted "I don't think any of the members of Congress or the American people are concerned about the dating habits of a single man."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/05/02/publiceye/entry2753818.shtml | title=Fred Thompson, Putting It Out There| publisher=[[CBS News]] |date= May 2, 2007 | first= | last=  | accessdate =2007-07-09}}</ref>
-==Conservative or Liberal==
-Fred Thompson has an "86.1 percent lifetime (1995-2002) Senate vote rating compiled by the American Conservative Union (ACU)," compared to 89.3 for [[Bill Frist]] and 82.3 for [[John McCain]].<ref>"[http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070623/EDITORIAL/106230006/1013 How conservative is Fred Thompson?]", ''Washington Times Editorial'' ([[2007-06-23]]).</ref>  However, [[Richard Viguerie]] argues that Thompson has been silent about the Big Government policies of George W. Bush, and has not surrounded himself with known conservative advisors, while being ambiguous about [[Political positions of Fred Thompson#Abortion|his position on abortion]].  Viguerie also argues that Thompson was not sufficiently hard-nosed while investigating the [[1996 United States campaign finance controversy|Clinton White House's Asia fundraising scandal]] ("Asiagate"), and says that Thompson’s only major legislative accomplishment was helping to enact the [[McCain-Feingold]] campaign finance bill which many conservatives view as an infringement on free speech.<ref>Reid, Lisa. "[http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/994013605.html Richard Viguerie: Conservatives, Beware of Fred Thompson]," ''Christian Newswire''.  ([[2007-07-10]]).</ref>
-The ''[[Washington Times]]'' says that [[Political positions of Fred Thompson#Campaign finance reform|Thompson’s view on campaign finance]] is perhaps his “most serious and most repeated transgression against conservative orthodoxy.”<ref>"[http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070623/EDITORIAL/106230006/1013 How Conservative is Fred Thompson?], ''Washington Times'' ([[2007-06-23]]).</ref> Thompson concedes that McCain-Feingold has not worked as intended, and has said "I'm not prepared to go there yet, but I wonder if we shouldn't just take off the limits and have full disclosure with harsh penalties for not reporting everything on the Internet immediately."<ref>Fund, John. [http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009798 "Lights, Camera . . . Candidacy?"], Opinion Journal, March 17, 2007. Accessed June 10, 2007.</ref>
-Thompson voted against one of the two counts in the [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|impeachment of Bill Clinton]].  However, conservatives like [[Rick Santorum]] assert that, unlike [[John McCain]], Thompson has not "made a career of poking conservative colleagues in the eye."<ref>Hook, Janet.  “[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-senthompson10jul10,1,2766736.story?coll=la-news-politics-national&track=crosspromo Thompson not always at GOP core],” ''Los Angeles Times'' ([[2007-07-10]]).</ref>
-==New York Times "Trophy Wife" Article==
-On [[July 8]], [[2007]], the New York Times published an article calling Mr. Thompson's wife, [[Jeri Kehn Thompson]], a "trophy wife"<ref>Saulny, Susan. "[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/fashion/08JERI.html Will Her Face Determine His Fortune?]," ''New York Times'' ([[2007-07-08]]).</ref>.
-==See also==
-*[[Political positions of Fred Thompson]]
-==References==
-{{reflist|2}}
-[[Category:Controversies]]
-[[Category:Living people]]