Phil Martin, a businessman who has lent Fred Thompson his Cessna to fly around the country, was one of four campaign co-chairman for the ’08 Republican candidate. The Washington Post reported Sunday that Martin also posted a guilty plea in 1979 for selling 11 pounds of marijuana and a no contest plea in 1983 for cocaine trafficking and conspiracy.
“I have decided to resign my position as chair of ‘First Day Founders’ of ‘The Friends of Fred Thompson’. The focus of this campaign should be on Fred Thompson’s positions on the issues and his outstanding leadership ability, not on mistakes I made some 24 years ago. I deeply regret any embarrassment this has caused,” Martin said in a statement.
Thompson said Sunday that he wishes he had known earlier that one of his key presidential campaign advisers pleaded guilty to drug charges but he still thinks Phil Martin is “a good man.”
