Abramoff's extensive laundry list.

So this story is supposed to make us forget all about the bags of unmarker US currency showing up on Clinton's doorstep from the Chinese and the pandering of Al Gore at the Buddist monk camp.

Man, the left is trying so hard to trump this one up.

I say go for it. Go for all the stories. Fact is, it is the Republicans that are faced with cleaning up this mess, created by both parties.

And if you don't think this is the way Washington works and has worked for decade after decade, surprise!
 
The question is...Will the Democrats smell their own underwear?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200601\POL20060105b.html

Democrats Benefited from Abramoff Contributions, Too
By Melanie Hunter
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
January 05, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - The National Republican Senatorial Committee said Wednesday that 40 of 45 members of the Senate Democrat Caucus have taken money from lobbyist Jack Abramoff, his associates and Indian tribe clients.

Abramoff pled guilty Tuesday to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion. He also plans to implicate a number of U.S. lawmakers and congressional staffers in a bribery scandal.

Among those named by the NRSC as the worst examples of "Democrat hypocrisy" for taking money from Abramoff and his associates are: Sen. Byron Dorgan, (D-N.D.) who received at least $79,300; Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who received at least $45,750; Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who received at least $68,941 and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who received at least $6,250.

Dorgan is among the lawmakers who have already returned campaign donations or given those donations to charity. [snip]
 
Bryan, I think this is going to be a REALLY big deal. Scandal of huge proportions, with politicians from both parties dropping like flies.

I heard Napolitano last night on FNC saying Abramoff's list of bribees is over SIXTY congresspeople, evenly spread b/t the two parties.

Egads!
 
fossten said:
Bryan, I think this is going to be a REALLY big deal. Scandal of huge proportions, with politicians from both parties dropping like flies.

I heard Napolitano last night on FNC saying Abramoff's list of bribees is over SIXTY congresspeople, evenly spread b/t the two parties.

Egads!

That is scary, good to know what shape our government is in. It's probably well over Sixty, but the more powerful ones will slither away unscathed.
 
What we need to do is reflect on "Why."
Why is the federal government involved in every facet of our lives that it's deemed necessary by business to spend millions of dollars on contributions and lobbyists in D.C.?

Washington is too big and too involved.
 
What's interesting is the connection between Senator McCain and the Indian Tribes. He authored the campaign finance reform bill (which exempted Indian tribes) and HE received more campaign money from Indian tribes than any other congressman by more than double.

He and Dorgan were two of the biggest Abramoff-bashers up to this point. What hypocrites.
 
The $4 Billion Industry That Is America's Guilty Secret
By Rupert Cornwell
The Independent UK
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article336396.ece
Wednesday 04 January 2006

Lobbying is Washington's grubby secret. Some say lobbying is part of the democratic process. Others claim it is legalised bribery, even corruption. But love it or loathe it, it is the way Washington works.

Usually you hear little about the quiet meetings, the lavish lunches and junkets that lubricate American politics. But every once in a while something comes along to open the system to what it hates most: daylight. The case of Jack Abramoff, influence-peddler extraordinaire, is one of those somethings.

Once Mr Abramoff claimed to have done nothing illegal, that his only sin was to have been too good at his job. But now his career is in ruins, a jail term of nine years or more beckons - an incarceration that would be even longer but for the plea bargain he reached yesterday with federal prosecutors.

For Mr Abramoff only contrition is left: "Words will not ever be able to express my sorrow and my profound regret for my actions and mistakes," he said in court yesterday. As for the two dozen members of Congress and their aides reputedly under investigation, they can only tremble.

If Mr Abramoff spills the beans, they may soon be contemplating a similar fate. This is potentially the biggest Congressional scandal of the modern era. It is largely (though not exclusively) Republican, and may mark the beginning of the end of the party's 11-year dominance of Capitol Hill.

Lobbying per se is nothing new. The right to "petition the government for a redress of grievances" is enshrined in the first amendment of the Constitution. Back in 1913, Woodrow Wilson said Washington was "swarming with lobbyists ... you can't throw a brick in any direction without hitting one".

But the 28th president cannot have imagined how access-peddling would blossom into a $4bn industry. There are 14,000 registered lobbyists, and as many again who are not registered. Between 1998 and 2004, foreign companies spent $620m (£350m) bending ears in Washington.

