Wow, someone close to the Clintons who is involved in scheming people out of millions of dollars...No Way! Unbelievable.

They got your modalities, Mugu!

I'm always stunned that seemingly intelligent people are still falling for the Nigerian scams!!!

Ya know... maybe it's just me, but I frequent news sites often & am more or less on top of stories - but why is this the first I've ever heard about this? Don't get me wrong, I don't think you can hold the Clintons or Chelsea responsible for the actions of this guy - but I can't help but think that if this were a friend of the Bush family whose son was rumored as a potential fiance of one of the twins, you'd see it splashed all OVER the media...

Hmmmm. Gee, I'm sorry that I still don't have room on my 'Things To Worry About' list to add 'Who Chelsea Clinton MIGHT Be Going To Marry'. Didn't we go thru this routine a few years ago with some other guy? In between reports that kept cropping up that she - and her mother - MIGHT be lesbian.

I guess his father is a republican?

And these represent our elected officials. Wow!!!

How was the son involved with these scams??

haha, what a dummy.

Note that the word "Democrat" doesn't appear in this story--if he were a Republican his party affiliation would be in the first line.

What is wrong with this guy? How can any normal, rational thinking person fall for these scams? Even my naive 75 year old mother would recognize these scams for what they are. It just goes to show you what kind of people are working in our government; Morons and fools.

This is a silly story. Who cares? The guys is in prison for trying to scam others. What does that have to do with anyone other than him? Before this article, I'd never heard of him. You think this is important because Chelsea Clinton might be his daughter-in-law someday? PUH-LEASEEEEEEEEEEE! Give us a break and use your time to report IMPORTANT stuff.

always check facts. This guy isn't a former Iowa congressman. He's from New York

If people such as him are running our congress, I am very afraid about the future of our country.

My God! In this day and Age why would anybody with any bit of intelligence be scammed by such unprofessional and transparent con artists? I guess we should check the IQ's of our politicians before electing them...

He was bankrupt of character and work ethics before he lost any money.

I almost fell for a scam just like this once ... but I was in second grade.

This is the problem, we have ordinary citizens that outweigh in intelligence the majority of politicians in power....

Exactly! A former democratic congressman is this stupid and the story doesn't mention that he was a democrat. As mentioned in another comment, if this guy were republican, the headline would have read, "Former Republican Congressman Falls for Nigerian Scheme". Let us all applaude the liberal media for another job well done!

It was Clinton who, basically, cost Margolies her congressional seat during the 1994 debacle. It is interesting that they have stayed friends.

As for the kids, leave them the hell alone. They've both probbaly spent more time in the public eye than any young people ever should. Let them get on with their lives and, hopefully, be happy.

You wonder why anyone could be dumb enough to fall for such a scheme?

Don't forget you probably voted for George Bush or John Kerry!!!!!!

How big a fool are we????????

"in the interest of the children"

Chelsia and Marc are not children - at least no more than the Bush twins. In the interest of my children and all the other children of the world please don't hide behind your Son and the Daughter of Hillary Rodham a possible candidate for President of these United States. You are all public figures and should be fair game for the world media. "The children" haven't done anything wrong but since when has that become an accepted begging for privacy point. I believe they are inocent people and do not deserve this kind of crap put on them - But - We have children in Iraq and other hell holes that deserve our empathy and sympathy - so - please don't equate Chelsea and Marc with children of real importance (children that face death every day). Don't hide behind children over 21 years of age that have been raised in the privileged world political arena.

No excuse!! None of Politicians is trusted....

"Edward (Ed) Mezvinsky, now 68, was an American U.S. representative from 1973-77 for Iowa’s 1st District"

Ryan you might want to check your facts.

Not to embrace what some few Nigerians are doing despite the selfishness and money greed of some Americans, but it is annoying to always point fingers directly to any African country while we have the other countries that are actually the root cause of these scams Please direct your investigation and news from the root and not to the stem. Be fair and stop the rethoric.

Why is the word "victim" used to describe a man who WILLINGLY PARTICIPATED in stealing money from others???????

