The House That Jack Built: A Comprehensive Look At The Abramoff Scandal
Filed Under: Ethics
By on Jan 3rd, 2006 at 1:44 pm
The House That Jack Built: A Comprehensive Look At The Abramoff Scandal
Jack Abramoff is expected to plead guilty today to fraud, public corruption and tax evasion.
Even more significantly, he has agreed to cooperate with the government. Abramoff’s misdeeds could become the “biggest scandal in Congress in over a century.”
ThinkProgress has produced a research document that takes a comprehensive look at all the potential players, including members of Congress, members of the Bush administration and right-wing operatives.
Check it out HERE.
UPDATE: Abramoff makes it official. Appears in U.S. District Court in Washington and pleads guilty.
UPDATE II: Crooks and Liars has the video of CNN’s segment on Abramoff.
UPDATE III: The plea agreement can be found here.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
Good work!
January 3rd, 2006 at 1:58 pmI didn’t expect you all to admit that.
The fact is that when Dirty Harry Reid gets nailed for his corruption, all hopes of the Democrats benefiting from the “Culture of Corruption” will disappear.
January 3rd, 2006 at 1:58 pmWonderful work!
#2 - I’ll give you Harry Reid if you’ll give me George W. Bush. Indict them both. OK?
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:02 pmHow long you been shaking waiting to say that, Gary?
“I have never met Abramoff in my life”
-Reid
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:04 pmWe need a thread like this for statements of position by members of congress on being shelved by the WH with spying.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:07 pmAnd Bill Clinton didn’t have sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky.
The fact is that when you’re a Senator, saying “I never met that person” is a bad idea, because the odds say that you have met that person.
Harry Reid didn’t just meet Jack Abramoff, he also did the dirty work of Abramoff’s clients.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:07 pmGary,
STFU.
The people at Think Progress want all scumbags accounted for. Your “You guys did it too” doesn’t cut butter here. I don’t think you will find one person here that wants corrupt democrats in power. Progress is getting corruption out of Washington.
“You guys did it too” is an admission by you that your guys are corrupt.
Guess what? There are a lot of politicians these days who say they are democrats, but are nothing more than wolves in sheeps clothing.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:11 pmSo Abramoff is going to spend “all my remaining days” seeking forgiveness from the Almighty.” Perhaps he should spend all his remaining days seeking forgiveness from the American people that he helped to swindle.
Of course, who thinks, like me, that Abramoff may not have very many “remaining days” left, and that he might meet with some unfortunate “accident” just before he outs Delay, Rove and the rest of the rats involved in this culture of corruption?
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:18 pmWait, wait! Don’t tell Gary to stfu! He’s the only one insightful enou8gh to see that this was all Bill Clinton’s fault.
Let’s all chip in and get Gary a new white cane and a guide dog. Maybe an IQ transplant.
Without his help, how would we know that 3/79 = both sides did it.
Better still, paint yourself brown, Gary, and sneak into Guantanomo. They’ll treat you right in there.
Your friend forever,
Steve
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:19 pmFact is, you can have Reid, personally I don’t think he can play the game up to my standards. We need more of a hardnose for the Democratic party and harry does not fit the bill. It looks to me like there is a 98% rethuglican to 2% democrat ratio, but I’m sure the MSM will twist it to sound like 50/50.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:20 pmRuppert is obviously another angry hateful troll. Like I said before, I would be angry too if I voted for an idiot.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:20 pmDamn! That is a pretty high house of cards that is about to fall… Excellent report!
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:28 pmtrolls get mad when they realize they picked a loser. If your dirty, I’t doesn’t matter what party your with, convict them all.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:31 pmSweet Baby Jesus,
When you tinfoil eunuchs squeal “see, dems do it too” my fillings hurt.
Spare us your kindergarten ethics lesson. Out of 38 listed 35 are repugs, and 3 are dems. Translation= 93% of republicans are corrupt. And we all know this is just round one. So, we know that eunuchs must squeal, but please give our fillings a break and put a pillow over your face and keep it there till 2008.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:31 pmLet the investigations begin and if it’s proven that ANY POLITICIAN was knowingly taking funny money from Abramoff, they should be punished to fullest extent that the law will allow. I don’t care if it’s Harry Reid or its Harry Potter.
I do believe it’ll be easier now for folks to understand that the crusade by Tom Delay and his corrupt minions of the majority to eliminate “activist” judges is placed in its proper perspective in light of what’s underway. “Activist judge” is a euphemism for “judge that will convict lawbreakers and piss on our gravytrains”. Ahhhh Tommy the Bug Man, life was so much simpler when you were the cocroach killer…..how does it feel to be the cocroach?
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:32 pm#10 - Problem is Mark, you haven’t had a Dem in YEARS who can hold a candle to Tip O’Neill. He was tough, had common sense, fought the good fight, knew how to compromise and loved his country. I didn’t agree him politically very often but he was a great Democrat. Fast forward to today….The squishy wimps of your party (ie. Daschle,Kerry, Reid) and the drunks (Kennedy, Dodd, etc.) give you very little choice. Decent Dems (Richardson, Leiberman) are vilified by the extreme on the left. The fragmented splinters of the ersatz coalitions which comprise the Dems will ensure another Republican victory.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:33 pmmighty aphrodite,
You know as well as everyone here that Richardson and Lieberman are repulicans pretending to be democrats.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:35 pmWell done, Think Progress! But I take it Gary Ruppert #2 doesn’t like the article.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Gary is like the rest of us rightwing conservatives and is pissed because nearly all the sleazy, crooked politicans mentioned are republicans. I mean, it looks like 2006 is going to be an escallation of 2005.
Hey Gary: Don’t life just really suck sometimes for us rightwing dipshits?
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:38 pmWrong MA,
What will give your party another victory is what you claim to hate, incumbency and gerrymandering. So pop the cork and toast to your party and all your compromised beliefs.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:39 pmFunny Aphro mentions drunks - he voted for one.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:41 pmGood job, it took the trained monkeys 6 posts to bring Clinton into the discussion. Not a record by any means, but not bad either…always remember blame Clinton, its easier than thinking.
