Editor's note: For Al Gore's presidential campaign, the all-important mission of distancing its candidate from what is arguably the most corrupt administration in U.S. history -- in which Gore has served for eight years as the No. 2 man -- has not been easy. Yet, until last week, the carefully choreographed campaign seemed to be succeeding, according to polls. 

Then the story broke, carried by most of the major media, that Gore was linked to the solicitation of a $100,000 bribe in 1995 in exchange for a presidential veto. Gore's carefully cultivated "squeaky-clean" image began to fade, as memories of campaign finance violations -- the Buddhist Temple, the "iced tea" defense, FBI assertions that the vice president was lying -- threatened to flood back into the public mind. 

Now come new revelations. Following is Part 1 of an exclusive three-part WorldNetDaily series on Gore's highly controversial relationships and actions in his home state of Tennessee. 

TENNESSEE UNDERWORLD
WorldNetDaily Exclusive Series

The series was researched and written by native Tennessee reporters Charles C. Thompson II and Tony Hays. A long-time veteran of network news, Thompson was a founding producer of ABC's "20/20," as well as Mike Wallace's producer at CBS's "60 Minutes." Hays is an experienced journalist whose recent 20-part series on narcotics trafficking received an award from the Tennessee Press Association.

In Part 1, "Al Gore's Uncle Whit," WorldNetDaily revealed that Gore's uncle and confidant, retired judge Whit LaFon, has been targeted as an alleged drug trafficker by federal and state law enforcement officials in Tennessee.

• Part 2, "Gore plays fixer to 'crooked' uncle"  involves allegations that Gore has routinely leaned on his longtime friend and supporter Larry Wallace, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, to "take care" of criminal matters involving Gore's family and friends.

• In Part 3, Officials say Gore killed drug probe. Senior Tennessee law enforcement officials say Gore killed a major drug trafficking investigation in their state that allegedly implicated several of the vice president's long-time friends and supporters.