July 15, 2008 04:24 PM UTC

Another Corrupt McCain Advisor

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• by: Go Blue

For a candidate who has admitted he knows very little when it comes to the economy, it truly matters who he surrounds himself with.

Another McCain Co-Chair Bites the Dust

Yet another member of John McCain’s presidential campaign is stepping down after coming under scrutiny for shady business dealings. McCain finance co-chair and former New Jersey congressman Jim Courter, chief executive of telecom corporation IDT, is resigning from the campaign after the FCC slapped IDT with a $1.3 million fine last week for failing to disclose information about its contracts in Haiti. IDT is being investigated by several federal agencies after a former employee filed a lawsuit alleging that the company engaged in corrupt practices in order to obtain favorable contracts in the country.

Courter has been the chief executive of IDT since 2001. His resignation follows that of McCain finance co-chair Tom Loeffler in May over lobbying ties, and that of Rick Renzi, another McCain finance co-chair, who was indicted in February for money laundering and other charges.

A McCain spokesman seemed caught off guard by the news of IDT’s troubles when VF Daily called for comment this morning. The spokesman called back a few hours later to inform us that Courter was “withdrawing his involvement in our fundraising efforts as a result of the growing interest in his business ties.” He added that the campaign was made aware of Courter’s decision today.

In the midst of the Phil Gramm controversy McCain suffers another blow when trying to convince voters he’s the best candidate when it comes to economic issues.