Harry Reid's Last, Best Hope Facing Felony Charges

It is really difficult to con people into thinking you represent their values and siphon off their votes when you're sitting in prison. Unless you're a Congressman's wife.

But we're talking about fake Tea Party Senate candidate Scott Ashjian, who doesn't look like he'll be politically viable.

Sorry, Harry.

A Nevada asphalt contractor who faces a legal challenge to his Tea Party of Nevada candidacy for U.S. Senate was hit Friday with felony theft and bad check charges in Las Vegas that allege he bounced a $5,000 business check last year. Scott Ashjian is one of a record 22 candidates, including 12 Republicans, running for the seat held by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is seeking a fifth term.

Bernie Zadrowski, head of the Clark County district attorney's office bad check unit, said he would seek an arrest warrant Monday in Las Vegas Justice Court. Ashjian could face up to 14 years in state prison if convicted.

The tea party movement is a disparate coalition of conservative groups angered by federal spending, rising taxes and the growth and reach of government. Other tea party activists have been distancing themselves from Ashjian, and an ad targeting him has been sponsored by the Tea Party Express, one of the most visible factions of the national tea party movement.

The Tea Party of Nevada is a fake grassroots organization led by a Democratic lawyer and conspiracy theorists that hoped to split away enough Republican votes to give Harry Reid a chance of remaining in office.

It doesn't appear that strategy is going to work.