Readers of this blog will recall that last week Rudy Giuliani lost a state fundraising chairman, Thomas Ravenel, to the lure of cocaine distribution. Fortunately for America's Mayor, a replacement has been found. In fact, it's none other than Ravenel's father, Arthur.

A former South Carolina state senator, Arthur is a legend in local politics. Hell, he even has a bridge named after him in Charleston. Seems like a solid choice to get out there and represent Rudy, right? Well, er, maybe not:

An ardent supporter of the Confederate flag, he infuriated the NAACP--who wanted the banner off the Statehouse dome--by calling the organization the "National Association of Retarded People" at a flag rally. Ravenel said he was thinking of an event he ad to attend the next day. When black leaders demanded an apology, Ravenel apologized to retarded people. That was the first time folks talked of taking his name off the new bridge...

Okay, he's so dim-whited that he can't even come up with an acronym that fits NAACP? Wow, strike two for the Ravenel family. But don't give up, Rudy, maybe they have an uncle or cousin somewhere who you could hire next.

Meet Thomas Ravenel. He's South Carolina's Treasurer, a rising political star, the state chairman of Rudolf Giuliani's campaign for president (until yesterday), and friendly neighborhood coke distributor. We're not talking soda, either.

The millionaire is accused of buying less than 500 grams of the drug to share with other people in late 2005, U.S. attorney Reggie Lloyd said. Ravenel, 44, is charged with distribution of cocaine, which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.

What is it with Giuliani's friends? First Bernard Kerik, now Ravenel. The silver lining to all of this, however, is that we now have a brilliant new simile to add to the English vernacular: He's like a coke fiend in the treasurer's office!