Harry Reid... the charismatic senator-for-life from Nevada, currently majority leader ...
is calling on Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Florida, who is under scrutiny for ethics violations related to a hedge fund he runs, to drop his bid to replace Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate, charging the congressman has "no moral compass."
"Grayson claims to be a progressive, but it seems like he has no moral compass. These deeply troubling allegations should disqualify anyone from a seat in the U.S. Senate," Reid said in a statement a day after the New York Times
...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize...
reported on emails and internal details of the operation of the fund under the headline: "Hedge Fund Role Intrudes on Lawmaker's Day Job."
"Alan Grayson used his status as a congressman to unethically promote his Cayman Islands hedge funds, and he should drop out of the Senate race immediately. His actions aren't just disgraceful to the Democratic Party, they disgrace the halls of Congress," Reid's statement said.
It's unusual for a top party leader to weigh in on an internal primary fight. In this case, it's no secret that Democrats in Washington regard Grayson as an unpredictable and potentially problematic candidate due to his high profile divorce fight and reports about his business dealings. But the public rebuke is tough and a sign that top Democrats in Washington are worried Grayson could diminish chances for Democrats to pick up the seat.