Lobbying thrives in the US for two reasons. In the US the executive and legislative branches are separate. The former is headed by the President, the latter consists of Congress, which writes laws and appropriates money for government spending. Although George Bush's Republicans have majorities in both House and Senate, he has no direct control of the bills they consider. That power rests with dozens of powerful committee chairmen and ranking members, all with their fiefdoms, whose yea or nay is decisive.

The other key ingredient is money, the colossal sums needed to fight election campaigns. In Britain, the curbs on such spending are strict. In America, by contrast, the sky's the limit. Total spending for the 2004 elections, presidential and congressional, reached $4bn.

The summit of extravagance was the 2004 Senate race in South Dakota, one of the least populous and less affluent US states. The two candidates spent a combined $40m. In an average state, the cost of defending a Senate seat is $20m. This means an incumbent has to raise $9,000 every day of his six-year term. At which point, enter the lobbyists.

The trade-off is simple. Corporate and other donors provide cash in a bid to secure the legislation they want. The intermediaries between the two sides are lobbyists. And the more people a lobbyist knows on Capitol Hill, the more effective he or she is.

Unsurprisingly, ever increasing numbers of them are former legislators. The Washington-based pressure group Centre for Public Integrity, says almost 250 former Congressmen and senior government officials are now active lobbyists.

Jack Abramoff and his ilk are key figures in Washington's power networks. And no network was mightier than the one embracing Mr Abramoff, the former House majority leader Tom DeLay and Grover Norquist, president of the arch-conservative Americans for Tax Reform, one of the most powerful special interests groups in Washington.



:eek:
 
Incoming
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/010506Z.shtml
Thursday 05 January 2006

"It is not our job to seek peaceful coexistence with the Left. Our job is to remove them from power permanently."

- Jack A. Abramoff

All of official Washington is at this moment waiting with bated breath for the avalanche. Jack Abramoff, the disgraced super-lobbyist, has made a plea agreement in the massive prosecution against him and his cronies. Every talking head who has spoken on the subject has stated bluntly that the fallout from this plea deal will almost certainly result in the largest scandal to hit the capital in decades.

The questions, of course, are straightforward: Who is involved? Who took money from this guy? Who is on his pad? Most significantly, who did Abramoff name when he decided to sing to the prosecutors?

Republicans, nervous about the bad noise to come, have attempted to paint this as an equal-opportunity crime. To wit, the Democrats are into Abramoff as deeply as the GOP. The facts, however, do not bear this out. According to campaign donation information gathered by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, the following officeholders and candidates have received political donations from Abramoff since 2000:

Tom DeLay (R-Texas). John Ashcroft (R-Mo.). Frank A. LoBiondo (R-NJ). Eric Cantor (R-Va.). Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). John Ensign (R-Nev.). Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). Charles H. Taylor (R-NC). Chris Cannon (R-Utah). Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Mark Foley (R-Fla.). Richard Pombo (R-Calif.). Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (R-Mo.). Curt Weldon (R-Pa.). Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.). Doug Ose (R-Calif.). Ernest J. Istook (R-Okla.). George R. Nethercutt Jr. (R-Wash.). Jim Bunning (R-Ky.). Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.). Tom Feeney (R-Fla.). Dan Burton (R-Ind.). Eric Cantor (R-Va.). Suzanne Terrell (R-La.). Rob Simmons (R-Conn.). Charles W. "Chip" Pickering Jr. (R-Miss.). Connie Morella (R-Md.). Gordon H. Smith (R-Ore.). James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.). James M. Talent (R-Mo.). John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.). John Thune (R-SD). Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.). Bob Smith (R-Fla.). Bob Ney (R-Ohio). CL. "Butch" Otter (R-Idaho). Carolyn W. Grant (R-NC). Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.). Elizabeth Dole (R-NC). Heather Wilson (R-NM). J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.). Jack Kingston (R-Ga.). James V. Hansen (R-Utah). John Cornyn (R-Texas). Kimo Kaloi (R-Hawaii). Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.). Mike Ferguson (R-NJ). Mike Simpson (R-Idaho). Ralph Regula (R-Ohio). Ric Keller (R-Fla.). Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.). Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). Dave Camp (R-Mich.). Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.). Tom Young (R-Ala.). Bill Janklow (R-SD). Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.). Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.). William L. Gormley (R-NJ). Bill McCollum (R-Fla.). Bill Redmond (R-NM). Bob Riley (R-Ala.). Claude B. Hutchison Jr. (R-Calif.). Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.). Francis E. Flotron (R-Mo.). George Allen (R-Va.). Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.). Walter B. Jones Jr. (R-NC). Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Bob Smith (R-Fla.). Joe Pitts (R-PA). Charles H. Taylor (R-NC). Bob Ehrlich (R-Md.). Charles R. Gerow (R-Pa.). Ed Royce (R-Calif.). Elia Vincent Pirozzi (R-Calif.). Jerry Weller (R-Ill.). Mark Emerson (R-Utah). Tom Davis (R-Va.). Van Hilleary (R-Tenn.).

