George Armistead Smathers, a former senator in the U.S. died January 20th 2007. His political career had several dubious events, such as his offer to bail Martin Luther King Jr. out of jail during the civil rights campaign - but only if he left the state. During his 1950 senate campaign against the incumbent Sen. Claude Pepper it was claimed that he uttered the following in a speech: “Do you know that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert? Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper, before his marriage, habitually practiced celibacy.” However, Smathers denied ever having said that and offered $10,000 to anyone who could prove he did. It is unlikely that he ever made the comment, and while nobody ever offered any proof that he did (or collected the reward), the story stuck. During the campaign Smathers did accuse Pepper of treason, called him a “Nigger-lover” because he supported Civil Rights, and a “Red” because he acknowledged Russia’s efforts and losses during World War II. Needless to say, Smathers won that campaign. In the 70s and 80s, Pepper returned to mainstream politics and was a leading spokesman for the elderly, working on medicare and social security. During this time Smathers donated to his campaigns. When asked about these donations, Smathers said, “I guess I’m getting old enough to where I kind of feel like he may speak for me.”