Posted on 01/04/2006 7:05:21 AM PST by LouAvul
WASHINGTON - President Bush's re-election campaign will give the American Heart Association thousands of dollars in campaign contributions connected to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the White House said Wednesday, as the government pressed forward with a broad-ranging corruption investigation.
White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Wednesday that Abramoff, his wife and the tribal associates that he helped win influence on Capitol Hill donated thousands to the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign. Donations to charities has been the policy in similar situations in the past, McClellan said.
Abramoff raised at least $100,000 for President Bush's 2004 re-election effort, earning the honorary title "pioneer" from the campaign. It was unclear how much exactly the campaign would be giving to charity since McClellan referred questions about the matter to the Republican National Committee, which did not immediately return phone calls about it.
McClellan said Bush does not know Abramoff personally, although it's possible that the two met at holiday receptions. Abramoff attended three Hanukkah receptions at the White House, the spokesman said.
In a plea agreement with government prosecutors Tuesday, Abramoff has agreed to tell the FBI about alleged bribes to lawmakers and their aides on issues ranging from Internet gambling to wireless phone service in the House.
The full extent of the investigation is not yet known, but Justice Department officials said they intended to make use of the trove of e-mails and other material in Abramoff's possession as part of a probe that is believed to be focusing on as many as 20 members of Congress and aides.
"The corruption scheme with Mr. Abramoff is very extensive and we will continue to follow it wherever it leads," said Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher, head of the Justice Department's criminal division.
Court papers in Abramoff's case refer to an aide to then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay who helped stop anti-gambling legislation regarding the Internet. Abramoff, the papers state, paid the staffer's wife $50,000 from clients that benefited from the actions of the staffer, identified by a person close to the investigation as Tony Rudy, DeLay's former deputy chief of staff.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the probe is ongoing. Rudy did not return a phone call Tuesday at his lobbying firm.
DeLay, R-Texas, voted against his party on the Internet anti-gambling legislation which was designed to make it easier for authorities to stop online gambling sites.
DeLay attorney Richard Cullen said he believes that when the investigation is completed and the truth is known that the Justice Department will conclude that his client, who had risen to House majority leader before stepping down from the post last year, did nothing wrong.
Abramoff pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion, with his conduct outlined in court papers that refers to "a stream of things of value to public officials in exchange for a series of official acts and influence."
On Wednesday, Abramoff was to plead guilty in Miami to criminal charges stemming from Abramoff's 2000 purchase of SunCruz Casinos, a case that touches on Rep. Bob Ney (news, bio, voting record), R-Ohio.
The political ramifications of the Abramoff probe were apparent, with minority Democrats intending to make ethics a campaign issue in this election year. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Abramoff's confession in court was "not a surprise because this Republican Congress is the most corrupt in history and the American people are paying the price."
Some political consultants and analysts are comparing potential damage from the Abramoff investigation to the 1992 House banking scandal that led to the retirement or ouster of 77 lawmakers.
Abramoff's cooperation has made lawmakers nervous.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., became the most recent addition to the roster of politicians announcing plans to donate Abramoff's campaign contributions to charity.
The court papers in the Washington case refer to Ney, saying that regarding SunCruz, the congressman placed a statement drafted by Abramoff partner Michael Scanlon in the Congressional Record. The statement, the court papers say, was calculated to pressure the owner of SunCruz to sell on terms favorable to Abramoff.
Ney denies wrongdoing, saying that "at the time I dealt with Jack Abramoff, I obviously did not know, and had no way of knowing, the self-serving and fraudulent nature of Abramoff's activities."
Abramoff and his former partner, Adam Kidan, are charged with concocting a false $23 million wire transfer making it appear they contributed a sizable stake of their own cash into the $147.5 million purchase of cruise ships.
The court papers released Tuesday in Washington raised questions about Ney's former chief of staff, Neil Volz. The documents say the ex-staffer contacted the congressman on behalf of an Abramoff client that won a lucrative deal from Ney to improve cell phone reception in House buildings.
Volz contacted his ex-boss within one year of leaving the congressman's staff, the court papers say, a possible violation of federal conflict of interest laws which impose a one-year lobbying ban.
Volz referred questions to his attorney, who was not immediately available for comment.
Abramoff was once a well-connected lobbyist able to command almost unimaginable fees: A Louisiana tribe once paid Scanlon and him more than $30 million over 26 months. Now facing up to 11 years in prison, Abramoff apologized after pleading guilty.
"Words will not ever be able to express my sorrow and my profound regret for all my actions and mistakes," Abramoff said. "I hope I can merit forgiveness from the Almighty and those I've wronged or caused to suffer."
