Posted on 12/23/2005 1:31:10 AM PST by flattorney
Its very odd that Democrats at the national and state levels have sought to exploit the Abramoff matter for political gain, while in the process throwing countless congressional Democrats under the bus, said Brian Nick, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). (Charles Hurt, Dorgan Returns Abramoff Money, The Washington Times, December 14, 2005)
An NRSC Report Shows That Nearly 90 Percent Of Senate Democrats Have Taken Abramoff-Related Money. The NRSC has begun circulating among fellow Republicans new reports showing that all but five of the chambers 44 Democrats have taken Abramoff-related money. In addition, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have taken more than $1.2 million, according to records provided to The Washington Times. (Charles Hurt, Dorgan Returns Abramoff Money, The Washington Times, December 14, 2005)
The NRSC Report Is Part Of A New Counteroffensive By Republicans To Neutralize An Issue That Democrats See As Central To Electoral Gains In 2006. (Charles Hurt, Dorgan Returns Abramoff Money, The Washington Times, December 14, 2005)
If The Democrats Are Alleging That Republicans Are Guilty Of Any Wrongdoing, Theyre Sitting In The Same Boat. Democrats have run two television advertisements in Montana, castigating Burns for his activities on behalf of Abramoff, but as the lobbyists taint spreads, its political impact may dissipate, said Brian Nick, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. If the Democrats are alleging that Republicans are guilty of any wrongdoing, theyre sitting in the same boat, he said. It just becomes a nonstarter. (Jonathan Weisman and Derek Willis Democrat On Panel Probing Abramoff To Return Tribal Donations, The Washington Post, December 14, 2005)
Tribal Clients And Associates Of Jack Abramoff Have Contributed Over $3.1 Million To Democrat Party Interests Between 1997 And 2004. (Campaign Finance Analysis Project Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 2005; Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed December 2005)
National Democrat Party Affiliated Committees Received Over $1.2 Million From Indian Tribe Clients And Lobbying Associates Of Jack Abramoff. (Campaign Finance Analysis Project Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Internal Revenue Service Website, www.irs.gov, Accessed April 21, 2005)
Incumbent Senate Democrat-Affiliated Campaign And Leadership Committees Received Over $729,000 From Indian Tribe Clients And Lobbying Associates Of Jack Abramoff*. (Campaign Finance Analysis Project Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Internal Revenue Service Website, www.irs.gov, Accessed April 21, 2005)
40 Of The 45 Members Of The Senate Democrat Caucus:
Hassert has announced he's "donating" $69,000 to charity that he got from Jack's pals.
That's absolutely disgusting. They all got cold busted. Hassert et al should be a man about it.
WASHINGTON -- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid will not return campaign contributions he received during the past five years from lobbyists and clients associated with Jack Abramoff, a Reid spokeswoman said Friday.
snip
Reid received $6,500 from Abramoff's associates at the Greenberg Traurig law and lobbying firm from 1999 through 2004, The Washington Post reported Friday.
During the same period, Reid received $40,500 from Indian tribes that were Abramoff clients, the paper reported based on research of federal records.
snip
But Abramoff hired Eddie Ayoob, who was Reid's legislative counsel until 2002 and was assistant finance director on Reid's 1998 Senate campaign.
http://tinyurl.com/78ytm
Extortion/bribes regarding casino riverboat license back in 1997 is what Edwin Edwards former Gov. of LA was convicted of and is still serving time in the federal pen for. Eddie DeBartolo Jr. once owner of the San Francisco 49ers claimed Edwards demanded and he paid $400,000 for a license...
I had forgotten about this thread .. thanks for the ping
I just got done a screamimg match with one of my brothers ... AGAIN
I think I'll email him this bit of information
ping for later
This is a good one too; put out by the RNC.
That's all I have, although I've added the files you sent me.
thanks.
"This will never see the light of day."
I totally disagree! This story is all over the internet. Yes, the GOP is in it up to their elbows, but so are the democrats - and the lists I've seen show both groups.
The thing to remember is that proving "bribery" is very difficult. You cannot bribe someone without their knowledge.
