Congress on edge as Abramoff negotiates plea deal

[MadScot]

Isn't it comforting to know we have the best government money can buy. 210 members of Congress were on the Abramoff gravy train. I'm amused at how some of them are returning the money now as if that will make it all ok.
Hopefully when all the smoke clears this will bring about real reforms and stop the steady march to fascism.


Washington poised for revelations from top lobbyist (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051230/pl_afp/uspoliticsjustice_051230173343;_ylt=AszyASw9b.ESxq jBp6YEsV2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-)
The political establishment here is on edge as a former top lobbyist embroiled in a wide-ranging corruption scandal appears poised to reveal some dark political secrets.

Jack Abramoff, a Republican activist for 20 years and a generous donor to President George W. Bush's election and reelection campaigns, is accused of fraud in a criminal trial due to begin in Miami, Florida, on January 9.

Arguably Washington's biggest influence peddler before his indictment, Abramoff, who has made millions from his lobbying activities, is facing charges in connection with the purchase of SunCruz Casinos, a fleet of casino boats.

But the former lobbyist is reportedly negotiating a plea deal with Justice Department prosecutors and his insider revelations could rock the political establishment in the nation's capital.

Such a deal would likely see Abramoff, 47, serve a reduced prison term in return for a guilty plea and an agreement to testify against former associates in related fraud and bribery cases.

The Washington Post, which has reportedly extensively about Abramoff, this week described him as the "central figure in what could become the biggest congressional corruption scandal in generations."

[Coldwolf]

Funny.


Because of my cynicism, I haven't really followed the Abramoff scandal. I assumed that
1. either they were all Republican pols that recieved the Abramoff payoffs

or

2. It spanned the aisles and both sides were reciepients of the payola.

and

Either way if was going to get swept under the carpet...

because

1. The Republicans control what is going to be prosecuted

or

2. The Republicans control what is going to be prosecuted. And Republicans are implicated.

Now, you that are more callus than I, or the Republicans among you, might just say that politicians have always been corrupt. And I have to agree.

But, and this is a big but, kinda like that one girl dancing that you don't want to look at but you have to, just like you stare as you go by the fatality accident. But. The political climate in Washington has allowed this to grow. To fester like a pustule ready to burst with its stinking goo. We have a president that has alowed forced a war upon us based on lies spread by HIS administration. A journalistic society that has backed those lies and spread many more of thier own, instead of the truth we expect from journalists. A Congress and House dominated by Republicans that would rather lick the boots of the lying sacks of dung in the White house than represent the Americans that have elected them.

What happened to Fitzgerald? What happened to the truth that was supposed to come out of the Plamegate hearings and investigations?

What happened to the truth we needed to hear from the 9/11 commission?


WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO RESTORE DIGNITY TO THE WHITEHOUSE?

And the Congressmen that called for the impeachment of Clinton because he lied to Congress over a personal affair that was none of thier businesss anyhow? Where are they?
Where the hell are they NOW?

They are silent. They are silenced.

And you who backed those Congressmen? Where the hell are you?

Where the hell are you?

Are you silent because its your party officials?

Because it only matters when its a Democrat that is being accused?

I thought you were Americans first and Republicans second.

[Coldwolf]

The DeLay-Abramoff Money Trail

The U.S. Family Network, a public advocacy group that operated in the 1990s with close ties to Rep. Tom DeLay and claimed to be a nationwide grass-roots organization, was funded almost entirely by corporations linked to embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to tax records and former associates of the group.

During its five-year existence, the U.S. Family Network raised $2.5 million but kept its donor list secret. The list, obtained by The Washington Post, shows that $1 million of its revenue came in a single 1998 check from a now-defunct London law firm whose former partners would not identify the money's origins.

Two former associates of Edwin A. Buckham, the congressman's former chief of staff and the organizer of the U.S. Family Network, said Buckham told them the funds came from Russian oil and gas executives. Abramoff had been working closely with two such Russian energy executives on their Washington agenda, and the lobbyist and Buckham had helped organize a 1997 Moscow visit by DeLay (R-Tex.).

Now ...just for the record, what was delays position? Oh... House Majority WhipThe Majority Whip is an elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives who assists the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader to coordinate ideas on and garner support for proposed legislation.

