Democrats Benefited from Abramoff Contributions, Too

CNS News ^ | January 5, 2006 | Melanie Hunter

[AgThorn]

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.

This could be a good thing then, eh? Now, considering the source, what does the DNC say about the Senate Republican Caucus?

My thoughts are that there will probably be a backdoor effort to kill this whole thing if there is any real 'bi-partisan blood' to be spilled. Shame ... hopefully we can force it to be public in that case and let the heads role where they are. Time to change 'politics as usual'. However, I doubt it will happen. This will get swept under the rug as we move on to 'more important' things.

[gondramB]

This article makes it sound like the Dems listed took bribes when all we know is that they took donations. I understand the desire to minimize th Abrmoff damage but I think we want to used the standard that everyone who accepted a donation from Abrmaoff or his clients is guilty. We might as well just start figuring out how to replace 50 Republican senators if we do that - not to mention it's unfair.

[monkeybrau]

40 of 45 members of the Senate Democrat Caucus have taken money from lobbyist Jack Abramoff, his associates and Indian tribe clients.

"Taken money" is fairly ambiguous. I would think they are waiting for more fallout to sort out what was known and unknown at the time of the contribution. That's only 89% of the SDC, not everyone.

[fhlh]

CNS News... I'd be impressed if this was from CBS news...

[sandbar]

Last night on local news, they kept saying "Republican scandal... Republican Lobbyist... Bush campaign contributions..." No mention of any of the democrats that took money from him.

Made me so sick I had to change the channel. How many others did too? I hope at some point they will figure that out.

[R.W.Ratikal]

Democrats who did not receive money from briber Jack Abramoff would make a shorter list than a list of recipients. Apparently Republicans are right in there getting their share of the plunder.

If the amounts politicians got from Abramoff are multiplied by the number of lobbyists in Washington, no wonder people will spend millions of dollars of their own money to get into Congress.

The average American might wonder why Abramoff could give millions of dollars to Congressmen while the average American can give only $1000?

The whole fraud of being able to give any amount of money to a candidate as long as it is given by a Political Action Committee is a cover-up so that fat cats can buy political favors. It's out in the open, money buys politicians.

Did Abramoff give soft cash or hard cash? LOL.

If there were no lobbyists would there ever be any legislation passed?

[MizSterious]

I'm thinking the dems might be dirtier than news reports suggest. They have their shills fanning out to all the yelling head shows in large numbers, and they're more shrill than usual. Usually, that means they're trying to divert attention--in this case, perhaps from themselves.

[jamese777]

It will be the Bush Administration's Justice Department that acts on Abramoff's testimony as to who he BRIBED. Whether he names Democrats, Republicans or both remains to be seen. The Justice Department has only tipped its hand slightly, leaking the names of Bob Ney, one of his staffers and one Tom DeLay former staffer as subjects of investigations at this point.
Since the government has a thousand or more Abramoff emails and Abramoff and his partner Michael Scanlon are cooperating with federal officials, who took bribes will be revealed.
Accepting campaign contributions is not a crime, even if those contributions were arranged by Abramoff, who was a Bush Pioneer after all.

[MizSterious]

Ney has denied it, and frankly, the DOJ spokeswoman was not very impressive in her announcement the other day, calling him by the wrong name. Makes you wonder if they know who they're talking about!

[TexasCajun]

There is a very impressive democrat list being posted, have you seen it?

[Iowa Granny]

drive by bookmarking.

[griswold3]

I think the "bribery" charge will be hard to prove. Abramoff pleaded guilty to "conspiracy to bribe."
This will get blown up by the Democratic Talking Points crowd as a Republican scandal only though. (I wish Zell Miller had dueled with Chris Matthews)

[Rakkasan1]

If there were no lobbyists would there ever be any legislation passed?

maybe the Congresscritters would have time to actually read the bills they vote on between counting stacks of fiftys.

[sgtbono2002]

I am sure all of those returning the funds they received from Abramoff were planning on returning then before they got caught.

When will Hillary pay for the plane she used in her first campaign?

[JackDanielsOldNo7]

Dan Rather told me only the Repubs did.

[talleyman]

Dan Rather told me only the Repubs did.

Yeah, and he's got the memo to prove it, too.

[88keys]

maybe the Congresscritters would have time to actually read the bills they vote on between counting stacks of fiftys

To be scrupulously fair...I'm certain some "Congresscritters" actually do read the legislative bills, and not just the fifty-dollar bills!! And actually, I don't think we're really talking about secret meetings in smoky back rooms and briefcases stuffed with money changing hands...

Not that that's not a possibility, of course, but it wasn't a GOP politico who ended up in Ft. Marcy (sic) Park...! ;)

[MizSterious]

LOL--and if he doesn't have the memo yet, Kinkos will deliver it soon!

[mugs99]

This article makes it sound like the Dems listed took bribes when all we know is that they took donations.

All bribes are called donations.
.