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Abramoff Reports to Prison; Officials Focus on Reid, Others(Reid implicated in Ambramoff scandal)
ABC News ^ | 11/15/2006 | ABC News Alert

Posted on 11/15/2006 11:22:38 AM PST by HOYA97

Edited on 11/15/2006 11:31:16 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

As convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff reported to federal prison today, a source close to the investigation surrounding his activities told ABC News that Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was one of the members of Congress Abramoff had allegedly implicated in his cooperation with federal prosecutors.

A spokesperson for Reid, elected yesterday as the Senate Majority Leader, said the senator had done nothing illegal or unethical.

"We have no idea what Abramoff is telling prosecutors to save his skin, but I do know that these kind of old allegations are completely ridiculous and untrue," Sen. Reid's spokesman Jim Manley told ABC News.

A source close to the investigation says Abramoff told prosecutors that more than $30,000 in campaign contributions to Reid from Abramoff's clients "were no accident and were in fact requested by Reid."

Abramoff has reportedly claimed the Nevada senator agreed to help him on matters related to Indian gambling.

The Associated Press reported earlier this year that Reid wrote at least four letters helpful to the tribes that had contributed money to his campaign.

Reid has denied there was any connection between the letters and the contributions and has said he is a longtime opponent of certain kinds of Indian reservation gambling.

The AP reported that Reid acknowledged "routine contacts" with Abramoff's lobbying partners and intervening to block rival tribal casinos.

The AP also reported that Abramoff's billing records showed extensive contact with Reid's office over a three-year period in which Reid collected more than $68,000 from Abramoff's firm, partners and clients.

Prosecutors have said that Abramoff's cooperation is essential to the corruption investigation, but, so far, they have brought only one prosecution against a member of Congress connected to Abramoff, Republican Bob Ney of Ohio, who resigned.

The source said prosecutors do not intend to rely solely on Abramoff's account of events, and his allegations against Reid and others will not necessarily result in criminal charges.

Sources close to the federal investigation say Abramoff has offered testimony about his contacts with "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators" and an ever larger number of Republican members of Congress.

In addition to Reid, the sources say Abramoff has been most closely questioned about his contacts with Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), who was defeated in last week's election.

"Being defeated may have been one of the best things that ever happened to Burns," said a source close to the investigation. "There is much more interest in members of Congress who are still in office," the source said.

Burns, who received more than $150,000 in Abramoff-connected campaign contributions, has strongly denied any wrongdoing and returned the money.

Sen. Reid has been an outspoken critic of the connections between Abramoff and Republican legislators.

In a speech earlier this year, Sen. Reid described it as "a program where the lobbyists paid and the Republican members of Congress played."

The Justice Department said it would have no comment on the ongoing Abramoff investigation.


TOPICS: Breaking News
KEYWORDS: abramoff; cultureofcorruption; dingyharry; dustyharry; harryreid; ratreid; reid; reidmustresign; soildedharry
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1 posted on 11/15/2006 11:22:40 AM PST by HOYA97
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To: HOYA97

Merry Abrahamoffmas.


2 posted on 11/15/2006 11:23:14 AM PST by July 4th (A vacant lot cancelled out my vote for Bush.)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: HOYA97

Must be a mistake and will be removed. Democrats are not responsible for activities that may be considered illegal if Republicans commit them.


4 posted on 11/15/2006 11:23:48 AM PST by The Iceman Cometh (Democrats In Control! (Where's my friggin' free stuff?))
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To: HOYA97

Reid has got to go DOWN!!!!!!!!!!1


5 posted on 11/15/2006 11:24:20 AM PST by roaddog727 (BullS##t does not get bridges built)
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To: HOYA97

Hmmmm Two weeks too late.....


6 posted on 11/15/2006 11:24:22 AM PST by KoRn
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To: HOYA97

Rush was just talking about this. Apparently the Reid line is that this is "old news." ?


7 posted on 11/15/2006 11:24:54 AM PST by truthkeeper (It's the borders, stupid.)
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To: HOYA97
The real "Culture of Corruption" rears it's ugly head...

Somebody got a picture of Pelosi?


8 posted on 11/15/2006 11:24:55 AM PST by darkwing104 (Let's get dangerous)
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To: HOYA97

Why wasn't this public in October?


9 posted on 11/15/2006 11:24:55 AM PST by Broker (Haddi Nuff)
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To: HOYA97

Perfect opportunity for The Former Twelfth Lady,I'd say.


10 posted on 11/15/2006 11:25:09 AM PST by Gay State Conservative ("An empty limousine pulled up and Hillary Clinton got out")
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To: HOYA97

December surprise?


