In another Democratic primary just next door, Democrat Matt Brown has dropped out of the Rhode Island senate race, due in large part to serious questions about his fundraising activities.

Joe Lieberman has accepted money from some of the same donors.

Brown has admitted to directing some of his supporters, including David Messer, president of Sempra Energy Trading, and his wife, Barbara Duberstein, to donate thousands of dollars to state Democratic parties in Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Maine. The state parties had previously donated similarly large sums to the Brown campaign.

Sempra Energy was the company that flew Joe on a private corporate jet in September 2005 and is currently Lieberman's 7th largest contributor this cycle with donations totaling over $60,000.

Both Messer and his wife have maxed out to Lieberman this cycle ($2,100 for both the primary and general, from both of them, totaling $8,400). Their donations are all dated 9/30/05, just three weeks after Joe flew on Air Sempra. (More here.)

Ned Lamont has promised not to seek or accept any contributions from Washington lobbyists.