The investigation into Rep. Alan Mollohan’s (D-WV) personal finances has taken a new turn with the introduction of Mollohan’s bankrupt distant cousin Joe Jarvis and his son, Skeeter. The New York Times reports on Mollohan’s relationship with the scam man Jarvis:

The relative, Joseph L. Jarvis Jr., faced $1 million debts in a personal bankruptcy case when he partnered with Mr. Mollohan in 1996, a few years after his aerospace company failed to fulfill its federal contracts and also filed for bankruptcy.

The 1995 West Virginia deal in Mr. Mollohan’s district eventually soured too, and Mr. Jarvis walked away owing Mr. Mollohan’s nonprofit group $67,681.63 in rent.

Still, Mr. Jarvis, Mr. Mollohan and their wives enjoyed a lucrative real estate partnership managing condominium rentals at the Remington, a 52-unit building that bills itself as “Washington’s best kept secret.” The couples own 27 Remington condos, which have more than tripled in value, to $8 million, over the decade.

There is no evidence to show that Mollohan in any way helped Jarvis obtain federal funds for his many (failed) projects. But that didn’t keep Jarvis from constantly talking up his relationship with the high ranking Democrat. Jarvis seems like your average scammer who happened to have relatives in powerful positions allowing him to be a much more successful scammer than he probably was destined to be. Scandals need these characters, like the lifeguard who lived in the Delaware beach house owned by Michael Scanlon that was supposed to be a think tank or the owner of Shirlington Limousine, who is alleged to have ferried prostitutes to Duke Cunningham in the Watergate. No good politician is without his or her wacky relative – a Roger Clinton or a Neil Bush. Jarvis is no different.