11 posted on 11/15/2006 11:25:09 AM PST by West Coast Conservative (Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.)
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To: July 4th
Merry Abrahamoffmas.

LOL!

12 posted on 11/15/2006 11:25:09 AM PST by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal.")
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To: HOYA97

As convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff reported to federal prison today, a source close to the investigation surrounding his activities told ABC News that Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was one of the members of Congress Abramoff had allegedly implicated in his cooperation with federal prosecutors.

A spokesperson for Reid, elected yesterday as the Senate Majority Leader, said the senator had done nothing illegal or unethical.

"We have no idea what Abramoff is telling prosecutors to save his skin, but I do know that these kind of old allegations are completely ridiculous and untrue," Sen. Reid's spokesman Jim Manley told ABC News.

A source close to the investigation says Abramoff told prosecutors that more than $30,000 in campaign contributions to Reid from Abramoff's clients "were no accident and were in fact requested by Reid."

Abramoff has reportedly claimed the Nevada senator agreed to help him on matters related to Indian gambling.

The Associated Press reported earlier this year that Reid wrote at least four letters helpful to the tribes that had contributed money to his campaign.

Reid has denied there was any connection between the letters and the contributions and has said he is a longtime opponent of certain kinds of Indian reservation gambling.

The AP reported that Reid acknowledged "routine contacts" with Abramoff's lobbying partners and intervening to block rival tribal casinos.

The AP also reported that Abramoff's billing records showed extensive contact with Reid's office over a three-year period in which Reid collected more than $68,000 from Abramoff's firm, partners and clients.

Prosecutors have said that Abramoff's cooperation is essential to the corruption investigation, but, so far, they have brought only one prosecution against a member of Congress connected to Abramoff, Republican Bob Ney of Ohio, who resigned.

The source said prosecutors do not intend to rely solely on Abramoff's account of events, and his allegations against Reid and others will not necessarily result in criminal charges.

Sources close to the federal investigation say Abramoff has offered testimony about his contacts with "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators" and an ever larger number of Republican members of Congress.

In addition to Reid, the sources say Abramoff has been most closely questioned about his contacts with Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), who was defeated in last week's election.

"Being defeated may have been one of the best things that ever happened to Burns," said a source close to the investigation. "There is much more interest in members of Congress who are still in office," the source said.

Burns, who received more than $150,000 in Abramoff-connected campaign contributions, has strongly denied any wrongdoing and returned the money.

Sen. Reid has been an outspoken critic of the connections between Abramoff and Republican legislators.

In a speech earlier this year, Sen. Reid described it as "a program where the lobbyists paid and the Republican members of Congress played."

The Justice Department said it would have no comment on the ongoing Abramoff investigation.


13 posted on 11/15/2006 11:25:19 AM PST by edpc (Violence is ALWAYS a solution. Maybe not the right one....but a solution nonetheless)
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To: HOYA97

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/11/abramoff_report_1.html


14 posted on 11/15/2006 11:25:32 AM PST by TommyDale (Iran President Ahmadinejad is shorter than Tom Daschle!)
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To: HOYA97

I like how ABC offsets the "bad news" with a photo gallery right below the Reid story, showing Republicans on an Abramahoff trip.


15 posted on 11/15/2006 11:25:42 AM PST by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: HOYA97

Well voters, you asked for the "CULTURE OF CORRUPTION" and you now have it, IN SPADES.

Yes, Reid is a lawbreaking badboy, and how about MURTHA?? Remember ABSCAM -- the sting that nailed Murtha on-the-take. Now he has earned a position in Congress, due to his unchecked corruption and gross anti-military and anti-American postion.

Yes, criminals win, America loses, thanks to brain-dead voters.


16 posted on 11/15/2006 11:25:42 AM PST by EagleUSA (T)
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To: HOYA97

Hmmm....the incoming Nevada governor is a Pubbie.


17 posted on 11/15/2006 11:25:49 AM PST by rightinthemiddle (Without the Media, the Left and Islamofacists are Nothing.)
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To: rightinthemiddle

Finally, some good news.


18 posted on 11/15/2006 11:26:26 AM PST by teddyballgame (red man in a blue state)
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To: HOYA97

The swamp is deep.


19 posted on 11/15/2006 11:26:31 AM PST by A message (We who care, Can Not Fail)
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To: HOYA97

Now, do you think that if the Dems hosted the majority elections after the newbies came to town in January Harry Redi would be made Majority Leader?


20 posted on 11/15/2006 11:26:50 AM PST by sully777 (You have flies in your eyes--Catch-22)
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