Posted on 01/07/2006 6:50:19 AM PST by flattorney
Reid Called Abramoff A “Republican Scandal.” “So don’t lump me in with Jack Abramoff. This is a Republican scandal. Don’t try to give any of it to me.” (Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), “Fox News Sunday,” December 18, 2005)
Reid Says He Has “Not A Thing” To Worry About With Regard To Abramoff. “Reid said at a news conference in Carson City that he has ‘not a thing’ to be worried about as far as Abramoff. ‘I’ve never been in the same room with the man as far as I know,’ he said.” (Steve Tetrealt, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, January 4, 2006)
Reid’s Spokesman Said It Would Be “Laughable” To Connect Democrats To Abramoff. “‘Abramoff was a Republican operative, and this is a Republican scandal. Their efforts to drag Democrats into this are almost laughable,’ he said.” (Amy Fagan, “Senate Democrats Also ‘Ensnared’ In Scandal,” The Washington Times, January 5, 2006)
Yet When It Comes To Details On Connections To Abramoff, Reid And His Former Staff Member/Abramoff Associate Have No Comment
Former Reid Staffer And Abramoff Associate Edward Ayoob Would Not Comment For A Story. “Contacted at his office last week, Ayoob declined to comment.” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
When Directly Questioned About Whether He Ever Attended An Event In Abramoff’s MCI Center Skybox, Reid’s Office Declined To Comment Again. “Among perks at his disposal, Abramoff controlled skyboxes at the MCI Center in Washington and at other sports venues that were used for fundraising…[Senator Reid’s spokeswoman Tessa] Hafen said she had no comment on whether Reid has attended a sporting event in any such suite, saying Reid conducts ‘lawful fundraising.’” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
Reid Forgets His Own Documented Connections To Abramoff
“Team Abramoff Included Former Staffers To…Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), Now Minority Leader.” (Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi, “The Fast Rise and Steep Fall of Jack Abramoff,” Washington Post, December 29, 2005)
Edward Ayoob, One Of Reid’s Own Former Staffers, Was Part Of Abramoff’s Team. “Reid also has been linked to Abramoff through Edward Ayoob, who is from Las Vegas and worked for Reid from June 1997 to March 2002 variously as legislative counsel, tax counsel, appropriations manager, foreign affairs adviser and chief aide on judicial nominations, according to a biography on his employer’s Web site.” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
Reid Also Refuses To Return Campaign Contributions Connected To Abramoff
“Between 2001 And 2004 Reid Received $61,000 From Donors With Links To Abramoff, Reid’s Office Confirmed.” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
However Reid Says He Will Not Return Funds Connected To The Lobbyist. “‘Any contributions he received were part of lawful fundraising,’ Hafen said Tuesday. ‘Senator Reid has done nothing wrong and sees no need to return the donations.’” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
Not Everyone Thinks Democrats’ Hands Are Clean Of Money Connected To Abramoff
According To A Washington Post Study, Some Of “The Biggest Beneficiaries” Of Abramoff-Related Contributions Were “Capitol Hill’s Most Powerful Democrats.” This Group Included Reid. “But Abramoff didn’t work just with Republicans. He oversaw a team of two dozen lobbyists at the law firm Greenberg Traurig that included many Democrats. Moreover, the campaign contributions that Abramoff directed from the tribes went to Democratic as well as Republican legislators. 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.” (Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Derek Willis, “Democrats Also Got Tribal Donations,” The Washington Post, June 3, 2005)
On Top Of That, At Least Seven Senate Democrats Have Already Returned – Or Donated To Charity – Funds Associated With Abramoff
According To Compiled Reports By The Hotline, A Publication Of National Journal, At Least Seven Democrats Thus Far Have Returned – Or Donated To Charity – Money Associated With Abramoff. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) “returned about $19K in Abramoff-connected donations, including use of Abramoff’s MCI Center skybox,” Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) “will donate $2K to a charity in NY,” Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) donated $3,750, Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) “returned $67K in Abramoff-connected tribal donations,” Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is “donating $11K from Abramoff-related money to two Chicago-area groups that serve Native Americans,” Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) is “donating $8.25K to org. that ‘helps Native Americans,’” and Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) “donated $5K to American Indian College Fund.” (National Journal’s The Hotline, January 5, 2006)
If Abramoff Is Not A Democrat Problem, Senator Reid, Why Are Your Colleagues Returning Donations?
It would be so sweet if Reid got Daschled, but I don't think he's up for re-election until 2010, and we really don't have any strong candidates in Nevada (unless Ensign gets beat this time around with tactics that Daschle and Johnson used in South Dakota against Thune).
Maybe we can get Jerry Tarkanian to run - most paid athletes and coaches tend to be conservative. Ha ha.
I want to ask, why do we always let them set the agenda? Abrahamoff was a lobbyist who is just going to jail. Don't the presidential aspirations of Clinton as well as her associations with past campaign scandal make her a bigger worry? And while I am on the subject, why do we fuss about chump change when Soros, Lewis et al tried to swing the last election with $54 million? I really don't care as much about sports boxes and lunches.
bttt
"I want to ask, why do we always let them set the agenda?"
Because there is no Republican leadership on ANY issue. We are like a rudderless ship, blown around by the hot air from Dems.
If the problem is the media, how can the solution be term limits?
Sorry, but I regard such cynicism as not merely amoral but sinful.
THEY set the agenda because they control about eighty percent of the media. It's that simple.
One of the things I noticed about Bush in his 2000 campaign was his ability to set the agenda. He kept Algore talking about his issues the whole time.
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