Posted on 05/29/2006 11:31:18 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Senate leader took free boxing tickets
By JOHN SOLOMON, Associated Press Writer 4 minutes ago
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission to three professional boxing matches while that state agency was trying to influence him on federal regulation of boxing.
Reid, D-Nev., took the free seats for Las Vegas fights between 2003 and 2005 as he was pressing legislation to increase government oversight of the sport, including the creation of a federal boxing commission that Nevada's agency feared might usurp its authority.
He defended the gifts, saying they would never influence his position on the bill and was simply trying to learn how his legislation might affect an important home state industry. "Anyone from Nevada would say I'm glad he is there taking care of the state's No. 1 businesses," he told The Associated Press.
"I love the fights anyways, so it wasn't like being punished," added the senator, a former boxer and boxing judge.
Senate ethics rules generally allow lawmakers to accept gifts from federal, state or local governments, but specifically warn against taking such gifts — particularly on multiple occasions — when they might be connected to efforts to influence official actions.
"Senators and Senate staff should be wary of accepting any gift where it appears that the gift is motivated by a desire to reward, influence, or elicit favorable official action," the Senate ethics manual states. It cites the 1990s example of an Oregon lawmaker who took gifts for personal use from a South Carolina state university and its president while that school was trying to influence his official actions.
"Repeatedly taking gifts which the Gifts Rule otherwise permits to be accepted may, nonetheless, reflect discredit upon the institution, and should be avoided," the manual states.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Oops, that's horse racing.
Really? Tells you what I know about boxing. I was thinking between 50-100 dollars:') Doesn't something that valuable have to be declared?
Apparently to Red Harry what's good for the Goose isn't good for the Gander. Please explain the difference between a golf outing and a boxing match??
Pray for W and Our Troops
Rep. Jefferson should cite this precedent when he goes on trial. "Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not going to let $100,000 influence my position !"
Boxing is "The Sweet Science", but then again, you could be right. The most famous boxing promoter is, after all, Don . . . King!
I think that is what this story is about...and he supposedly went to 3 fights...that could be a LOT of money...
I also think the reason this is such a big deal is because Reid has been one of the most sanctimonious about "the culture of corruption" surrounding the Bush Administration.
What goes around, comes around...and I disagree that the Republicans should ignore it....I think they need to make a HUGH deal out of it...the dems get away with this stuff all of the time.
I thought that was Horse Racing.
All he has to say is that he (jeff.) was taking up a collection to help reduce the National Debt being runup by W. The $90K was what was leftover after expenses and he was planning to take it over to the Treasury Building the next day.
No matter. Different rules for Republicans and Democrats.
The meetings occurred over a five-day span in which Ayoob also threw a fundraiser for Reid at the firm where Ayoob and Abramoff worked that netted numerous donations from Abramoff's partners, firm and clients.
Reid said he viewed the two official meetings and the fundraiser as a single event. "I think it all was one, the way I look at it," he said.
So Reid is admitting that the fundraisers and official meetings he had are one event. paying for meeting with a Senator has never been so openly mentioned or admitted before by a sitting Senator.
see my 21
As I understand the rules - it isn't the value of any one 'gift' - it's that it's against the rules - he's taking 'gifts' from an outfit who's campaigning him for help on their project.
If he takes this, who knows what else he's been 'gifted' with?
Were it a republican, they would be investigated to he*(l and back for just that.
If one robber only gets a few hundred dollars for his troubles and a second gets thousands - if the first one let go because he didn't get that much?
I'm a tad tired of the demRAts always walking away with a 'go free' card for KNOWN violations, while Pubs, time and again, get crucified and careers down the toilet. investigated to death - without proof of any wrong doing - .......
It doesn't actually say he attended all these matches. I wonder if dirty Harry scalped any of the gifted tickets?
bttt
In this frame from video, provided by HBO, Sen. Minority Leader, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., left, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., second from left, sit near ringside at the Oscar De La Hoya-Bernard Hopkins championship boxing match in Las Vegas in September 2004. Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission while McCain insisted on paying $1,400 to reimburse for the tickets he shared with Reid. (AP Photo/HBO)
a former boxer and boxing judge.
This explains everything. The only way to get more bribes in Nevada than a boxing judge is to become a United States Senator and attend all of Michael Corleone Lake Tahoe parties.
Bookmarked -Add to collection.
See... It's ok for Reid to take bribes from him, since Abramoff is a Republican.
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