Yeah..and he was instumental in forcing us into that one war...Iraq. Yeah, and he was ...um...corrupt.

Seems to me, if it has the word Family in it, and its backed by any Republican, it has more to do with bribes and influence peddling, that with anything to do with family.

_$1 million in 1998 from a London law firm that was channeled from two Russian oil executives. The executives denied the transaction ever took place, but a former president of the U.S. Family Network said he was told money was to influence DeLay's position on a possible tax increase in Russia. DeLay spoke out against the possible increase, which was tied to potential international loans to bail out Russia's troubled economy.

In 1997, DeLay visited Russia and met with those executives, the Post said. DeLay spokesman Madden said the purpose of the trip was "primarily to meet with religious leaders there. Religious persecution was a problem that Mr. DeLay hoped to address. The trip was dedicated to exploring substantive policy issues affecting Russian-American relations."

_$500,000 in 1998 and 1999 from textile companies in the Mariana Islands. DeLay committed to blocking legislation that would increase those companies' labor costs.

• $250,000 from the Mississippi Choctaw band of American Indians. The U.S. Family Network later issued a letter opposed to another tribe opening a casino in neighboring Alabama that would have competed with the Choctaws' casino. DeLay had the Choctaws' chief saluted in the congressional record in 2001.

[electroman]

And the Congressmen that called for the impeachment of Clinton because he lied to Congress over a personal affair that was none of thier businesss anyhow? Where are they?
Where the hell are they NOW?

Yeah, what's REALLY going on, if not blatant corruption and payoffs and/or blackmail? Surely not EVERYONE is dirty, or ARE they?

[Just Looking In]

Originally posted by electroman:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">And the Congressmen that called for the impeachment of Clinton because he lied to Congress over a personal affair that was none of thier businesss anyhow? Where are they?
Where the hell are they NOW?

Yeah, what's REALLY going on, if not blatant corruption and payoffs and/or blackmail? Surely not EVERYONE is dirty, or ARE they? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes it seems like some would have us think that only Republicans are the ones involved. It is time for Republicans to start taking it to the Dems enough of the "can't we all get along" Republicans need stop acting like the minority and be the Majority they are. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/worried.gif

[MadScot]

Yes it seems like some would have us think that only Republicans are the ones involved. It is time for Republicans to start taking it to the Dems enough of the "can't we all get along" Republicans need stop acting like the minority and be the Majority they are.

Most of the ones involved in this are Republicans. It took them over 20 years to rebound from Watergate and it's going to take another 20 for them to rebound from all the scandels that besiege them now. There are good and bad in any group, that's what has kept Bush from getting his way. Like you said they have the majority so what's the problem? The problem is not all Republicans legislators are willing to sell their soul, some are still willing to stand against the neocon agenda.

I think it's almost a certainty that they lose control of the Senate in the next election. Bush has proved himself untrustworthy and the populace isn't going to stand for that. Since they can't vote him out in the next election they will do the only thing they can by returning control of Congress back to the Democrats. This Abramoff mess is going to fuel the Democratic victories. It's going to make many incumbants go down in defeat if they havn't been forced into resignation already. I could be wrong but history is on my side.

There may be a few Democrats go down in this too and I'll be glad to see it.
To me this isn't a Democrat vs Republican issue, this is a big business vs the common man issue. Some might say that's the same thing but I don't buy it. NAFTA had bi-partisan support and as far as I'm concerned it showed just how extensive the control of big business over our government is. I think voting for it was a treasonous act against the people of this country. If the current trend continues we will end up like Mexico with no middle class. It's the inevitable end of an unconstrained capitolistic society with a declining manufacturing base. This isn't just my opinion, so worried were they about the loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector they reclassified fast food workers as manufacturing jobs.

[Coldwolf]

This just in: Jan 3, 10:30 AM ESTAbramoff to Plead Guilty, More Charges Filed (http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LOBBYIST_FRAUD?SITE=JRC&SECTION=POLITICS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-01-03-09-59-26)

his lawyer said he'd reached an agreement to plead guilty to two criminal charges in a Florida fraud case.

Abramoff was scheduled to appear at a hearing in U.S. District Court later Tuesday, Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra said.

