By Erin McPike - August 23, 2012

It seems that even the once-shamed can march back onto the political battlefield and support those still fighting on -- for a price.

That price is more than just the numeric value of their donation to a candidate running for office; they risk having their names dragged through the mud all over again.

Case in point: Clayton "Claytie" Williams, an oil executive from Midland, Texas, who ran for governor of the Lone Star State in 1990 and famously lost to the Democratic icon Ann Richards.

Although he was leading the race at one point, Williams compared cold weather to rape, telling supporters: ''If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it.'' That comment, among others, contributed to his loss.

The stain lingered a long time. In the 2008 presidential race, John McCain had scheduled a fundraiser at Williams’s home but canceled it, fearing a backlash over the 18-year-old remarks.

But now -- amid the recent outcry over Missouri Rep. Todd Akin’s comment about “legitimate rape” -- we learn that Williams is back. Apparently, he’s been writing checks to Republicans for a while -- including one in 2010 to Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown. Politico reported that Brown forwarded the $1,000 donation to Jane Doe Inc., an advocacy organization focused on victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. (The Brown campaign isn’t certain the money came from the same Clayton Williams, but is taking no chances.)

Williams has given quite a bit more than that.

In addition to donating the maximum allowed to Texas pols Rick Perry, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn (the latter runs the National Republican Senatorial Committee), Williams also contributed $30,800 to the Republican National Committee and another $2,500 to Mitt Romney last month.

Romney did not appear with Williams when he traveled to Midland, Texas, on Wednesday for fundraisers and meetings with oil executives to push his energy policies. According to a secretary at Williams’s company, the donor has been in Africa since last Thursday.

Given that RNC Chairman Reince Priebus has been among those calling on Akin to give up his U.S. Senate race in Missouri, RNC spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski was asked if the organization would return Williams’s money or donate it elsewhere. She dismissed the notion.

"Democrats may want to make this election about obscure, decades-old Texas political controversies to distract from their record of failing the middle class, but we're focused on talking to voters about the Romney-Ryan plan to deliver 12 million new jobs and get Americans back to work," she said.

The Romney campaign and the NRSC apparently have no plans to return Williams’s money either.

A handful of Republicans who were asked about these contributions pointed the finger at the Obama campaign for accepting support from others with controversial histories.

On Wednesday, for example, Vice President Biden campaigned alongside Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, who joked about rape during his long career as a comedian. And earlier this year the White House found itself on the spot after President Obama called for greater civility in our political discourse, especially regarding women’s issues: Spokesman Jay Carney was asked whether Obama would urge a super PACs supporting him to return money donated by Bill Maher, who had used vulgar language in comments about Sarah Palin.

Carney’s response: “We are not, and cannot be, the arbitrator of every statement that everybody makes in the policy and political arena.”

Perhaps the same standard will be applied to Williams and his donations to the GOP.