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Washington poised for revelations from top lobbyist
AFP, via Yahoo ^

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.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: 109th; abramoff; mediabias
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To: frankjr

LOL. Isn't it. The Dems are gonna wish they'd never opened this Pandora's box.


21 posted on 12/30/2005 1:50:12 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: RambozoDClown

Patrick Kennedy (D) was the number one recipient of money from the tribal "contributions," if I remember correctly.


22 posted on 12/30/2005 1:53:12 PM PST by OpusatFR
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To: RambozoDClown

Will he explain that "Dingy" Harry is really "Filthy Dirty" Harry in relation to his and his children's hands in the gambling til?


23 posted on 12/30/2005 1:56:22 PM PST by zerosix (Native Sunflower)
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To: RambozoDClown

This will be interesting. Like others have said, both parties are going to be impacted by this.


24 posted on 12/30/2005 1:57:43 PM PST by PPHSFL (God Bless America)
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To: rwfromkansas
could lead to problems, but could also not be nothing more than a pause.

In what? Spending increases? Cold-medicine restrictions?

25 posted on 12/30/2005 2:02:39 PM PST by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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To: mewzilla

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.


26 posted on 12/30/2005 2:03:22 PM PST by frankjr
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To: frankjr

Congress is a cesspool in urgent need of draining.


27 posted on 12/30/2005 2:04:30 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: RambozoDClown
From the Washington ComPost: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/02/AR2005060202158.html

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!

28 posted on 12/30/2005 2:05:42 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: RambozoDClown
If this nails anyone it's going to nail both parties. Democrats have no principles so I won't waste my time arguing about them.

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?

29 posted on 12/30/2005 2:07:59 PM PST by manwiththehands (My Christmas wish: I wish Republicans were running the country.)
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To: 88keys

Yep, the msm will be right on top of the WHOLE STORY, providing no democrats are mentioned.


30 posted on 12/30/2005 2:11:20 PM PST by tillacum (HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE..)
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To: manwiththehands

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.


31 posted on 12/30/2005 2:18:29 PM PST by tillacum (HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE..)
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To: RambozoDClown

Trouble for both Dems and Pubbies.

I believe Harry Reid took money from a 'friend' of Abramoff.


32 posted on 12/30/2005 2:23:27 PM PST by airborne (If being a Christian was a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?)
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To: elfman2

I loved your response!!! I almost spit my soda. That was so funny.


33 posted on 12/30/2005 2:31:19 PM PST by napscoordinator
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To: AmishDude
Some of us are still waiting for the 100+ witnesses that fled America when told to appear before congress in the investigation of foreign money dumped into the Clinton presidential campaign. Mr. Riady sent me was the calling card for a gardener and his wife that attended a whitehouse gathering. Illegal as hell and nobody cared. I am betting they are all living in Florida with money to spare. It is only the GOP money the media is interested in and not the millions that rolled in to elect Clinton Gore X 2. Maria Hsia and John Huang were raising money for Slick Willy and Albert Gore long before they ever got on the campaign for the oval office.

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.

34 posted on 12/30/2005 2:33:17 PM PST by oldironsides
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To: airborne

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!!


35 posted on 12/30/2005 2:35:27 PM PST by geezerwheezer (get up boys, we're burnin' daylight!!!)
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To: elfman2

What the article doesn't mention is the gangland slaying by organized crime of one of Abramaoff's business associates.


36 posted on 12/30/2005 2:39:35 PM PST by enots
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To: RambozoDClown

Wishful thinking from the French News Agency...


37 posted on 12/30/2005 2:40:39 PM PST by jimbo123
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To: tillacum
I don't know about you but I'm bored and sick to death of waiting for the Republican party to learn how to "street fight". If they haven't figured out by now that being a "gentleman" will only get you kicked in the teeth we need new blood. Let the current "Republicans" be "gentleman" with their wives and kids.

I want brass-knuckled street fighters taking shots for us in Washington. "Might makes right". :-)

38 posted on 12/30/2005 4:42:12 PM PST by manwiththehands (My Christmas wish: I wish Republicans were running the country.)
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