Oh well calling Reid Dirty does not make it so, just as thinking Bush is a great president does not make that so either. Bringing the dems on board is simply ignoring what has been occurring over the last decade or so. DeLay and his crew have pretty much set up the K Street project specifically to benefit republican politicians. It’s been in the news for 10 years now and none of them have denied that. Abrahamoff is simply one who got caught buying influence. Because Mr. A gave money to Dems it does not mean that he purchased influence. With the way things have gone down, I think it was simply a matter of covering their bases. This is far more serious than selling postage stamps I think. Eventually Mr. A is going to say something that will connect him to another lobbying firm and then they will be opened up etc…and I fully believe that the dirty will spread to both sides of the aisle, but that the larger and more insidious piles of dirt will be on the right side of the aisle. After all how much legislation has the republican party allowed the dems to initiate and pass over the last 5 years or so? None that I can think of. They let them vote on legislation and they let the dems support the legislation, but they certainly do not allow them to have any input and that is exactly where the lobbyists buy their influence…through the input to legislation.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:43 pmI don’t think you will find one person here that wants corrupt democrats in power. Progress is getting corruption out of Washington.
Comment by Spudge_Boy
That’s a laugh.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:44 pmAlso simply recieving a donation from an individual or a PAC is no indication that Mr A and Reid have ever met. Assuming they have is takign a great leap. Reid very well may have, but remember Mr A and DeLay and their K Street project which was run to exclude dems.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:46 pmYou’re a laugh. Shit, I am laughing at you right now. My year is starting out quite nice. It good to start a new year with lots of republicans prepping for indictments.
I am not laughing with you, I am laughing at you.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:49 pmSponge - We gave you Jeffords (you can have Chaffee) - we’ll take Richardson and Leiberman. Deal??
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:51 pm#16…
I feel a little dirty saying this, but: barring the annoying “wimps and drunks” tropes, not to mention the trotting out of the excerable Lieberman as a role model, I pretty much agree with Mighty on this one.
Interesting that she neglects to mention Murtha, though. Or is it just to inconvenient for you that he’s not toeing the party line (that would be, the GOP line) on Iraq?
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:52 pm#20 - PP - At least the drunk I voted for quit drinking, and stopped the car when he was pulled over by the police. Come to think of it, Ted stopped the car, too - he just needed a blonde, a bridge and a pond to stop the damn thing.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:55 pmNice shot aphrodite in #16. I really liked the way you threw out Tip O’Neill factor on fighting the good fight and all like that. And you’re right. Compare him to, say, someone like that sleazebag, Tom DeLay. Nosiree, no comparison at all.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but when you were talking about Kennedy and Dodd being drunks, I’m glad you didn’t mention that other town drunk, George Bush. And that wimp Kerry: so what if he has been wounded in combat, won the Silver Star and didn’t do like Dick Cheney by hiding behind deferments (one for knocking up his wife to keep from being drafted)—-we know a wimp when we see one, huh?
I wonder how many “squishy wimps” will be resigning or going to jail for breaking the law? You know, like their unethical, corrupt, chickenshit republican counterparts?
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:55 pm#25
This just proves our point, you repugs think that everyone is for sale or barter.
Well, I’m sure the new crop of repug criminals will be able to sell and barter much in prison.
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:57 pmmighty aphrodite,
What’s with the names again. I even wished you a happy new year in a thread yesterday and now you are calling me names. Sheesh.
And it does sound like a deal.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:01 pmSammy - I feel the same way about Jack Murtha’s convenient shift in position as I do that “Kennedy wannabe”, John Edwards, or those other stalwarts of the Dem Party, Jimmy Carter, George McGovern, Howard “Shreik” Dean, etc. Murtha WAS a hawkish Dem but when the going gets tough, the modern lib Dem puts on his running shoes. For this reason ALONE, Dems will be unable to convince Americans that security is a high priority for their platform.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:01 pmSpudge - typing way to fast - not anything subliminal. OK, but with respect to the deal - in all fairness , you must admit that you’re trading for more wimps (Chaffee) and we’re trading for more backbone. P.S And a Happy New Year to you, too!!!
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:06 pmOh,
Well Aphrodite I didn’t know you are a vet. You are a vet right?
OOpps, well eunuch when you have your balls re-attached maybe we can talk about security.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:07 pmThe House That Jack Built
For those of you that have yet to get a scope of the Republican Abramoff scandal the good folks over at Think Progress have gone ahead and organized all those involved with the criminality into one comprohensive list. Now it…
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:11 pmGary,
It looks like things are more fair here than you thought. All Dems involved are indicated. If Reid goes down, that’s fine with me.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:12 pmGreat report by Think Progress.
I’d admit to Gary I had SOME of my facts wrong but he’d take that to mean everything he says is correct, so, obviously, I can’t do that.
*wink*
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:13 pmOooh
Oooh
Justice department news conference on yet?
You watching, Gary?
Can’t wait to flip to FAUX to see how they cover it (the crawls should be hilarious).
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:15 pm#28 - Joe - Read #27 about the drunk I voted for - then we’ll compare him to the drunk from Beantown and figure out what the h*/l they put in the water to make those morons send that bloated, lying, cowardly drunk to the Senate time and again. (And those are his good points!)
As for John Kerry’s “battle wounds” - I think it’s a load of cr*p to get that weak-sister out of there alive in record time - 4 months, wasn’t it? I don’t disagree with you about Cheney’s deferments - but I remember guys running to Canada, braces on teeth, and phony letters for Clinton. I still have a squishy cousin living in Victoria, B.C. working and raising a family, but managing to sponge off his mother for his high brow lifestyle - an embarrassment to be sure.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:16 pmman, if that isn’t an “oh shit, I’m screwed!” look on his face!
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:19 pmHey, Aphrodite, I’m still waiting for a response on my post at #28 on your take on all those democratic wimps vs the republican statesmen you pointed out.
Correct me if I’m wrong, here is another democratic wimp you should throw out: Max Cleland. You remember that old wimp don’t you? The triple-amputee and war hero from Vietnam who the republican slander machine targeted by questioning his patriotism and commitment to national security. Of couse the redneck in Georgia fell for it and voted in another Vietnam draftdodger named Saxby Chambliss.
I mean, when we get done trashing Max Cleland for being a wimp and burden on society, lets talk about good old Newt Gingich and how he dumped his wife (who was fighting cancer) for his young, female intern.