It's going to get ugly .. but I do believe the hypocrisy of the dems will show itself. One of the usual suspects from the democrats - on FOX this morning - Henschen (sp?) - made the comment that it was only 1-2 dems. Of course that's a BIG lie and we need to keep at FOX not to allow the dems to get away with that.
This is also a good list showing both dems and repubs:
http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff_recips.asp
Has anyone done totals of R vs. D?
OK. But exactly what laws were violated? Most candidates take money from lobbyists. Why is this different?
I think there are more R's - but remember Abramoff was a "Republican" - and therefore I believe more repubs would have been willing to do business with him.
But in dollar amounts - I don't know how they stack up - because it seems a lot of the big donations were made to dems and not to repubs.
Should Pam Abramoff's donations be included? Just curious.
ping
http://www.kob.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=23546&cat=HOME
No mention of:
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) $3,000
Almost $30,000 to little Chuckie Schumer! And check out Barbara Boxer.
Schumer's Campaign Violations
FEC hits Mr. Campaign-Finance "Reformer" for $250,454
National Review - Byron York
May 5, 2003
New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, an outspoken advocate of campaign-finance reform, has been hit with one of the biggest fines ever imposed on a member of Congress by the Federal Election Commission - for violating campaign-finance laws.
The FEC ruling, handed down in March, ordered Schumer's 1998 senatorial campaign to pay a civil penalty of $130,000. The campaign was also ordered to return 5 in illegal contributions, bringing the total of fines and restitution to slightly more than a quarter-million dollars. The campaign paid the sum in April.
According to FEC records, only three cases involving federal candidates have resulted in higher fines than the one levied on Schumer's campaign. No senatorial candidate has ever been so severely penalized.
At issue in the FEC action were more than 750 contributions, totaling about $915,000, dating from Schumer's 1998 race against Republican Alphonse D'Amato. The FEC found that each of those donations exceeded the $1,000 limit then in effect for contributions to a candidate during a primary or general election. The FEC said most of those excess contributions were within the $1,000 to $2,000 range.
The FEC also found that the Schumer campaign failed to file notices required by law for $89,500 in contributions given in the last days of the 1998 campaign. The Schumer campaign also filed late notices for $186,500 in contributions.
After an FEC audit discovered the violations in 2001, some of Schumer's defenders downplayed them as "technical." But the size of the fine suggests the FEC viewed the infractions as a serious matter. At the least, the violations suggest a relaxed attitude on the part of the Schumer campaign toward the rules regarding the reporting of campaign contributions.
And the punishment might have been worse. It appears that Schumer's campaign benefited from a change in FEC rules, adopted last November, which in effect reduced the number of violations that were subject to fines. Had the Schumer campaign been judged by the FEC's old rules, the $130,000 fine might have been much higher.
The FEC cleared Schumer of personal responsibility for the violations. "The Commission does not allege and there is no finding that U.S. Senator Charles Schumer engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with the findings in this agreement." His 1998 campaign treasurer, Steven D. Goldenkranz, was named in the report.
When asked about the FEC judgment last week, a Schumer spokesman promised to make a written comment, but so far has not made one. The 1998 Schumer race against D'Amato was, at the time, the most expensive in history, with the Schumer campaign spending nearly $17 million. Now, as he prepares to run for reelection next year, Schumer has already amassed nearly $15 million, making him the most successful fundraiser in the Senate.
http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york050503.asp
Congressman Harold Ford Jr. called on U.S. Congressional members Van Hilleary, Ed Bryant and Bob Corker "to give to charity any and all contributions they have ever received from corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates." "Van Hilleary, Bob Corker and Ed Bryant should disclose what Jack Abramoff and his associates gave them over the years and they should donate that money to a charity of their choice immediately", Ford said. In recent days, President Bush, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Tom Delay and other senior members of Congress have either returned or donated Jack Abramoff corrupt money to charity. Van Hilleary, Bob Corker and Ed Bryant should do the same thing. He said Abramoff "is the center of the one of the most egregious lobbying scandal ever. Earlier this week he pleaded guilty to fraud, conspiracy to bribe public officials and tax evasion."
Source: Harold Ford Jr 2006
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