I agree. I think the Constitution needs to be scrapped and rewritten because it is so routinely ignored.
Besides reconstituting what it means to be a Senator, it should also redefine what it means to be a judge, because the lifetime appointment needs to be done away with. It was supposed to put them above politics, but almost immediately it became clear that it just gave them a lifetime sinecure to push their political positions.
I don't like term limits because it's a double-edged sword. Just when you finally get someone in there that you like he gets canned by term limits.
I would rather that the power of incumbency be severely limited, and that the committee chairmanship rules be changed to a rotating chairman instead of by seniority. I don't care if it is decided by lot, it couldn't be any worse than the shenanigans they get up to now.
Shenanigans, I say!
Disappear?? Perhaps but I doubt it. For Abramoff to ACCEPT ten years means there is plenty for him to spill and I doubt if it is just congressmen that he will talk about.
Yeah, true. I did the opposite, typed in the tribe name to see everyone they gave to. Chippewa was my third try, the first two gave mostly to RSCC.
I see. I was thinking more about once a bill was written instead of how someone might be influenced to write a bill in the first place. Thanks.
Sure, one gives to mostly Republicans, the other Democrats. Makes all the difference in the world. Just follow the same reasoning for the rest of your questions.
How about that Barrett report, think we will ever see that?
That's been the standard action when one discovers that money was donated to an election campaign by someone less than honest.
if you take a bribe, you go down.
If only justice were truly served. There's been no indication that Cheney or Bush accepted this money as a 'bribe', but the MSM wants it to appear as though that is the case. Further, they go out of their way not to mention the names of any democrats that got money from Abramoff.
So much for justice.
Agree wholeheartedly with that last.
Dems on two neutral forums I'm on are really drinking the Kool-Aid on this one. "It's only Republicans!"
Even with faced with that WaPost graphic that is on a couple of these theads.
The list is a lot longer....I have a list of all the Dems but not a list of Repubs.....as I understand it..90% of the Senate accepted money from him...
They will be playing with fire because there are many 'Rat names on the list.
Lotsa people in MA like Kennedy.
I would rather that the power of incumbency be severely limited, and that the committee chairmanship rules be changed to a rotating chairman
I don't think that will stop Byrd from pulling in pork and votes in WV. He will simply trade votes with whoever holds the chairmanship.
If they had to face their constituants every day, live like their constituants live, obey the laws they pass, things might be quite different.
P.S. The way to deal with it is with honor. Yea, it's a tough thing for politicians to do. But the GOP must show that they will not tolerate corruption and then turn the spotlight on the 'Rats' attempts to cover up ans worse than the crime.
"They will be playing with fire because there are many 'Rat names on the list."
Right you are. It will come down to which side musters the best publicity on this. One thing appears certain, though. This will hurt incumbents to some degree or another. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it could be in some cases.
Don't forget that illegal contribution that Peter Paul made to the Hitlery campaign.
Yeah, this jerk's money went to both parties. I'm not sure you will here the Dems push this to hard because there are many folks on their side of the aisle he was in bed with.
Did anyone notice he was wearing body armor when he left the courthouse yesterday? lol........not a very popular guy anymore.
"The way to deal with it is with honor. Yea, it's a tough thing for politicians to do. But the GOP must show that they will not tolerate corruption and then turn the spotlight on the 'Rats' attempts to cover up ans worse than the crime.
"
Good thoughts. Probably wishful thinking, though. I expect all involved to do their best to cover this up. It's the politician's way.
Maybe it's just time to throw the bums out and elect a new set of bums. Maybe the new ones won't immediately figure out how much they can scam, and will act in good faith for their constituents for a while. I doubt it, but I can always dream.
Harry Reid. Harry Reid took $65,000 from Abramoff-connected firms, and said, in June, that he has no intention of returning it.
Byron Dorgan returned over $50,000. Nearly every Democrat in Congress has received Abramoff-related money; 44 of 45 Democrat Senators have.
So, there is plenty of dirty money on the "D" side of the fence that can be exploited.
Exactly. And with donations going to both sides, this is going to be a mess to sort out.
Precisely. It's what they don't want -- having to have that grocery store conversation with a constituent!
Traveling off to Washington to legislate is an antiquated notion that no one talks about. There are WAY too many "advantages" for our representatives in being far away from home when the bad stuff comes down.
The benefits, of course, accrue to the lobbyists, call girls and bar owners.
Keeping eighteenth-century-style governance going is in their best interests; it sure as heck isn't in ours.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.