Posted on 12/30/2005 12:58:17 PM PST by RambozoDClown
WASHINGTON (AFP) - 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."
According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, 210 current members of Congress have received contributions from Abramoff, his Indian tribe clients or SunCruz Casinos since 1999.
One top recipient was House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who received 2,500 dollars from Abramoff and 66,500 dollars from Indian tribes that were Abramoff's clients.
Although Abramoff made far more campaign donations to Republican lawmakers, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada received 30,500 dollars from Abramoff's tribal clients.
Republican representative Robert Ney of Ohio has already been subpoenaed in relation to the casino probe. Ney backed Abramoff's purchase of SunCruz Casinos, but has said he was misled by the lobbyist.
Abramoff "knows where a lot of the bodies are buried," according to Bill Allison, a spokesman for the Center for Public Integrity.
"Abramoff goes to the much broader issue of how the Republicans have held their majority together," he said, referring to the Republican control of both houses of Congress.
Many of the political recipients of Abramoff's lobbying efforts have fast distanced themselves from the tarnished political operative who wined and dined top politicos.
Republican Senator Conrad Burns has returned 150,000 dollars in campaign donations from Abramoff while Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan has returned 67,000 dollars.
Abramoff's dealings had already shone a spotlight on former House majority leader Tom DeLay, who accepted a 2000 golfing trip to Scotland partly paid for by the lobbyist.
The powerful Texas Republican has said the financial arrangements for the trip were proper.
DeLay was forced to step down as majority leader earlier this year after being indicted on separate campaign finance charges.
Opposition Democrats are trying to paint Abramoff as a poster boy of Washington corruption with close ties to the Bush administration ahead of the 2006 congressional elections.
"A key player in the Republican Party's culture of corruption, Jack Abramoff has close links to the Bush Administration," Democratic Party spokeswoman Karen Finney has said.
For several years prior to his indictment in August, Abramoff was one of Washington's top lobbyists amassing a personal fortune defending such disparate interests as US Indian tribes and the Pakistani military.
A congressional probe last year found that he bilked money from his own clients such as the Coushatta nation Indian tribe of Louisiana.
"He is the golden boy gone bad of the American political system," Coushatta president Kevin Sickey said last month at a congressional hearing on 66 million dollars several Indian nations gave Abramoff and his associates.
Until recently, Abramoff owned a Washington restaurant, Signatures, leased luxurious suites at sports stadiums and had memberships at famous golf clubs.
LOL. Isn't it. The Dems are gonna wish they'd never opened this Pandora's box.
Patrick Kennedy (D) was the number one recipient of money from the tribal "contributions," if I remember correctly.
Will he explain that "Dingy" Harry is really "Filthy Dirty" Harry in relation to his and his children's hands in the gambling til?
This will be interesting. Like others have said, both parties are going to be impacted by this.
In what? Spending increases? Cold-medicine restrictions?
Yep, just like when the Dems made a fuss about Delay's travel reports. Some Dems were on it like flies on crap until it was revealed that compared to the Repubs, as many, if not more, Dems had travel reporting issues as well. That issue was dropped like a hot potato.
Congress is a cesspool in urgent need of draining.
Among the biggest beneficiaries were Capitol Hill's most powerful Democrats, including Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.) and Harry M. Reid (Nev.), the top two Senate Democrats at the time, Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.), then-leader of the House Democrats, and the two lawmakers in charge of raising funds for their Democratic colleagues in both chambers, according to a Washington Post study. Reid succeeded Daschle as Democratic leader after Daschle lost his Senate seat last November.
Democrats are hoping to gain political advantage from federal and Senate investigations of Abramoff's activities and from the embattled lobbyist's former ties to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.). Yet, many Democratic lawmakers also benefited from Abramoff's political operation, a fact that could hinder the Democrats' efforts to turn the lobbyist's troubles into a winning partisan issue.
"It wouldn't surprise me to see the Abramoff controversy impact both parties," said Tony Raymond, co-founder of PoliticalMoneyLine.com, which gathers lobbying and campaign finance information.
Democratic lawmakers who responded to inquiries for this article said that any money they received from the tribes had nothing to do with Abramoff. They were quick to say they did not know the man.
ROFLMAO!
But Republicans have been lukewarm at best defending our principles in public.
What makes anyone here so sure they are principled when they have their hands out while no one is looking?
Yep, the msm will be right on top of the WHOLE STORY, providing no democrats are mentioned.
The republicans have been luke warm with any investigation because they are used to following in the deomcrat footsteps. They STILL have not fully realized they are the major party at this moment in time. Besides we have some republicans who are really 1/8 right of a democrat. I still have a problem with my Republican Party. We have too many who believe they are gentlemen. When one is hired to work for someone they are NOT gentlemen or ladies, they are workers, should they act like gentlemen or ladies, it only shows they have manners. Whereas democrats are street fighters and tend to hit below the belt.
Trouble for both Dems and Pubbies.
I believe Harry Reid took money from a 'friend' of Abramoff.
I loved your response!!! I almost spit my soda. That was so funny.
I would much rather see them investigate the banking law changes that took place right after Clinton Gore took office. The Democrat congress assisted. It all smells.
I've read that sme folks really close to "Dirty Harry" have benefitted greatly from his "political givings"!! Hope they all have bought some soap on a rope for where they might be going!!
What the article doesn't mention is the gangland slaying by organized crime of one of Abramaoff's business associates.
Wishful thinking from the French News Agency...
I want brass-knuckled street fighters taking shots for us in Washington. "Might makes right". :-)
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