Also:

Americans for a Republican Majority, Leadership PAC of Tom DeLay (R-Texas). Republican Majority Fund, Leadership PAC of Don Nickles (R-Okla.). Keep Our Majority PAC, Leadership PAC of Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Leadership PAC, Leadership PAC of Michael G. Oxley (R-Ohio). Rely on Your Beliefs, Leadership PAC of Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). Friends of the Big Sky, Leadership PAC of Conrad Burns (R-Mont.). Senate Victory Fund, Leadership PAC of Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). American Liberty PAC, Leadership PAC of Bob Ney (R-Ohio). Battle Born PAC, Leadership PAC of John Ensign (R-Nev.). Fund for a Free Market America, Leadership PAC of Phil Crane (R-Ill.). Team PAC, Leadership PAC of J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.). The Republican Party of New Jersey.

Also:

George W. Bush (R).

Notice anything similar? Each and every name listed, each and every PAC, has an (R) after it. The Center for Responsive Politics does not have one Democrat - not one - listed as having received a donation from Jack Abramoff. The amounts given to the Republicans listed above amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In extremis, Republicans have taken to bandying about the name of Byron Dorgan, Democratic Senator from North Dakota, as evidence that this Abramoff thing is a two-party scandal. Dorgan received $67,000 from Native American tribes represented by Abramoff - not from Abramoff himself - and has since returned the money. Furthermore, he got the money before the tribes had any dealings with Abramoff. In short, Dorgan's so-called involvement in the matter is a red herring.

As for Mr. Bush, he has given the Abramoff money he received to charity, according to the White House. DNC Chairman Howard Dean pegged the total amount Bush received from Abramoff at $100,000. Abramoff attended three Hannukah receptions at the Bush White House - Hannukah? What happened to fighting the War on Christmas? - but Bush denies knowing him. "The president does not know him and does not recall meeting him," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. "It is possible that he could have met him at a holiday reception or some other widely attended event."

Heh. Sounds like what we heard from Bush about Kenny "Boy" Lay.

It is going to be an interesting year.

William Rivers Pitt is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of two books: War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know and The Greatest Sedition Is Silence.
 
"It is not our job to seek peaceful coexistence with the Left. Our job is to remove them from power permanently."

- Jack A. Abramoff


So says the F'ing criminal. Classic. I can see this guy falsely accusing Democrats while destroying evidence about his Republican buddies wrong doing. The guy definitely has a motive to do so, but I'm sure he's sorry and didn't mean that comment.

BTW, that's Seventy-One Republican names on that list compared to the small handful of Democrats named in various sources.
 
Another false article by Phil - what a surprise

Posted on 12/23/2005 1:31:10 AM PST by flattorney

Democrats Don't Know Jack???

“It’s very odd that Democrats at the national and state levels have sought to exploit the Abramoff matter for political gain, while in the process throwing countless congressional Democrats under the bus,’ said Brian Nick, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).” (Charles Hurt, “Dorgan Returns Abramoff Money,” The Washington Times, December 14, 2005)

An NRSC Report Shows That Nearly 90 Percent Of Senate “Democrats Have Taken Abramoff-Related Money.” “The NRSC has begun circulating among fellow Republicans new reports showing that all but five of the chamber’s 44 Democrats have taken Abramoff-related money. In addition, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have taken more than $1.2 million, according to records provided to The Washington Times.” (Charles Hurt, “Dorgan Returns Abramoff Money,” The Washington Times, December 14, 2005)