Attorney Neal Sonnett said Abramoff would plead guilty to charges stemming from the 2000 purchase of a fleet of gambling boats and will also agree to cooperate in any ongoing federal investigations in Washington. Prosecutors there are investigating several members of Congress who allegedly received favors from Abramoff or his clients.

Abramoff will plead guilty to two of the six charges in a federal indictment, Sonnett said. U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck has scheduled a telephone status conference for later Tuesday.

[Coldwolf]

The latest Republican talking point is that this is a bipartisan scandal, Democrats and Republicans alike are involved in it.

Oh realy? I haven't heard of a single Democrat who accepted a bribe from Jack Abramoff in exchange for official favors. Not a one. This scandal isn't about politicians accepting donations - they all do that, and to claim that it is about that indicts all 535 members of Congress. I doubt the GOP really wants to go there.

The scandal is about bribery; accepting those donations in exchange for official acts.

To quote the plea agreement That Abramoff agreed to:
Abramoff and Scanlon provided "a stream of things of value ... in exchange for a series of official acts and influence." ... These things of value "included but are not limited to, foreign and domestic travel, golf fees, frequent meals, entertainment, election support..., employment for relatives, campaign contributions."

If the Republicans want to now claim that Democrats accepted bribes, I say "bring it on." I don't want any elected official, Democrat or Republican, accepting bribes. But so far, the only ones I'm hearing about who actually accepted bribes, who participated in a quid pro quo, are Republicans.

It is, however, sad to see that yet again conseratives are busy justifying yet another crime. To the modern day Republican party, law and order is just a TV show.

[MadScot]

It would appear earlier reports that some of Abramoff's donations went to Democrats were false. A search of the Center for Responsive Politics database of campaign contributions did not find any contributions from Abramoff to Democrats or Democratic leadership political action committees.

According to some media outlets the number of Congressmen involved in the probe is 20.

There have been some interesting tidbits come to light like this quote.
"It is not our job to seek peaceful coexistence with the left. Our job is to remove them from power permanently." - Jack Abramoff

Then there's a link to corporate media's Chris Matthews and the Capital Athletic Foundation a front for Abramoff. Less than 1 percent of the money collected by this foundation has actually gone to youth programs. Might have something to do with Matthews kid gloves handling of the Abramoff story.


According to reports published in The Hill, a respected Washington political newsletter, Jack Abramoff and Grover Norquist continued to lobby after 9/11 on behalf of Islamic banks and groups that had been accused of financing terrorist groups.

[John @ 3300ft.]

According to the San Jose Mercury News
Amoung the top 20 recipients of Abramoff's fundraising 1999-2004:
Harry Reid (D)NV = $47,000
Patrick Kennedy (D)RI = $131,000
Patty Murray (D)WA = $49,480
Byron Dorgan (D)ND = $44,050
Tom Daschle (D)SD = $41,750
Dick Gephardt (D)MO = $39,500
GWB (R)PRES. = $34,250

[John @ 3300ft.]

Abramoff is a crooked slimeball who stole millions$ from Native American tribes. Any politician who was bribed in a quid pro quo manner for votes or influence should be serving in a jail cell next to him.
Donating to political campaigns is not illegal in itself.

[Coldwolf]

From todays Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113629838156236463.html?mod=home_whats_news_us)

Making the bribery case especially striking -- and worrisome for members of Congress -- is that some of its elements include transactions that occur in Washington every day. It is commonplace for lawmakers to solicit campaign donations from lobbyists, who routinely offer them in hopes of gaining advantage. Yet Mr. Abramoff also went far beyond routine practice by furnishing lawmakers with lavish trips, free meals and entertainment as well.

It remains unclear which lawmakers prosecutors are looking at, and also how persuasive Mr. Abramoff could be in helping to make potential cases against any of them stick. A onetime chairman of College Republicans -- a close ally of such party luminaries as Tom DeLay, Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist -- Mr. Abramoff says he has information that could implicate 60 lawmakers.

"The case is significant and the corruption scheme with Mr. Abramoff is very extensive," said Alice Fisher, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's criminal division, at a news conference. She said prosecutors "will continue to follow it wherever it leads."