On a serious note, aphrodite, I have to ask: what color panties do you have on right now? My guess is they are white or pink.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:21 pmThe Righty’s have to come here for action. The Right Wing blogs are rediculus and operate at the 6th grade level. This blog isn’t full of stupid advertisements, and is more fair than the Right blogs. If this crap was reversed, there would be no mention of any wrongdoing on their side at all. This blog has the guts to admit some Dems were corrupt also.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:23 pmRichardson is a crook also, and needs to be held accountable. He is a Democrat so New Mexico will keep voting for him.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:25 pmVery interestinglya quick search reveals that Mr A gave exactly $0 to Dems, Dem Candidates and Dem PAC’s since 2001. Quite an indictefully low amount. WOnder where the dem dirt is going to be fabricated from? Oops, did I say fabricated? I think they will spin somehting out there for us.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:25 pmCorrect me if I’m wrong, here is another democratic wimp you should throw out: Max Cleland. You remember that old wimp don’t you? The triple-amputee and war hero from Vietnam who the republican slander machine targeted by questioning his patriotism and commitment to national security. Of couse the redneck in Georgia fell for it and voted in another Vietnam draftdodger named Saxby Chambliss.
Joe Sixpack,
I was living in California at the time, but grew up in Georgia. I’m pretty certain that Diebold won that election for Mr. Chambliss… 8.8 million people in Georgia. Half live in metro Atlanta where Diebolds are rampant. Cleland was just too loved here to be voted out of office. I even voted for him when I used to be a conservative.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:28 pmThis will help everyone forget about osaMABUSh.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:31 pmAdmit it Right Wingers, this doesn’t look good for you.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:32 pmVery interestinglya quick search reveals that Mr A gave exactly $0 to Dems, Dem Candidates and Dem PAC’s since 2001. Quite an indictefully low amount. WOnder where the dem dirt is going to be fabricated from? Oops, did I say fabricated? I think they will spin somehting out there for us.
Comment by Mark — January 3, 2006 @ 3:25 pm
It makes as much sense for a neocon to donate to the DNC as it does for me to shoot myself in the foot… I consider myself an independent and want the corrupt Democrats out as well, but if something doesn’t make sense, then I’m not shooting it either just to look unbiased to the neocons.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:32 pmWell, aphrodite, thanks for the response. I was starting to feel kind of ignored. Most of the girls here ignor me cause, as you know, I can be kind of crude, in a good old boy kind of way. ;).
Correct me if I’m wrong, but that drunk you voted for was what—age 40—when his wife said “Its either me or Jim Beam.” I guess that was also when he stopped using cocaine and such.
Hey, do you think all that booze and drugs did anything to dull his 91 IQ? I mean, junior is really a simpleton kind of dumbass, you know. Remember that fried egg commercial about you brain on drugs? I’m thinking they burned the pan up with that asshole. Don’t you?
If you can remember all those poor democrats running to Canada while the rich little boys (Cheney, Wolfowitz, O’Rielly, georgieboy, etc. got deferments or into the National Guard to keep from serving their country, you ain’t wearing panies.
I guessing you have on pink bloomers. Right?
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:34 pmTed Kennedy is an extremely wealthy and powerful member of a family that may have been the closest thing to American royalty (in a purely symbolic sense) in their day. He endures the full wrath of the rightwing propaganda machine without caving or compromising his values, which include helping the less fortunate, providing affordable health care, energy, and education. He fights their lies without fail and he doesn’t complain about getting a raw deal by the lying media. He could plant his fat ass on a beach somewhere on a tropical island for the rest of his days and sip Chivas and have his back rubbed by a “trained professional”, but he doesn’t. Instead, he stays and does what any honest and compassionate person of great means would do, he tries to make life better for working Americans.
Those same morons that keep sending him back to Washington know exactly what they’re doing, we were the only state that didn’t give Richard Nixon our electoral college votes, after all. Nothing in the water but common sense and self-respect.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:34 pmThis kind of thing has likely been going on for quite some time. However, as we are seeing lately, (since 2000), things have been taken to a whole new level. If you can get away with it, go for more, and more. Power and money will someday be known as an addiction. We will see the same brain chemicals associated with this behavior as we see with addictions to any other behaviors. An addiction inevitably has negative consequences. Yes I am a professional in behavioral health.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:42 pmI think we need to think about these congress critters, including our own, and what exactly the crime is they have committed. Did Dorgan or Reid, in fact, take money from Abramoff himself? Were they “in on the game” in the same way as Ralph Reed, Delay, and so on? Were all 97 Republicans also equally corrupt?
It might prove that Abramoff gave money to HIS boys personally, and in great quantities, while leaving a few pennies under the rug for the Democrat is just, well, insurance money; so that he could say, for instance, “but both sides did it.”
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:49 pmJD Hayworth is out of AZ not LA. For the record. He used to be a sportscaster on the local news in Phoenix, then all of the sudden he became a United States Representative, it was weird. I would like to see him get in trouble.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:54 pmWell, Jay, you just proved aphrodite’s point. Tired old Ted Kennedy is just a political hack that stands in the way of Republican progress.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but he also stands in the way of Big Business of completely running roughshod over the working stiff, destruction of the environment, erosion of Women’s rights (like aphrodite’s).
I mean, Kennedy may be a drunk but with all the many years of honorable (although leftist in my view) service to his country, I have never once heard of him taking a bribe, a kickback, or accepting inappropriate expensive gifts or vacations. Nor does he completely trash or impune the honor or question the patriotism of another person. My, but is it any wonder us rightwingers hate him so much?
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:55 pmAnother new slang term for 06, “Diebolded in”.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:56 pm#29 - Here here. They will ditch someone they’ve loved for years if they thought it would get them something.
BTW, Aphro, BUSH STILL DRINKS. Boy are you naive.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:00 pmThose same morons that keep sending him back to Washington know exactly what they’re doing, we were the only state that didn’t give Richard Nixon our electoral college votes, after all. Nothing in the water but common sense and self-respect.
Comment by Jay — January 3, 2006 @ 3:34 pm
I’m with Jay on this one. Excellent post Jay. Every year, Kennedy brings minimum wage to the floor for an increase. Every year, since 1987, this increase has gotten voted down. Yet, Ted keeps bringing it up. He’s exactly why term limits are not acceptable. He earns his right to be there. In fact, if it weren’t so darn cold up there, I would move to Massachussetts :)
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:01 pmKennedy is hated by the right because he cares for the poor and the needy and doesn’t kiss corporations’ asses. Neocons hate people who do good for the sake of good, it scares them. They can’t figure out why anyone would do something and receive no money for it. Greed is a deadly sin, but one the repubs just can’t shake.
Good always wins over evil, it just takes longer because it isn’t fiscally beneficial. Sorry trolls, looks like your numbers are up.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:05 pmHey Jay,
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:06 pmSo I guess you’re in MA, too?