"in the ineterest of the children"

The children are innocent.
You are innocent.
That sleezeball SOB in prison is innocent - in that he did not do "It" (whatever "It" is).
"We should all just be friends" and forget this whole "fatal attraction" exists because after all "Tomorrow is another day" in Washington. Is that ink I see on your hands.

Do you have to be killed by your stupidity to be dominated for a Darwin Award? Maybe they should consider a special new category.

You cannot cheat an honest man.

No Bill- He is a former Iowa congressman. Check your facts again.

This is hardly an issue of Republicans v Democrats, especially as he did not steal THIS money while in office.

One comment to Mme fluterby; Ther will always be a first time that you hear of anything, this just happens to be one of those times.

You can't swindle an honest man.

Its not surprising that there are some people dumb enough to fall victim to this once. But how could anyone be so dumb as to fall victim to the same scam 3 times?

Funny world isn't it.

Greed, power, corruption, stupidity, what else is new? Leave the kids alone unless they are proven greedy, corrupt and stupid.
Now let's get on to Cheney, and the Dems and Repubs who only provide access to wealthy lobbyists and friends. No wonder Marc's dad wanted the big bucks.

On another note: How about Hillary Clinton, and Chuck Schumer terrorizing thier district staff members? this is supposed to breed loyalty? Give me back Senator "Pothole" D'Amato. He knew how to run a district office and serve constituents even if it wasn't a photo op.

To Ryan about checking facts, maybe you should take your own advice and check the facts. He was a congressman for Iowa's 1st district from 1973-77.

Why now is this getting airplay now, he was indicted back in '01??

I don't believe this guy was scammed out of 3 million dollars, at all. I believe he took other people's money and put it in a bank account in his name, then told them he was scammed by Nigerians and all their money was gone. The former Dem congressman isn't stupid enough to be scammed like that, but the people who gave him 3 million dollars, then bought his story, are.

The Clintons and their friends cohorts are grifters. They always have been. It's beyond me why the American public would give these people the time of day, let alone elect them.

Yes, Mezvinsky has come a long way from Sioux City. His wife was a real winner on local DC TV, but mistreated the crews, so her local health show was relegated to 5AM Sunday morning, I was told.

I have been the lucky recipient of dozens of Nigerian e-mail scams, Dutch lottery winner scams, and recently, other African scams.

It's hard to believe that anyone could be greedy enough or stupid enough to fall for such whack-job fakery, but congressmen, like intellectuals, can believe in anything.

What party was he in? Story doesn't say....hmmmmm.

Why should we be surprised about a former congressman falling for and/or trying schemes like these? After all...aren't these the people who continue to bring us Social Security and refuse to find ways to privatize accounts?

You all are right, if he were a Republican this story would have lead all three of the network evening news and morning shows for a week. However, I disagree that he was stupid, gullible, or otherwise taken advantage of. He was greedy, desperate, and careless. Period.

Atn Nigirians
Use all the millions of dollars that are floating through your country and buy yourselves out of poverty! Dont wait on a honest american (you just e-mailed) to free the funds!
haha

You all are right, if he were a Republican this story would have lead all three of the network evening news and morning shows for a week. However, I disagree that he was stupid, gullible, or otherwise taken advantage of. He was greedy, desperate, and careless. Period.

If you want to read some more about these types of scams, go to www.snopes.com and key in "nigerian scams".

Frankly, I've always thought that a lot of our elected officials were idiots that just repeated canned phrases well.

Everybody gets those scam e-mails and nobody is usually stupid enough to fall for them....except this guy. Makes me even less confident in our congress.

The guy is in prison for STEALING FROM CLIENTS, a garden variety crime.

He is STUPID for believing that the Nigerian scams are real. VERY STUPID!

He is NOT in jail for being stupid. He is not innocent and he is not a victim.

He was a DEMOCRAT Congressman --- a demonstrably CROOKED and STUPID DEMOCRAT Congressman.

Oh, yeah, he's good friends with Bill & Hillary Clinton.

There is nothing NEW in this NEWS.

Friends of the Clintons; crooked, stupid Democrat Congressman; in jail; --- OK, I see the pattern.

Why wouldn't his son marry Chelsea?

And some people wonder why the Extreemist Muslims hate western culture. The media and hollywood is all they see of us.