[electroman]

Originally posted by Coldwolf:
.... She said prosecutors "will continue to follow it wherever it leads."

until it leads to a dead end and mysteriously fizzles out, or is just unexplainably forgotten by the media

[MadScot]

Originally posted by John @ 3300ft.:
According to the San Jose Mercury News
Amoung the top 20 recipients of Abramoff's fundraising 1999-2004:
Harry Reid (D)NV = $47,000
Patrick Kennedy (D)RI = $131,000
Patty Murray (D)WA = $49,480
Byron Dorgan (D)ND = $44,050
Tom Daschle (D)SD = $41,750
Dick Gephardt (D)MO = $39,500
GWB (R)PRES. = $34,250

Got a link to this story John The NY Times has already retracted their story along these same lines. I stand by my statement. Here's a follow up story on Patrick Kennedy.
Rep. Kennedy defends taking tribes' money (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/nation/13550217.htm)

The key here is that Kennedy was never lobbied by Abramoff or any of his associates and he did not receive any checks from Abramoff.

Kennedy co-founded the Native American Caucus in the House in 1997. He also raised money from several tribes for his party as the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during 1999 and 2000.
The congressman has received contributions from 110 tribes and visited about a dozen reservations, Richardson said. Kennedy has accepted donations from Indian gambling interests since he first came to Congress a decade ago.

[MadScot]

I just learned that the investigation includes Abramoff and DeLay's work at stopping the federalization of labor laws for the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. The American flag flies over the 14 Islands that make up the North Marianas it's a US territory. It's know for it's sweat shops and sex slave trade. DeLay blocked efforts to launch a fact finding mission. DeLay also blocked a vote that had a majority 234 supporters that would have forbid the Northern Marianas from attaching made in USA tags to products made by their slave labor. There is also evidence that at least 2 Republican Congressmen interfered with Northern Marianas internal elections. This increases the scope of indictments that may be issued. The laws on this are very cut and dry indictments are almost certain. DeLay once told the Washington Post's Juliet Eilperin that the low-wage, anti-union conditions of the Marianas constituted "a perfect petri dish of capitalism. It's like my Galapagos Island." In 1998 Former Senator Murkowski said of DeLay's stance on CNMI "The last time we heard a justification that economic advances would be jeopardized if workers were treated properly was shortly before Appomattox."
Rep. George Miller had been trying to get the Justice department to expand it's investigation since April, in mid December CNMI released that it had sent all materials involving Abramoff to federal investigators. Governor elect Benigno Fitial says he will cooperate with federal authorities in the ongoing investigation of Rep. Tom Delay and former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, whom he once described as his “close friends.â€� This may also implicate members of the Bush team almost 200 meeting have taken place concerning the CNMI between Bush people and Abramoff subordinates.

It just keeps getting deeper and deeper for the Republicans. DeLay has stepped down offically as leader. I'm amazed Frist is opposing lobby reform he's in enough trouble already. He may be forced to step down soon too if the Republicans want any prayer of maintaining control of Congress.

[Coldwolf]

A rather amazingly honestly editorial from the National Review: (http://www.nationalreview.com/lowry/lowry200601100816.asp) You can't get much further right than the National Review.


The Abramoff Scandal (R., Beltway)
It’s the Republicans, stupid.

...The GOP now craves such bipartisan cover in the Jack Abramoff scandal. Republicans trumpet every Democratic connection to Abramoff in the hope that something resonates. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.), took more than $60,000 from Abramoff clients! North Dakota Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan used Abramoff's skybox! It is true that any Washington influence peddler is going to spread cash and favors as widely as possible, and 210 members of Congress have received Abramoff-connected dollars. But this is, in its essence, a Republican scandal, and any attempt to portray it otherwise is a misdirection.

Abramoff is a Republican who worked closely with two of the country's most prominent conservative activists, Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed. Top aides to the most important Republican in Congress, Tom DeLay (R., Tex.) were party to his sleazy schemes. The only people referred to directly in Abramoff's recent plea agreement are a Republican congressmen and two former Republican congressional aides. The GOP members can make a case that the scandal reflects more the way Washington works than the unique perfidy of their party, but even this is self-defeating, since Republicans run Washington.

Republicans must take the scandal seriously and work to clean up in its wake.