Chatterbox

Brad Unbound

Rep. Nick Smith’s son lost his nomination bid. Now will he come clean?

Nick Smith’s son Brad lost the Republican primary to replace his father in Congress. It was to Brad’s campaign fund that House leaders allegedly promised $100,000 in exchange for Nick’s changing his vote to “yes”—which he didn’t do—on last November’s Medicare drug bill. Or so he said at the time. He subsequently retracted the bribery accusation and fumbled badly in trying to reconcile his various stories. Now that Brad’s no longer hostage to the good will of the House GOP, will Nick finally tell the House ethics committee how and when he was offered—and turned down—a bribe? And, most important, who offered it? If he doesn’t, how will the retiring congressman ever be able to look himself in the mirror?

Medicare Bribe Archive:
April 29, 2004: “Brad’s Little Problem, Part 2
March 23, 2004: “Kalamazoo Kapitulation!”
Feb. 26, 2004: “FBI Examines Medicare Bribe
Feb. 4, 2004: “Brad’s Little Problem
Jan. 22, 2004: “Burying the Bribe
Jan. 8, 2004: “Bob Novak Ate My Brain!”
Dec. 23, 2003: “Now It’s a Scandal
Dec. 8, 2003: “A Drug-Company Bribe?
Dec. 6, 2003: “Why Smith Can’t Recant
Dec. 5, 2003: “Nick Smith Recants
Dec. 1, 2003: “Who Tried To Bribe Rep. Smith?