Following up on CD’s catch last Friday on a triple murder-suicides of the former head of the GOP in Georgia, his “room-mate” and his “friend,” it seems that there’s a North Carolina connection—to more Republicans, the newly wealthy Patrick McHenry—love the name—in particular. Go read for all the seamy detail. The nut grafs:

Florida police are saying that Jason Robert Drake,* a man with North Carolina ties, left shot two republican political consultants, Ralph Gonzalez and David Abrami, and then himself last week. What they’re not saying is why. After first calling it a lover’s triangle, they’re now saying:

Drake was found carrying a firearm and backpack full of ammunition. Deputies said in a short statement witnesses had mentioned “a number of potential motives.”

NCC editor Judson Cox has done some digging and come up with a convoluted story that involves another murder in Pennsylvania, several video and still male-on-male porn sites, and a call-boy service in Virginia. Go read for yourself but I’d advise you not to follow the some of the links in the articles I link to unless you don’t mind male nudity and more at your computer.

What caught my eye in the locally-oriented NCC article was the last paragraph and I’ll quote it here:

Sources tell The North Carolina Conservative that Drake volunteered on several Republican campaigns in western North Carolina, and was an associate of Congressman Patrick McHenry. Gonzalez is also believed to have been associated with McHenry in the past. Since being elected, McHenry has attempted to insure that all elected officials in his district are his supporters and cronies. This has caused a very nasty political war of attrition in the 10th District. Sources say that Drake worked on these campaigns as a surrogate of McHenry.

Sheesh. It’s like… a Mafia or something.

Karl Rove’s top, “Jeff Gannon”, is starting to look like a choir boy, isn’t he? Good times…

UPDATE The bicyle-hating McHenry looks like a real piece of work, that is, a typical Republican. Young though he is, he’s already had one aide convicted for vote fraud:

A man who worked in the 2004 campaign for Representative Patrick McHenry has been given probation and a chance to clear his record of election fraud charges.

Michael Aaron Lay was accused of voting illegally in Gaston County in the 2004 primary and primary runoff elections.

The 26-year-old listed his address at the time as a Cherryville home owned by McHenry. But prosecutors have said Lay’s official address was in Pioneer, Tennessee, about 40 miles from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Here’s McHenry defending Mark Foley (R-Neverland), and being bitch-slapped by Wolf Blitzer:

And, just for fun, here’s McHenry being bitch-slapped by Barney Frank:

UPDATE As always, it would be irreponsible not to speculate…