Unbelievable, #44, I also lived in Georgia for a while when I was a boy. Up near Dalton. Guess that is where I get that redneck stuff from. I was real disappointed and ashamed that the good citizens of Georgia would throw out a good, honorable and descent man like Max Cleland.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but For Truth mentioned another Republican who might be on the take: J.D. Hayworth of Arizona. Ever noticed how Hayworth looks like Hoss Cartwright on Bonanza? Really. About as smart, too.
Back to being serious: I’m guessing aphordite is wearing pink bloomers today. What’s your guess? White? Blue?
If we’re nice to her, I’m hoping she might tell us before she leaves the site.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:06 pmJoe,
Make no mistake about it, you rightwingers pick your smear targets very carefully. Only the most courageous and fearless warrant special treatment from the lying wingnuts (The Clinton’s, Howard Dean, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, et al.) You’re quite right, Ted Kennedy is many things, and has surely made many mistakes in his past….thank goodness for those rightwing Christian values like forgiveness (they served the Shrub extremely well), but he is not compromised by the forces of corruption. The greatest “leaders” always do what’s best for the people of the nation and this includes protecting them from the carnivorous corporations that the Bushies shower favors and tax breaks upon.
My wish for the new year is that people start to believe their eyes not what the spinmasters sell them on TV and radio.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:08 pmGood lord, when these righties can’t think of anyone to blame, they go back HOW many year? 20? 30?
I say we arrest and prosecute EVERYONE that took money in this scandal. Democrat OR republican.
C’mon. Impeaching Clinton was about “rule of law”, and not about the sex. RIGHT?
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:09 pmUnbelievable,
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:10 pmSnowing right now here!!
Funny, I’d like to leave! (at least my part of MA.)
Here’s to Mr Kennedy… A true man of the people!
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:13 pmTrue Blue, I was born and raised in Boston, still work in MA….but moved the family up to Southern NH in 2003 to afford some space. All friends and family are still in MA and I’m just as tuned in to what’s happening here now as ever. Since NH was the only state to switch from Red to Blue in the last election I like to tell people that we put the Dems over the top (but I know it’s truly because people in NH seem to know what the hell’s going on in our country :)
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:17 pmThanks, Jay.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:20 pmI’m a mile or so from the Kennedy Compound, myself.
C’mon. Impeaching Clinton was about “rule of law”, and not about the sex. RIGHT?
Nah, it was about political power. I don’t have much use for the Clintons, but it’s clear that getting in the way of their ambitions is the only crime the Republicans really care about.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:22 pmit’s clear that getting in the way of their ambitions is the only crime the Republicans really care about.
“Their” referring to the Republicans, that is. (Why do these things occur to me right after I hit “post”?)
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:23 pmBTW, Joe,
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:23 pmReally? You think pink?
Isn’t that “girly”? I don’t see her as girly.
I’m thinking, gray.
Not that I think of womens’ undies at all.
Just thought I’d throw my 2 cents in…
Yeah Jay, #60, us wingnuts like to attack the people on the left who might pose a threat to getting our agenda through.
But, hell, man, correct me if I’m wrong, but not only will we go after lefties, democrats in general but our spit and hatred can go after anyone on the right we disagree with: Remember when John McCain ran for office and we trashed his prolife ass by saying he fathered a black baby to defeat him in the South Carolina primary?
I mean, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Wait till he runs again, or that liberal Republican prolife adulterer, Rudy Giuliani runs. When the religious right gets done with those two, Ted Kennedy will sound like a saint.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:24 pmUnbelievable, #44, I also lived in Georgia for a while when I was a boy. Up near Dalton. Guess that is where I get that redneck stuff from. I was real disappointed and ashamed that the good citizens of Georgia would throw out a good, honorable and descent man like Max Cleland.
I’ve been to Dalton a few times… mostly passing through. Once for a track meet in high school… Funny how it’s become Republican. Used to be such a strong blue state…
Correct me if I’m wrong, but For Truth mentioned another Republican who might be on the take: J.D. Hayworth of Arizona. Ever noticed how Hayworth looks like Hoss Cartwright on Bonanza? Really. About as smart, too.
Ever notice how you Republicans all sort have that chubby, bespeckled, fuzzy, nerdy, pasty WASP look? Is it a requiremnt to be one of you that you gain three chins and only rise after the sun goes down?
Back to being serious: I’m guessing aphordite is wearing pink bloomers today. What’s your guess? White? Blue?
If we’re nice to her, I’m hoping she might tell us before she leaves the site.
Comment by Joe Sixpack — January 3, 2006 @ 4:06 pm
Sorry, I’m a straight woman. I don’t even wanna think about it. You’re on your own there… Unless ITI shows up, he’s a pig like that.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:24 pmBarak Obama in ‘08, anyone?
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:24 pmSo it’s snowing on the Cape huh? Much ado about nothing with today’s storm, at least north of Boston….
It’s easy to tell which Dems are doing the most to promote actual democracy, just tune in to Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh and jot down the names of all the Democrats that they spew the most lies about….and there you’ll have them.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:25 pmUnbelievable,
Snowing right now here!!
Funny, I’d like to leave! (at least my part of MA.)
Comment by True Blue — January 3, 2006 @ 4:10 pm
I was born in New Jersey and lived there for several years before moving south. The snow in my kiddie pictures looks so beautiful. My mom says it’s different when you have to shovel it :)
Where would you go?
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:27 pmSince NH was the only state to switch from Red to Blue in the last election I like to tell people that we put the Dems over the top (but I know it’s truly because people in NH seem to know what the hell’s going on in our country :)
Comment by Jay — January 3, 2006 @ 4:17 pm
In a recent education survey, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Mass, Vermont and I’m forgetting the fifth, maybe Maine were all voted the smartest states in the coutry… Not surprising! California which used to be a regular in the top five has fallen to 46th!
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:30 pmWhere would you go?
Comment by unbelievable
Not sure, and sorry to those who might be angry that I interjected non sory stuff.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:30 pmLiked OR when I went cross country, but I have heard there are a lot of rednecks. (Sorry, Joe. No offense!)
Somewhere “blue”…..
Hi, True Blue, its me, Joe. Are you really up there in MA near the Kennedy compound?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but if I was to send you a couple of paper beer coasters from down at the bar I hang out at, do you think Ted Kennedy would sign them for me? I mean, I would ask aphrodite to do it as she sounds like she hangs out with a lot of the big shots, but she won’t even tell me the color of the bloomers she has on.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:31 pmPiltdown - You’ll have to bear with us …. they revert to Nixon - we go after Kennedy. (Just between us - I think that’s why there is no statute of limitation on certain crimes.)