I get so many of these Nigerian emails I figure one of them just has to be legit.

I won't be investing though, all my money went into Arkansas land deals and cattle futures.

Hmmmm. I have a money machine I need to get rid of. Turns $1's into $20's. Hardly used. Discounts for stupid congressmen!

Wow, it terrifies me that a congressman fell for that. I got one of those scam emails when I was thirteen and had the common sense to do a google search before replying (which revealed it to be a scam). Maybe there should be some kind of iq requirement for serving in Congress.

Why, the kids???? Why the kids??? Is it nature or nurture? Either way this one's in trouble.....

I've heard of 'like father like son' but this is 'like mother like father in-law' ... ??

Brian Ross and Joseph Rhee are political hacks. Notice how they avoided letting their readers know that this scam artist was a Democrat. Ross and Rhee ought to be fired over this.

I agree that we should come up with a new award for this loser. As a "victim of 'just about every different kind of African-based scam we've ever seen,'", it's apparent that he's one of those people who will do anything except work hard to achieve the success they desire.

If instead of trying to find people dumber than he is to scam, perhaps he should have found a legitimate occupation to support his lifestyle.

I also believe that it's relevant he was close to the Clintons, who seem to always gravitate towards the shady side of financial deals. Birds of a feather, as they say.

Like Father like daughter,,,nuff said

Iowans remember Ed Mezvinsky the Congressman as a rather shallow, glib dunderhead with a cheery demeanor. Looking at the picture, some things don't change

Whoever said to check the facts that Mezvinsky did not serve Iowa as a Rep is mistaken. He grew up in Ames, and did indeed get his start as a Congressman from Iowa.

How dumb can this bozo be? Could you please send me his prison address. I have a sure fire investment for him. He can make all his lost millions back.

Jokers Wild

According to Wikipedia, Mezvinsky was elected to Congress from Iowa's 1st district in 1974 and 1976, so don't slam the reporters for an inaccuracy in that area. However, I heartily agree that if he were a Republican, the headline would include that fact and the article would be peppered with his party affiliation. This is just liberal reporting as usual.

Bill Haas - I think you are the one who needs to check facts.
This person most certainly is a former congressman from Iowa.

Scammed three times?

W.C. Fields said it best when he said, "I've never cheated an honest man!"

As the story neglects to say what party this fool belongs to, he must be a Democrat. I love how they selectively leave these things out!

If this man is about to be released from prison. This is old news. The news media is only making it news now because the kids relationship may be serious..There is no vast left wing media conspricy here...Believe me Bush gives the media plenty to write about that they don't...The media was mute while Bush led us into a quarmire war with NO justification. Instead of hearing about a rebuke of the Bush policy in Iraq..I want to hear someone say...It was a MISTAKE to ever invade this country.

Why didn't he look in his freezer if he needed some cold hard cash. Other Democratic Congressmen do it without consequence.

Greed is a part of our nature, be we Republicans, Democrats, Nigerians, or whatever.

Luckilly, I would never do anything dumb like that - especially before knowing how to get the black ink off - for sure.

"The Mezvinkskys were also close to Bill and Hillary Clinton and were frequent guests at White House state dinners"

Democrat Culture of corruption.

For those of you who saw the movie "The Flim Flam Man" George C. Scott, the con man in the film, said when he was caught "You can't cheat an honest man". Take it from there.
Ron N.

Wow...the parade of Democrat dimwits is ramping up. Someone please tell me how someone seemingly so intelligent could fall for a racket so obviously bogus.

Has anyone noticed that these people are democrats, and the artical fails to mention it?

YAY!! Another Clinton full of class! /sarc

Once again we see, as the Clintons are concerned, that you can tell a lot about people by the company they keep. How many indicted/jailed friends do they have?

I think I would be ashamed of myself if I knew someone this stupid. If this fool is accepted by the " big boy's " then no wonder we are in such a bad way, 3 times. Amazing & scarry at the same time. But then again look who's stearing the ship of state.

I don't feel sorry for a single soul that's fallen prey to these scams. If you're greedy and crooked enough to want a cut of dirty/stolen money, you deserve to lose your life savings every time.

