Ralph Reed, the Christian conservative activist who is running for lieutenant governor of Georgia, is being hurt by his ties to Jack Abramoff, The Washington Post reports.

Republicans and voters in the Republican-leaning state have come to associate Reed with the disgraced lobbyist. "He was involved with Jack Abramoff and the Indians and all those," one Republican said. "Ralph Reed of the Christian Coalition? My God! Abramoff," a businessman said.

Reed took at least $4.1 million from Abramoff former tribal clients. At first, he claimed he didn't know the source of the funds but when documents revealed that he knew he was working on behalf of tries, he claimed the money wasn't derived from gaming sources.

For some, including his initial supporters, the story is too hard to take. "After reading the e-mail, it became pretty obvious he was putting money before God," a Georgia Christian Coalition said, "We are righteously casting him out."

While working for Abramoff as a contractor, Reed took money to lobby against two casinos in Texas. The source was the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, the owners of a successful casino resort but not much else in terms of economic development.

Reed took money to fight the expansion of gaming in Alabama. The source was the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, whose leaders say their lobbying funds don't come from their successful casino.

Get the Story:
In Ga., Abramoff Scandal Threatens a Political Ascendancy (The Washington Post 1/16)
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Relevant Links:
Read About Reed - http://www.readaboutreed.com
Stop Ralph Reed - http://www.stopralphreed.com
Ralph Reed - http://www.ralphreed.com
Century Strategies - http://www.censtrat.com

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