Jay and Unbeliever are sooo thrilled to have a guy who brings the minimum wage to the floor year… after year after year…. - is that because the people who vote for the “Swimmer” are too stupid that all they will ever hold is an entry level job for their entire lives. (Talk about taking from “the young people”!)
Let’s forget the fact that the lying, drunk womanizer left a woman in a pond to DROWN - he was able to haul his a$$ out of the water and call a cousin. (I guess “O” for Operator was just too complicated!) And to add insult to injury, that poor sot Joan helped him put on his neck brace. She seemed more humiliated than Hillary on 60 Minutes - I’m surprised - both gals know what pieces of $h*t they married. I wonder how much $$$ the K’s paid the Kopechne’s.
Good vibes - Your “true man of the people” is a cowardly, pig. But the sad news for many the blondes and bimbos who fawn over him is he appears to have slowed down. Maybe Reggie has him on a tight leash - what a repuulsive sight.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:34 pmBarak Obama in ‘08, anyone?
Comment by ElectricBassPlayer — January 3, 2006 @ 4:24 pm
That’s the talk I’ve been hearing. Any one know of any skeletons in his closet? His constituents seem to love him, and the audience at The Daily Show last month.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:35 pmI don’t know, Joe.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:36 pmSomething tells me he might be a little “sensitive” on his name being on any bar paraphernalia (did I spell that right?)
But, yes, ’bout a mile or so from him.
Barak Obama in ‘08, anyone?
You can hear my bio and nomination for Barack Obama on the “What the World Needs Now” Show.
Click on my name, check broadcast schedule for times.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:37 pmJay and Unbeliever are sooo thrilled to have a guy who brings the minimum wage to the floor year… after year after year…. - is that because the people who vote for the “Swimmer†are too stupid that all they will ever hold is an entry level job for their entire lives.
Comment by mighty aphrodite — January 3, 2006 @ 4:34 pm
Oh yeah, and Paris Hilton is rich because she’s such a genious.
Do some reading. Socio-economic status in a Capitalistic scoiety is extremely difficult to break out of because it is also a mindset that you’re helping endure. The Oprah Windfreys of the country are rare. Most people work hard for a living at meaningless jobs because that is what their parents did and the reality that they know. They didn’t have fancy educations or rich parents to show them how to be rich, or give them the money to start out with. Has nothing to do with stupidity at all.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:40 pmDon’t worry, once these reThuglicans move out of their mothers house, they’ll change their minds.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:41 pmJoe - I heard you’d confuse my panties with a slingshot or so the girls in Buckwheat County said.
Jay - I think God is the One who is supposed to forgive - but Progs seem to skip over the part where he says He’s just. I can overlook people’s mistakes - but not if you keep on doing what you keep on doing over and over and over again ….. Do prog parents wake up and say “Gosh, I hope little Sierra grows up to be just like Ted the “Swimmer”!!
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:45 pmHAHAHA! You can’t overlook crap, unless it’s a republican doing it! If a Democrat did something 40 years ago, you’ll bring it up, if you think it’ll make Herr Busch look better! You kool-aid drinking moron!
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:50 pmI’d like to personally thank the resident right wing trolls and their comments for helping me to isolate and identify the “Dumb Gene”. Your moronic illogical rantings have been invaluable to my research and new book.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:56 pmNot to wory, my research has been sold to an undisclosed pharmaceutical co. and there will be a very expensive drug out soon to help you in your therapy.
Now, to figure out how to manipulate this gene, and fool it into contributing to the brain’s logic and intelligence functions for future right wingers.
Barak Obama? Born in Hawaii, father a national of Kenya. Both of his parents were highly educated. Although raised in Hawaii, he lived in Jakarta, Indonesia a while, then returned to graduate in 1979 with honors. He moved to mainland and graduated from Columbia College.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but like Bush junior, Obama also attended Harvard, but unlike junior, he did not drink or use drugs, but was there to attend law school and was elected the first black president of the Harvard Law Review and graduated magnum cum laude. Married in 1992, he is a Christian and member of the Trinity United Church of Christ. As a top graduatre of Harvard Law, he turned down highpaying job offers and became a community organizer in Chicago. He was elected to the Senate and today is the only African American senator in office. He ran for reelection in 2004 and beat Republican darling Alan Keyes in another landslide victory with 70% of the vote to Keyes’s 27%.
I mean, this guy scares the hell out of my rightwing ass. The Democrats ought to run Lieberman again—he’s a real winner.
January 3rd, 2006 at 4:56 pmJoe knows Obama!
Yeah Joe, Obama also gave lectures on Constitutional Law.
January 3rd, 2006 at 5:08 pmAphrodite, #83: Slingshot? Silly you!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I was going to wear them over my head for the guys down at the bar.
And I still say they’re pink.
January 3rd, 2006 at 5:08 pmAbramoff donated $0 dollars to Democrats, so now she’s back to attacking Democrats. Figures…
January 3rd, 2006 at 5:09 pmAphrodite, like most of her camp, confuses talk with toughness. There are no tough Republicans.
January 3rd, 2006 at 5:12 pmLevinworth Prison is re-naming one of their cellblocks.
The C Block will now be called the (R) Block.
January 3rd, 2006 at 5:20 pmIt won’t be justice if they go to one of the club-med prisons. They ALL deserve to go to an honest to god, pound-em in the ass prison.
January 3rd, 2006 at 5:23 pm“Let’s forget the fact that the lying, drunk womanizer left a woman in a pond to DROWN - he was able to haul his a$$ out of the water and call a cousin. (I guess “O†for Operator was just too complicated!) And to add insult to injury, that poor sot Joan helped him put on his neck brace. [. . .]
Do you also have a conservative take on the war of 1812? It’s about as relevent as this anachonistic rant.
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:00 pmThanks for this great resource and for doing the tricky, sticky work of digging in the Right Wing’s heinous garbage for the truth. I hope everyone who’s reading this donates some money to Think Progress to keep your investigations going.
Also, here’s a quote I’d like to share with everyone, to help us remember what’s really most important about democratic government. It’s from a letter written by playwright Eugene O’Neil to his son just after Pearl Harbor:
“It is like acid always burning in my brain that the stupid butchering of the last war taught men nothing at all, that they sank back listlessly on the warm manure pile of the dead and went to sleep, indifferently bestowing custody of their future, their fate, into the hands of State departments, whose members are trained to be conspirators, card sharps, double-crossers and secret betrayers of their own people; into the hands of greedy capitalist ruling classes so stupid they could not even see when their own greed began devouring itself; into the hands of that most debased type of pimp, the politician, and that most craven of all lice and job-worshippers, the bureaucrats.”