Why would this story be important at all. After all, Clinton's friend only scammed his friends and family out of a measly 3 million. A more important story would be a single Congressman allegedly making suggestive remarks to an adult Congressional Page. Now, that's a story worth beating the daylights out of, not a story of a former DEMOCRAT Congressman and former DEMOCRAT President's friend and soon to be relative scamming friends and family out of millions.

Not to embrace what some few Nigerians are doing despite the selfishness and money greed of some Americans, but it is annoying to always point fingers directly to any African country while we have the other countries that are actually the root cause of these scams Please direct your investigation and news from the root and not to the stem. Be fair and stop the rethoric.

Posted by: K B Law | Dec 8, 2006 12:52:12 PM

You have got to be kidding me. You can't actually believe that the stupefying corruption in Nigeria is the fault of anyone other than the evil people carrying it out? If you do believe that, then it must be terribly hard for you to walk around carrying the guilt of others.

You mean it's all fake? Damn! I better go take back my letter of resignation.....

Who is more of a fool? those who do this, or those who vote for people like this?

Welcome to the Family. You'll fit right in.

Watch out for the rebirth of another one. Years ago, con artist were taking money from people claiming they could change the weather patterns in hot climates by making it rain.

He was a Democrat. Funny how it wasn't mentioned in the story. If he had been a Republican that would have been mentioned and people would be trying to link him to the Bush Administration.

This is really funny: Complaining because supposedly the MSM would make much if this politico were a Republican. You all forgot that Foley was alleged to be a Democrat by not one but rhree major news outlets, on multiple o0ccasions? Geez. And BTW, he scammed himself, not others. A clear and stark character flaw.

This guy is obviously suffering from a mental incapacity brought on from old age. He's like the guy who keeps thinking he won the lottery because he gets a mailing proclaiming so. A rational person doesn't fall for the same scam 3 times in a row.

Simple. She found a familiar situation to marry into. Just like children of alcoholics find an alcoholic family to marry into. Children of The Frauds. Make a movie.

Hey there Bill Haas, why don't YOU check facts instead of pretending that you actually know anything about this Democrat grifter.

Ol' "rat claw" Mezvinsky WAS A CONGRESSMAN FROM IOWA. Elected and sent to Washington. He wrote a book and called Nixon a crook. Of course, Nixon never stole a dime from anyone. Small matter to a Dem looking for a name and a fortune.

For sale! Cheap!
I have an alchemy machine for sale. It turns Lead into Gold. Really works. Like New.
Only 3 Million for any Congressman who wants it!

It's just part of the Democrat's "Culture of Corruption." To fall for such a well know scam you have to be a Democrat or stupid.

Wow has anyone been scammed at the gas pumps? Who is President and who wouldn't even raise the issue of high petroleum prices when meeting with the Saudi Arabians?

Charles

The root cause; greed. Greed unchecked by reason.

But not to worry, President Rodham will pardon him. :)

As an independent, I agree that Democrats face less scrutiny than Republicans, but you know why? It's because they're not self-righteous hypocrites. When you put yourself up on a high pedestal, you're going to fall harder every time.

IT LOOKS S THOUGH BRIAN ROSS IS TAKING LESSONS FROM ANN COULTER! WHAT HAS CHELSEA DONE.......EXCEPT LIVE N EXEMPLARY LIFE......BEYOND POLITICS.......IT WOULD SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST MORE IS ROSS INVESTIGATED THE LOST KATRINA AND THE LOST IRAQ GAZILLIONS!!!!!!!!!!

voice of reason: The point is that it was NOT Mezvinsky's money that was gambled away. It was the money he "stole" from others who trusted him.

We have fiduciary laws in this country. If you don't like our laws, that is your problem. Placing blame MUST be done within the context of the law.

It just amazes me that the depth of the intelligence that some congressmen/women show that is sitting in our halls of congress. A 5 y/o child could see the ludicrious of this scheme.

"Give me back Senator "Pothole" D'Amato. He knew how to run a district office and serve constituents even if it wasn't a photo op."

I agree. No way D'Amato would fall for such a thing. How about the clip where the heart surgeon fell for it. LOL

HE will be perfect for a family that is full of sneaky scandals. Not to fear the media will make all kind of excuses for all of them.