The Rudy Giuliani campaign web site has issued a terse and noncommittal statement on the federal indictment against Giuliani's South Carolina campaign manager, Thomas Ravenel:

"Our campaign has no information about the accusations pending against Mr. Ravenel. Mr. Ravenel has stepped down from his volunteer responsibilities with the campaign."

The exact extent of Giuliani's acquaintance with Ravenel remains unclear. Giuliani appeared with Ravenel at campaign stops in South Carolina in August and November of 2006, when Ravenel was the GOP nominee for state treasurer, and sat with him at a minor league Pelicans baseball game in April 2007, etc.

But then, a mayor who could use Bernard Kerik as driver, bodyguard and general factotum ostensibly without noticing any of the apparent problems in that area could hardly be counted on to check into the backgrounds or alleged recreational substance abuse of his more remote political allies.