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:03 pmThank you once again for so expertly and thoroughly laying out the details of this scandal and all it’s players.
Are we pissed yet?
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:10 pmWow! what a great compilation. I see a few Dems listed, although they didn’t receive money money directly from JA like a lot of the repukes did. I’d be happy to see all of those chess pieces traded out on the board.
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:13 pmAbramoff guilty, will cooperate
From the Washington Post:Former high-powered lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty today to three felony charges in a deal with federal prosecutors that helps clear the way for his testimony about members of Congress and congressional staffers in a wid…
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:21 pmJoe,
Are you still around?
Vanna,
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:27 pmWow. I’m sending that to my mailbox and emailing it out to everyone I know… including elected officials. Thanks.
Levinworth in definitely not club-fed. It is break big rocks into little rocks prison. Probably a little pound you in the a$$ going on also.
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:36 pmSpudge,
I wouldn’t wish that on any inmate.
I just want them to do the time. Not with violent acts against them. (of course no Club Med, either!!!)
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:44 pm:)
TP, help me out, i’m fighting it out with some wingnut friends over this!! The WaPo site shows Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) as the second largest recipient of money. He didn’t make your list. I need to rectofy that issue!! Help!
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:49 pmwhat about his role in an upcoming middle east crisis? namely- his sponsorship of Syria Reform Party that is working to overthrow Syrian government?
January 3rd, 2006 at 7:09 pmNicely explained.
January 3rd, 2006 at 7:11 pmHow on earth did you put this all together?
January 3rd, 2006 at 7:26 pmJay and Unbeliever are sooo thrilled to have a guy who brings the minimum wage to the floor year… after year after year…. - is that because the people who vote for the “Swimmer†are too stupid that all they will ever hold is an entry level job for their entire lives.
Comment by mighty aphrodite
It didn’t last long, did it? That honeymoon? This is one of the messier parts of liberty and democracy. You have to share space with some of the vilest crap that walks on two legs. There will never be a consensus reached with these people. I’m all for giving them their own little hell hole to play with.
Read Digby
January 3rd, 2006 at 7:27 pmYour coverage is excellent, but doesn’t mention the White House role in terminating the investigation of Rove’s activities in Guam. The issue, which is potentially explosive, received widespread attention last August, but I haven’t read about it since. See http://www.boston.com/ news/ nation/ washington/ articles/ 2005/ 08/ 08/ bush_removal_ended_guam_investigation/
January 3rd, 2006 at 8:15 pmOne thing about Democrats is that they do not march in lock step. They often agree to disagree, they see both sides of an issue, and they will criticize their party members if it is deserved.
January 3rd, 2006 at 8:19 pmSo, Democrats say all who participate in illegal or unethical activity should be punished, regardless of party.
Republicans march in lock step (with daily-issued talking points), they rarely if ever disagree with one another or the party, they are always on the same side of an issue as put forth by their party, and if there is questionable activity by one of their own, they defend him and point to the other party to say, “well he did it too!”
#86, Joe,
January 3rd, 2006 at 8:26 pmKeep your eye on Obama, because he is a rising star. Smart, honest, thoughtful, grounded, and he is articulate, handsome, with an intelligent wife and beautiful children.
Assuming this is correct (needs confirmation), don’t forget to include this!!!
“Bush (or the RNC) never repaid Abramoff’s firm, Greenberg, $314,000 in bills for the 2000 Recount, making it in effect a HUGE in-kind contribution to Bush! SO BUSH OWES ABRAMOFF BIG-TIME.”
January 3rd, 2006 at 8:54 pmhttp://www.dailykos.com/ storyonly/ 2006/ 1/ 3/ 165510/ 5834
Marie,
I like Obama and agree that he has the potential to be a rising star, his speech at the Democratic Convention in Boston last summer was inspirational, but……he hasn’t been courageous enough to warrant too much praise IMHO. He arrived in D.C. and rather than aggressively leading the too often spineless Democrats, he’s positioned himself as the freshman (perhaps wisely if the circumstances were different) that needs to tuck a few years under his belt before he tackles some of the more pressing issues. Look, the Dems know that Dubya and his administration and the rest of the GOP heavy hitters are rotten to the core and there’s no time to play cute while Rome burns. I had hoped that Obama would be more combative and aggressive in his votes on some of the critical issues, but where was he when Barbara Boxer was the only Sentator to object to the certification of the Ohio vote last November? I watched him closely on C-SPAN during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on John Bolton’s U.N. appointment and he was milquetoast.
I guess I was hoping for a hero and I’ve seen too much of business as usual with Barack Obama. I sincerely hope he proves me wrong.
January 3rd, 2006 at 9:14 pm#101 –
Yes, you are right that Kennedy has received significant contributions from Abramoff. But, check out our methodology — we didn’t just include people who had received donations from Abramoff, his clients, or his partners. We also wanted to make sure they had “allegedly done favors for Abramoff, his clients or his partners.” We left off many lawmakers in both parties who had received donations.
But, your friends are right — he did receive approx. $128,000 from Abramoff’s clients. (NOT Abramoff himself, who donated only to Republicans.)
January 3rd, 2006 at 9:26 pm#110, Jay,
January 3rd, 2006 at 11:06 pmI see your point, but I think you won’t be disappointed as time goes on. Many had expected fireworks from the guy but that may have been a little too much and he’d have burned out. Let him take his time to get comfortable in DC, and I think we will all be happy he’s there.
Where’s Richard Pombo? He’s kinda cheap, I know, but corrupt nonetheless.
January 3rd, 2006 at 11:08 pmGee, I look at that incredibly long list, and all “they” can take away from it is Reid? Amazing. Talk about hanging on by the thinnest thread possible.
January 3rd, 2006 at 11:08 pmIt’s a pity that Christmas has just passed. If Jack Abramoff had admitted his guilt at the beginning of December, a new pack of playing cards could have been created for Christmas.
You know that George W. Bush and the Republican Party just loved their gimmicky ‘52 worst people ever to upset George and his buddies’ playing cards.
The new version would be great, so that people have a keepsake, a memento of when the GOP and its hangers-on get their just deserts.
Would George W. Bush be the ‘ace of spades’, or a ‘joker’? Who would be the ‘queens’ in the pack? Do the Republicans have any ‘queens’ that stand out from the rest? They all deserve to have their faces immortalised for prosperity, and placed on a playing card.