“The NRSC Report Is Part Of A New Counteroffensive By Republicans To Neutralize An Issue That Democrats See As Central To Electoral Gains In 2006.” (Charles Hurt, “Dorgan Returns Abramoff Money,” The Washington Times, December 14, 2005)

“If The Democrats Are Alleging That Republicans Are Guilty Of Any Wrongdoing, They’re Sitting In The Same Boat.” “Democrats have run two television advertisements in Montana, castigating Burns for his activities on behalf of Abramoff, but as the lobbyist’s taint spreads, its political impact may dissipate, said Brian Nick, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. ‘If the Democrats are alleging that Republicans are guilty of any wrongdoing, they’re sitting in the same boat,’ he said. ‘It just becomes a nonstarter.’” (Jonathan Weisman and Derek Willis “Democrat On Panel Probing Abramoff To Return Tribal Donations,” The Washington Post, December 14, 2005)

Tribal Clients And Associates Of Jack Abramoff Have Contributed Over $3.1 Million To Democrat Party Interests Between 1997 And 2004. (Campaign Finance Analysis Project Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 2005; Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed December 2005)

National Democrat Party Affiliated Committees Received Over $1.2 Million From Indian Tribe Clients And Lobbying Associates Of Jack Abramoff. (Campaign Finance Analysis Project Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Internal Revenue Service Website, www.irs.gov, Accessed April 21, 2005)

* The Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Received Over – $430,000
* The Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Received Over – $629,000
* The Democrat National Committee (DNC) Received Over – $177,000

Incumbent Senate Democrat-Affiliated Campaign And Leadership Committees Received Over $729,000 From Indian Tribe Clients And Lobbying Associates Of Jack Abramoff*. (Campaign Finance Analysis Project Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Internal Revenue Service Website, www.irs.gov, Accessed April 21, 2005)

40 Of The 45 Members Of The Senate Democrat Caucus:

* Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) Received At Least – $22,500
* Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) Received At Least – $6,500
* Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) Received At Least – $1,250
* Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) Received At Least – $2,000
* Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Received At Least – $20,250
* Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Received At Least – $21,765
* Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) Received At Least – $7,500
* Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Received At Least – $12,950
* Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) Received At Least – $8,000
* Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) Received At Least – $7,500
* Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) Received At Least – $14,792
* Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) Received At Least – $79,300
* Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) Received At Least – $14,000
* Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Received At Least – $2,000
* Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) Received At Least – $1,250
* Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) Received At Least – $45,750
* Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) Received At Least – $9,000
* Senator Jim Jeffords (I-VT) Received At Least – $2,000
* Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) Received At Least – $14,250
* Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) Received At Least – $3,300
* Senator John Kerry (D-MA) Received At Least – $98,550
* Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) Received At Least – $28,000
* Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT) Received At Least – $4,000
* Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) Received At Least – $6,000
* Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) Received At Least – $29,830
* Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) Received At Least – $14,891
* Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) Received At Least – $10,550
* Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) Received At Least – $78,991
* Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) Received At Least – $20,168
* Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) Received At Least – $5,200
* Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) Received At Least – $7,500
* Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) Received At Least – $2,300
* Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) Received At Least – $3,500
* Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) Received At Least – $68,941
* Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV) Received At Least – $4,000
* Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) Received At Least – $4,500
* Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) Received At Least – $4,300
* Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Received At Least – $29,550
* Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) Received At Least – $6,250
* Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) Received At Least – $6,250
 
Gee fossten, all you can provide to counter phil's posted facts of donations directly FROM ABRAMOFF to a long list of exclusive republican recipients, is a list of democratic recipients of money from "Indian Tribe Clients And Lobbying Associates Of Jack Abramoff"?? Just another weak, pathetic attempt at spin, diversion and distortion. Typical, we should expect no less.
 
JohnnyBz00LS said:
Gee fossten, all you can provide to counter phil's posted facts of donations directly FROM ABRAMOFF to a long list of exclusive republican recipients, is a list of democratic recipients of money from "Indian Tribe Clients And Lobbying Associates Of Jack Abramoff"?? Just another weak, pathetic attempt at spin, diversion and distortion. Typical, we should expect no less.

Now that's just lame. You Fibs want to associate people like Tom DeLay with conspiracy to launder money, yet you differentiate between receiving money directly or indirectly. Hahahaha. What baloney. I suppose you wouldn't consider it receiving money unless you had a photo of two men in trench coats and fedoras exchanging envelopes under a street light on a rainy night.

