Thomas Ravenel

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Thomas Ravenel
State Treasurer
In office January 2007 – July 2007
Preceded by	Grady Patterson
Succeeded by	Ken Wingate (interim) Converse Chellis (permanent)
Born	August 8, 1962 (1962-08-08) (age 45) Charleston, South Carolina
Political party	Republican
Profession	Real Estate Developer, Politician

Thomas Ravenel (born 1962) is a South Carolina politician and former State Treasurer. He is the son of former South Carolina Congressman Arthur Ravenel, Jr.

Contents 1 Background 2 Education 3 Federal drug charges 3.1 Sentencing 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Background

Prior to running for office, Ravenel founded the Ravenel Development Corporation[1], 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. After Ravenel endorsed Republican Jim DeMint, DeMint went on to win the Republican runoff and the general election. ^[1] Subsequently, Ravenel was fined over $19,000 by the Federal Election Commission for improperly filing the required forms for the election.

^[2] Ravenel ran for South Carolina Treasurer in 2006, defeating 9-term state treasurer Democrat Grady Patterson in the 2006 general election. ^[3]

[edit] Education

Ravenel graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, receiving his B.S. in 1985. He later received his M.B.A. from the University of South Carolina^[4] in 1991.

[edit] Federal drug charges

In June of 2007, Ravenel was indicted on federal cocaine distribution charges by US Attorney Reginald Lloyd. ^[5] 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. ^[6]

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 has subsequently replaced Ravenel with Barry Winn who was co-chair of South Carolina finance committee.^[7]

On July 24, Ravenel resigned as Treasurer.^[8] The South Carolina General Assembly elected state Rep. Converse Chellis to serve out the remainder of his term.^{[9] [10]}

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.^{[11] [12]}

[edit] Sentencing

On Friday, March 14, 2008, Thomas Ravenel was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for drug charges against him, but was not immediately ordered to report to begin his sentence. ^[13]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ravenel Development

Preceded by Grady Patterson

State Treasurer of South Carolina 2007

Succeeded by Ken Wingate (interim) Converse Chellis (permanent)