January 3rd, 2006 at 11:14 pmThis is a GOP scandal, principally involving collusion between the Republican Majority Leader of the House, Tom Delay, and his former chief-of-staff turned superlobbyist, Jack Abramoff.
The issue is not campaign contributions, but crimes, and only Republicans have been charged with crimes.
Both sides did NOT do it.
January 3rd, 2006 at 11:36 pmYou all forgot this one; (House Rep.Pombo from Tracy, Ca)
Probe of lobbyist ties Pombo to web of Indian money
Lawmaker allegedly helped Abramoff’s clients on key issue
Richard A. Serrano, Judy Pasternak, Los Angeles Times
Saturday, December 24, 2005
I can’t stand this creep. He is the one going after the Endangered Species Act.
January 4th, 2006 at 5:10 amBARAK! BARAK! BARAK! I’ve been saying that since his keynote address. Smart, compassionate, courageous, and REAL also known as GENUINE, something that doesn’t exist much these days in politics. Read his autobiography. This guy’s gotten around and has accomplished alot for those in need. AND he’s supported by 80% of voters in Illinois, black and white. He’s our man folks. (and his name means “Blessed”, almost biblical for you religious folks.) I nominate a Obama/Warner ticket. Doesn’t matter which is VP, just get some smart, compassonate, people in there.
January 4th, 2006 at 9:00 amI too have been disappointed in Obama.
Here in my district (IL-6), there are three Democratic candidates running for the House seat. Two are progressive populists with wide grassroots support, one of whom ran last time and came close enough to convince the Republican incumbent to retire in ‘06. The third is a darling of the DLC, recruited by Rahm Emanuel, supported by big money, and never even seen in the district until recently. Obama’s decided to throw his weight behind the third candidate.
January 4th, 2006 at 9:27 amIf the Democratic Party doesn’t make the Abramoff scandal an issue, even the squishy in the middle, Republican-fellow travelers of the DLC, it no longer deserves our donations, volunteerism and votes!
January 4th, 2006 at 9:41 amIt is interesting that Gale Norton got any Indian money, seeing as she has been on the receiving end of a lawsuit filed by the tribes for the last decade.
January 4th, 2006 at 9:45 amTHE PART OF THIS WHOLE DEAL THAT WON’T GET EXPOSED IS ABRAMHOFF’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE MOSSAD.
SO HIS CLIENT IS A COMPANY THAT WANTS TO WIRE CAPITAL HILL CELL PHONES A’ LA COMMVERSE INFO SYSTEMS AND AMDOCS WHO HAVE COMPROMISED (IN MY OPINION) FEDERAL AGENTS WORKING FOR THE USA AGAINST ISRAELI ORGANIZED CRIME AND EXTASY DRUG SALES.
IF THINKING SNEAKY RATS SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN CHARGE OF PHONE COMMUNICATIONS IN WASHINGTON DC MAKES ME AN ANTISEMITE, SO BE IT!
TIME AND TIME THE TRIBESMEN HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES DISLOYAL AND NO ONE IS SUPOSED TO NOTICE. THANK GOD FOR THE RARE JEW LIKE NORMAN G FINKELSTEIN WHO WILL SPEAK THE TRUTH.
QUINTO QUIBBLE QUIPPED
January 4th, 2006 at 10:17 amThanks for this overview of the reach of Abramoff’s influence. I have posted a link to it on my blog: Under The Lobsterscope.
You have provided a great public service here!
January 4th, 2006 at 10:31 amabramoff is a partisan issue
the liberal avenger mentioned something that has been banging around the blogisphere over the past few days…
January 4th, 2006 at 11:00 amYea, I agree with number 8.
January 4th, 2006 at 11:08 amIt didn’t last long, did it? That honeymoon? This is one of the messier parts of liberty and democracy.
Comment by KillCon2006 — January 3, 2006 @ 7:27 pm
I figured earlier was just one of those rare moments of lucidity that insane people occasionally have…
Their side just doesn’t understand that people aren’t the problem. All their utopian theories are clearing impacting their vision, and ability to think…
January 4th, 2006 at 11:31 amthink wee all knew our government was corrupted to the majority of our elected officials including the executive branch. It will bbee interesting to watch and hear there shallow excuses. It is paramount that all be prosecuted and given the max if founf guilty. I mean like no country club prison. Any one convicted should be sent to our most secure prison weere all of the grosses criminals are sent. But I have a gut deeling nothing will become of this gross scandal and it will all blow oovewer in a few months and it will bee back to business as usual.
January 4th, 2006 at 12:32 pmThe Repugs. are shaking in their smelly corrupt boots and tripping to give back their laundered money from Abramoff. They look like the cornered and scared sewer rats they all all. I can’t wait to see 2006 with the indicted criminal and bribed repugs. and the fake and very hateful religious nutcases losing everything.
January 4th, 2006 at 1:53 pmI like the idea that they think it is only the Republicans who commit scandals. What a laugh that is as the whole bunch of them have skeletons in their closets and Ted Kennedy is the biggest one of all to me.
January 4th, 2006 at 3:43 pmI note this small error:
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
CONTRIBUTIONS — HARKIN RECEIVED $21,000 FROM ABRAMOFF’S PARTNERS AND CLIENTS: Harkin received $22,000 in 2003 and 2004 from Abramoff’s partners and his clients. [USA Today, 12/3/05]
To me, the fact that a few Democrats are also implicated or entangled lends all that much more credibility to the entire list … and the list is simply dominated by Republicans. Will this finally convince the American voting public that we need a change in Congress, if not the White House?!?
January 4th, 2006 at 4:23 pmIf I was Jack today, I’d be scared–not for my freedom or my fortune. For my life.
January 4th, 2006 at 8:59 pmI can’t remember ever sitting down to watch the news and actually cheering, but I’ve been doing it for days now. Al Franken, Michael Moore, et.al.; it’s time to say “I told you so.” Sadly though, most Right Wing Born Again “Christians” will still believe Clinton getting a b*** job was worse.
January 4th, 2006 at 10:21 pmThank you so much for all the info! It’s amazing what these people have gotten away with, but thanks to your hard work at American Progress and other “real” and “honest” reporters hopefully these criminals will be made to pay for all they have done. I hope this will also turn into a big enough scandal that Bush and his team can’t talk their way out of it!
