Thomas Ravenel
Encyclopedia
Thomas Ravenel is a South Carolina
politician and former State Treasurer
. He is the son of former South Carolina Congressman Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
.
Ravenel ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, seeking the seat left open when Fritz Hollings retired. He came in third in the Republican primary election
. After Ravenel endorsed Republican Jim DeMint
, DeMint went on to win the Republican runoff and the general election. Subsequently, Ravenel was fined over $19,000 by the Federal Election Commission
for improperly filing the required forms for the election.
Ravenel ran for South Carolina Treasurer in 2006, defeating 9-term state treasurer Democrat Grady Patterson
in the 2006 general election.
in Charleston, receiving his B.S. in 1985. He later received his M.B.A. from the University of South Carolina
in 1991.
. The filed charges allege that Ravenel purchased less than 500 grams of cocaine through an intermediary in Charleston, South Carolina
, in 2005, prior to his election as treasurer but after his abortive entry in the 2004 Senate race.
Governor Mark Sanford
suspended Ravenel from his duties as state treasurer upon learning of the charges, and appointed Columbia attorney Ken Wingate to replace Ravenel on an interim basis. Meanwhile, Ravenel decided to enter a rehabilitation facility, according to prosecutors.
Ravenel had been volunteering for the Rudolph Giuliani presidential campaign, serving as his South Carolina state chairman. Ravenel resigned from that post after the indictment, according to Giuliani campaign officials. The campaign subsequently replaced Ravenel with Barry Winn, who was co-chair of South Carolina finance committee.
On July 24, Ravenel resigned as Treasurer. The South Carolina General Assembly
elected state Rep. Converse Chellis to serve out the remainder of his term.
Ravenel underwent a rehabilitation program in New Mexico
, and then returned to plead guilty to "conspiring to buy and distribute less than 100 grams of cocaine" in September 2007.
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
politician and former State Treasurer
State Treasurer
In the state governments of the United States, 49 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. Texas abolished the position of Texas State Treasurer in 1996....
. He is the son of former South Carolina Congressman Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
Arthur Ravenel, Jr. is a businessman and a Republican politician from Charleston, South Carolina.-Early life:The Charleston-born Ravenel served in the United States Marine Corps from 1945 to 1946. He thereafter received a bachelor of science degree from the College of Charleston in 1950. He is a...
.
Background
Prior to running for office, Ravenel founded the Ravenel Development Corporation, a commercial real estate company.Ravenel ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, seeking the seat left open when Fritz Hollings retired. He came in third in the Republican primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
. After Ravenel endorsed Republican Jim DeMint
Jim DeMint
James Warren "Jim" DeMint is the junior U.S. Senator from South Carolina, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party and a leader in the Tea Party movement. He previously served as the U.S. Representative for from 1999 to 2005.-Early life and education:DeMint was born in...
, DeMint went on to win the Republican runoff and the general election. Subsequently, Ravenel was fined over $19,000 by the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
for improperly filing the required forms for the election.
Ravenel ran for South Carolina Treasurer in 2006, defeating 9-term state treasurer Democrat Grady Patterson
Grady Patterson
Grady Leslie Patterson, Jr. was the South Carolina State Treasurer and a United States Air Force General.Born in Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, Patterson graduated from University of South Carolina...
in the 2006 general election.
Education
Ravenel graduated from The CitadelThe Citadel (military college)
The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, also known simply as The Citadel, is a state-supported, comprehensive college located in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. It is one of the six senior military colleges in the United States...
in Charleston, receiving his B.S. in 1985. He later received his M.B.A. from the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
in 1991.
Federal drug charges
In June 2007, Ravenel was indicted on federal cocaine distribution charges by US Attorney Reginald LloydReginald Lloyd
Reginald "Reg"/"Reggie" G. 'Wolla' Lloyd is a Welsh former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s and '40s who at club level has played rugby union for Resolven RFC, and at representative level has played rugby league for Wales, and at club level for Keighley, and...
. The filed charges allege that Ravenel purchased less than 500 grams of cocaine through an intermediary in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, in 2005, prior to his election as treasurer but after his abortive entry in the 2004 Senate race.
Governor Mark Sanford
Mark Sanford
Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford Jr. is an American politician from South Carolina, who was the 115th Governor of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011....
suspended Ravenel from his duties as state treasurer upon learning of the charges, and appointed Columbia attorney Ken Wingate to replace Ravenel on an interim basis. Meanwhile, Ravenel decided to enter a rehabilitation facility, according to prosecutors.
Ravenel had been volunteering for the Rudolph Giuliani presidential campaign, serving as his South Carolina state chairman. Ravenel resigned from that post after the indictment, according to Giuliani campaign officials. The campaign subsequently replaced Ravenel with Barry Winn, who was co-chair of South Carolina finance committee.
On July 24, Ravenel resigned as Treasurer. The South Carolina General Assembly
South Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
elected state Rep. Converse Chellis to serve out the remainder of his term.
Ravenel underwent a rehabilitation program in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and then returned to plead guilty to "conspiring to buy and distribute less than 100 grams of cocaine" in September 2007.