A mark and a con

Tommy Tuberville is truly the ultimate Republican candidate, in that he’s both a con artist and a sucker:

Tommy Tuberville, the Republican candidate for Senate in Alabama, is running in large measure on his experience in college football’s Southeastern Conference, known as the S.E.C., where he coached Auburn University.

But he has had experience with another S.E.C., the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other financial regulators.

A review by The New York Times found that Mr. Tuberville, who is leading Senator Doug Jones in the polls, has a history of involvement with at least three people who were later convicted of financial fraud in what were described as Ponzi schemes. Mr. Tuberville was largely seen as a victim and was never charged with a crime.

In two episodes, Mr. Tuberville lost millions of dollars. A third was more minor, when Mr. Tuberville and his wife, Suzanne, bought a home through a company created by a lawyer who was later convicted of running a real estate-related Ponzi scheme.

The Times review included a small charitable foundation created by Mr. Tuberville, finding that its tax records indicated that less than a third of its proceeds went to the veterans’ causes it was set up to advance. The foundation also had bookkeeping issues.

The review raised questions about Mr. Tuberville’s judgment and financial acumen.

Roll Tide!

I will not allow myself even a glimmer of optimism about this — my assumption is that in a presidential year even Roy Moore would win — but Jones winning a second term would make me even happier than Graham losing.