Wife of Convicted GOP Official Hired by Chafee Campaign

That principle and integrity thing is working out so well for Holy Joe in Connecticut, Linc Chafee has decided to help himself to some for his primary race in RI:

Interesting fact: In its latest filing to the Federal Election Commission, the campaign of Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee(R-R.I.) lists $386,000 in payments for "consulting services" to a firm called Northeast Strategies LLC, listed on Kenduskeag Avenue in Bangor, Maine.

Tantalizing fact: The same Kenduskeag Avenue address is home to James Tobin, a former regional official of the Republican National Committee.

Eyebrow-raising fact: James Tobin was found guilty last year of criminally violating federal elections law, having participated in a scheme by New Hampshire Republicans to jam Democratic get-out-the-vote phone lines on Election Day 2002.

What does this all add up to? Well, not what you're thinking, according to Chafee's campaign.

Campaign manager Ian Lang said that Tobin has no role in the company or the Chafee campaign. Instead, he said, Northeast Strategies is made up of Tobin's wife, Ellen, and a political consultant, Kathie Summers.

James Tobin -- who is appealing his December 2005 conviction -- "is not involved at all," Lang said. He said that the money pays for mailings, phone calls and staff, in addition to Summers's expertise.

Convenient, and foolproof. Mister and Missus Tobin can't even be compelled to testify against one another at the trial.