Reid All About It: Sen. Short Term Memory (Lashes Out At Bush, Forgetting His Abramoff Connections)

Republican National Committee ^ | January 24, 2006

[RWR8189]

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) Lashes Out At Bush Administration, Forgetting His
Jack Abramoff Connections

"It's unfortunate that a week before President Bush has an opportunity to lay out his agenda, Harry Reid is already mischaracterizing his record of achievement in an effort to score cheap political points. Whether he is taking the battle to the terrorists or delivering prescription drug coverage to America's seniors, President Bush is a proven leader in step with our nation's priorities. By launching bitter, partisan attacks that ignore problems in his own backyard, Senator Reid is emblematic of a minority party that is long on anger and short on substance."
-Tracey Schmitt, RNC Press Secretary

Reid Potential Target Of Abramoff Investigation?:

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV): "Law-Enforcement Authorities And Others Said The [Abramoff] Investigation's Opening Phase Is Scrutinizing ... Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat ..." (Jerry Seper and Audrey Hudson, "Abramoff-Linked Probe Focuses On 5 Lawmakers," The Washington Times, 1/11/06)

Reid Received Abramoff Affiliated Money:

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) Has Received $68,941 From Abramoff Affiliated Lobbying Firms And Indian Tribes. (Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed 1/4/06)

• Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) Has Received $50,500 From Abramoff Affiliated Indian Tribes. (Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed 1/4/06)

• Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) Has Received $18,441 From Abramoff Affiliated Lobbying Firms. (Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed 1/4/06)

Reid Was The Third Highest Individual Democrat Recipient Of Abramoff Affiliated Money. ("How Abramoff Spread The Wealth," The Washington Post, 12/12/05)

** NOTE: The Abramoff Affiliated Indian Tribes Are The Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians, Chitimacha Tribe Of Louisiana, Mississippi Band Of Choctaw Indians, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Of Michigan And The Tigua Indian Reservation From 1997 To 2004. The Abramoff Affiliated Lobbying Firms Are Preston Gates From 1997-2000, And Greenberg Traurig From 2001-2004. **

Reid Acted On Behalf Of Abramoff Clients:

"Many Lawmakers ... Intervened With Letters To Interior Secretary Gale Norton Within Days Of Receiving Money From Tribes Represented By Abramoff Or Using The Lobbyist's Restaurant For Fundraising, An Associated Press Review Of Campaign Reports, IRS Records And Congressional Correspondence Found." (John Solomon, "Lawmakers Pressured Interior While Getting Large Donations," The Associated Press, 11/18/05)

• "Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid Of Nevada Sent A Letter To Norton On March 5, 2002, That Also Was Signed By Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. The Next Day, The Coushattas Issued A $5,000 Check To Reid's Tax-Exempt Political Group, The Searchlight Leadership Fund." (John Solomon, "Lawmakers Pressured Interior While Getting Large Donations," The Associated Press, 11/18/05)

Reid's Former Legislative Counsel Was Top Lobbyist With Abramoff:

"[A]bramoff Did Hire As One Of His Lobbyists Edward P. Ayoob, A Veteran Reid Legislative Aide. Manley Acknowledged That Ayoob Helped Raise Campaign Money For His Former Boss. Lawyers Close To The Abramoff Operation Said That Ayoob Held A Fundraising Reception For Reid At Greenberg Traurig's Offices Here." (Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Derek Willis, "Democrats Also Got Tribal Donations," The Washington Post, 6/3/05)

Edward P. Ayoob Was Registered To Lobby For The Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians With Jack Abramoff From 2002-2004. (Lobbying Registration, Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians, 1/9/03; Mid-YearTermination, Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians, 8/19/04)

• Greenberg, Traurig Lobbyists, Including Ayoob And Abramoff, Earned $3,160,000 While Lobbying For The Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians From 2002-2004. (Year-End Report, Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians, 2/14/03; Mid-Year Report, Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians, 8/14/03; Year-End Report, Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians, 2/17/04; Mid-Year Termination, Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians, 8/19/04)

Edward P. Ayoob Was Registered To Lobby For The Sandia Pueblo Indians With Jack Abramoff In 2002. (Lobbying Registration, Sandia Pueblo, 4/23/02; Mid-Year Report, Sandia Pueblo, 8/14/03)

• Greenberg, Traurig Lobbyists, Including Ayoob And Abramoff, Earned $500,000 While Lobbying For Sandia Pueblo Indians From 2002-2004. (Lobbying Registration, Sandia Pueblo, 4/23/02; Mid-Year Report, Sandia Pueblo, 2/14/03; Year-End Report, Sandia Pueblo, 2/14/03; Mid-Year Report, Sandia Pueblo, 8/14/03)

Edward Ayoob Donated $1,800 To Democrats While Lobbying In 2002. (The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 1/5/06)

• Edward Ayoob Donated $0 To Republicans While Lobbying In 2002. (The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 1/5/06)

Edward Ayoob Donated $37,515 To Democrats While Lobbying During 2004 Cycle, Including $4,000 To Harry Reid. (The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 1/5/06)

• Edward Ayoob Donated $0 To Republicans While Lobbying During 2004 Cycle. (The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 1/5/06)

[MNJohnnie]

Go RNC! About Time they made this point. Wonder if ANY Junk Journalist will ask Harry to respond to the reports that he and Byron Dorgan are 2 of the 5 targets in the Bush DOJ investigation into Lawmakers tied to Abramoff?

[dirtboy]

But you see, Dem bloggers and posters on Wash Post forums are making sure that the world knows that Reid didn't get a dime from Abramoff. Instead, Reid took the moral high ground and only took tribal gaming donations at the direction of Abramoff. This important moral distinction allows Reid to criticize pubbies for getting checks signed by Abramoff without having to return all the money he got from Abramoff clients.

[OldFriend]

Time to start referring to the dems as the BEDBUG party.

[MikeHu]

Senate Minority Pipsqueak...

[bybybill]

Harry Reid is a joke. Think about it for a second, this dour, unhappy, permanent pessimist is going to lead the Rats to victory, in time of war, with his anti everything attitude. He makes Nancy P. look smart. Sorry, I got carried away, Miss Nancy is still dumb as a stump

[Steveone]

He has been smoking hash with algore from the looks of his memory

[Nasty McPhilthy]

Mmmmm, I love hash and rice.

[Boazo]

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I would've expected this from Slow Joe Biden, the man who proves that ANYBODY is intelligent enough to be a U.S. senator. But this'll work!

[RWR8189]

Thanks for dropping by!

[Steveone]

LMAO!

[nopardons]

bttt

[jveritas]

It is always dumb to portray your opponents as Hitler in any shape or form or substance no matter how despicable the opponents are as in the case of vast majority of liberals and Harry Reid.

[Boazo]

[jveritas]

You are behaving like an idiot.

[Crooked Constituent]

Self appointed FR cop! that's funny! I do agree that the Hitler thing is over the top though. Let's not be like DU'ers.

[Boazo]

Better to behave like an idiot, than to be one like you.

[jveritas]

Thank you.