Sorry, try again.

:lol:
 
Are you blind David? The list of Repugs is far greater than the list for Dems. You seem not to notice that.
 
fossten said:
Now that's just lame. You Fibs want to associate people like Tom DeLay with conspiracy to launder money, yet you differentiate between receiving money directly or indirectly. Hahahaha. What baloney. I suppose you wouldn't consider it receiving money unless you had a photo of two men in trench coats and fedoras exchanging envelopes under a street light on a rainy night.

Sorry, try again.

:lol:

Fine, then we can agree that the money received by rePUGs was still "dirty", while the money that eventually found it's way through Peter, Paul, Jerry, Mary, Latisha, Mike and God knows how many others to the democrats is thouroughly laundered and "clean".

Regardless, your "evidence" would be looked upon by the judges presiding over this case as follows.........

:bowrofl: :mad: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl:
 
JohnnyBz00LS said:
Fine, then we can agree that the money received by rePUGs was still "dirty", while the money that eventually found it's way through Peter, Paul, Jerry, Mary, Latisha, Mike and God knows how many others to the democrats is thouroughly laundered and "clean".

Regardless, your "evidence" would be looked upon by the judges presiding over this case as follows.........

:bowrofl: :mad: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl:


Gee, Johnny, I'm surprised at your fundamental lack of knowledge concerning the law. This isn't even a case yet, but you're passing judgment based on your blind hatred. Classic.
 
fossten said:
Now that's just lame. You Fibs want to associate people like Tom DeLay with conspiracy to launder money, yet you differentiate between receiving money directly or indirectly. Hahahaha. What baloney. I suppose you wouldn't consider it receiving money unless you had a photo of two men in trench coats and fedoras exchanging envelopes under a street light on a rainy night.
The only money dems want must come from a Chinese nationalist in unmarked $100 bills and must be dropped off in front of the Lincoln bedroom. The money couldn't be dropped off IN the bedroom because that room was booked tight from 1992 to the year 2000.

I love Barry's reply.
Barry2952 said:
Are you blind David? The list of Repugs is far greater than the list for Dems. You seem not to notice that.

I think what Barry was trying to say was... Our fingers are stinky but your fingers are even more stinkier.:D
 
We need to vote ALL these bums out. The way the laws are written now it will be hard to prove wrongdoing as far as their votes or influence actually being for sale. They can argue till they're blue in the face to the contrary, but no matter how you play it, it still looks dirty to me. Get'em all out and push for stricter laws so this kind of BS can't go on anymore. They're paid by US to represent US, not the corporate special interests, or any person or group that has enough money to "sway" their sensibilities. Round'em up and get'em out!!!:mad:
 
How will "stricter laws" change things? Isn't the guy going to jail?

What we need to do is get Washington and the federal government out of every detail of our lives. We need to make it so that all important decisions are made in D.C.
 
I like your thinking. How do you proposed we get the government out of every aspect of our lives?

I say the biggest intrusion in our lives is the IRS. Eliminate it by having a national sales tax. It wouldn't matter where your money comes from. Everybody pays if they consume. If you choose to save there is no penalty, as there is now. Let's start there.
 
barry2952 said:
I say the biggest intrusion in our lives is the IRS. Eliminate it by having a national sales tax. It wouldn't matter where your money comes from. Everybody pays if they consume. If you choose to save there is no penalty, as there is now. Let's start there.
I absolutely agree with you on that point. 100%
 
I'd like to hear your views on that. Should we start another thread? I've brought this subject up many times and I kept getting shouted down.

My viewpoint is that a national sales tax would eliminate the underground economy. It irks me no end to see people getting paid under the table. They use the same government funded services I do but they don't contribute to the tax base. I think cheating on taxes is shameful. I hate paying the share of the freeloading mother-f*****s that didn't pay their share.

With a national sales tax the pimps, dealers, hookers, electricians, plumbers and other service providers could continue collecting cash because you would only be taxed on what you spent. I am of the opinion that we would have more than enough money at 15% if everyone paid their fair share.
 
These are valid points, in addition, it takes power away from the federal government. The ability to manipulate the tax code makes the Congressmen extremely powerful.
 

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