January 4th, 2006 at 10:42 pm“Bringin’ in th’ thieves,
January 5th, 2006 at 9:10 amBringin’ in th’ thieves,
We shall all rejoice in…
bringin’ in th’ thieves.â€
“Bringin’ in th’ thieves,
Bringin’ in th’ thieves,
We shall all rejoice in…
bringin’ in th’ thieves.â€
Comment by big papa — January 5, 2006 @ 9:10 am
OOOOOOOOH, AWESOME.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:15 amOf course someone would have to mention that the Christians would think that Clinton and his indescretion was worse. Let’s leave the religion out of this one as it isn’t only the Christians who thought he did wrong. He got caught and I am sure many others got away with things. Replace the whole Congress and Senate and start fresh. We will never be able to find a perfect government.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:45 am#49 the only thing in the water was the lady who died or did you forget her. Ted Kennedy is like the rest and just because he bears the name doesn’t make him righteous.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:50 aminteresting listing…i wonder why you leave off people such as KERRY, CLINTON, DASCHLE, FRANK AND OTHERS…you are nothing but a political hack site, leaveing out detrimental data on those you support…Reid was a exception beause you want to tey to cover up your bias, but when you leave off 4 of the biggest Dem names, that give you less than zero credibility in my book..
a much better listing is at http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff_recips.asp
as least they have the intellectual honesty and forthrighness to list EVERYONE, not selective reporting and trying to bury what is ‘bad’ for their ‘heroes’ as this sad excuse for a web site is.
January 5th, 2006 at 12:28 pmhere are some more names you left off, conveniently:
January 5th, 2006 at 12:37 pmGephardt, Landrieu, Pelosi, Waxman (im so clean halliburton is evil), Cleland, Maxine Waters, Lieberman, Rangel, Boxer, and 800k total to Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte and Democratic Congressional Campaign Cmte
Too bad Bush will probably pardon all of these @$$wipes in the end…
January 5th, 2006 at 3:09 pmpardon them? doubtful…unless he pulls a Clinton and pardons some of his biggest contributors and other criminals on his last day in office…i suppose it is possible.
January 5th, 2006 at 7:48 pmExcellent work here. We dont care who is corrupt- democrat or republican we just want them all- gone!
January 5th, 2006 at 8:13 pmThere must be a return to country first- AMERICA first- not party first.
it saddens me to find that Democrats have also taken from Abramoff.
I am also sure that a lot that got money did so legally and i am also very sure most have not met with or dealt personally with Jack Abramoff. lets keep in mind- he payed for the trips to Scotland and other destinations for Tom Delay- never see nin public wit hdems and not likely playmate of the democratic party.
I see it as a good sign for Democrats- that Republicans are squirming to say of the Democrats- ‘uh they took money too”. they are hoping for a ‘guilt by association’ effect that if so many got money from ‘Jack” it cant be all that bad. its going to be Scooter libby talking next- lets see the republicans pin that stuff on the dems.
Incredibly well done, thank you.
January 6th, 2006 at 10:56 pmI’m not one bit sorry that I couldn’t read even halfway from the beginning. It aint fun and it aint information. Except for just a little of it, this game you play is a mess of unconsidered opinionating, most of which isn’t really opinion at all but rather defending purely personal prejudices. Instead of continuing to do more harm, go somewhere like a good book and find out what “opinion” entails; then write with consideration instead of smart ass smearing that fails to make you look as good as you think you do. Goodbye and, yes, I know it: You won’t miss me.
January 9th, 2006 at 3:15 pmIt’s great to see the political prostitutes, their pimps, and the johns exposed for all the world to see and, I hope, run out of government forever at the next election. The whole thing makes Heidi Fleisch and her business look like Sunday school at the local Baptist church.
January 19th, 2006 at 7:20 pmShall I point out the MAJOR PROBLEM IN THIS METHODOLOGY for you all?
Methodology: Members of Congress were included if they received over $10,000 from Abramoff, his clients or his partners and have allegedly done favors for Abramoff, his clients or his partners. Members who were acting on behalf of a constituent in their state were excluded, even if those constituents were Abramoff clients. Certain members who received less than $10,000 in Abramoff were included because of extensive allegations of favors done for Abramoff.
It is this part here: Members who were acting on behalf of a constituent in their state were excluded, even if those constituents were Abramoff clients. Certain members who received less than $10,000 in Abramoff were included because of extensive allegations of favors done for Abramoff.
Dems have a different policy on accepting funds from lobbyists, I am positive of this as I have doneit.
At a fund raiser instead of writing the check to the group doing the fund raising for a PAC etc, the lobbyists have people write the checks directly to the politician. Now the politicians know who collected what as far as the lobbyists go but this keeps the books clean.
Abramoff did give the Dems money via his clients, This list has chosen to ignor that, therefore this methodology is severly flawed.
If this site wanted to be honest, they would simply list all of Abramoff’s clients and what politician they donated to. That is the only accurate way of doing it.
But I see this site has no of intention of being honest, this is no different then what the Repubs do.
January 27th, 2006 at 12:37 amYour list omits the foreign funders and corporations that figure so prominently in Abramoff’s activities that impact on national security.
Please see,
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/25/132559/979
Abramoff’s NSA and Domestic Spying Scandal
by leveymg
Wed Jan 25, 2006 at 11:25:59 AM PDT
The National Security Scandals of Jack Abramoff - Part II
(Pt. 1, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/24/121156/129)
While Jack Abramoff’s scandalous rip-off of Indian tribes is well know, his role as a GOP fixer for NSA and CIA contractors has gone virtually under the radar screen. Abramoff’s lobbying activities raise serious questions about the role of his corporate and foreign clients in compromising highly sensitive NSA and Capitol Hill communications networks, in domestic spying and in other illegal national security-related activities.
MORE . . .
and,
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/3/10145/56290
Abramoff Plea May Mask Bigger Crime: GOP Foreign Influence Peddling
by leveymg
Tue Jan 03, 2006 at 08:14:05 AM PDT
A plea agreement has been reached between the Bush Justice Department and attorneys representing GOP fundraiser Jack Abramoff.
This reportedly promises to implicate some 20 Congressmen in a elaborate scheme to funnel slush fund money syphoned from Indian tribes and fraud in the purchase of a cruise line to favored lawmakers. However, there is another side to the Abramoff influence-peddling operation that the Indian tribes lobbying fraud and SunCruz probes do not touch, and which major papers, such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, have virtually ignored.
That is the money that Abramoff and fellow GOP fixer, Grover Norquist,have syphoned from Islamic banks and groups known to have financial ties to terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda.
MORE BELOW . . .
January 27th, 2006 at 7:55 amOkay, so Democrats need to come clean and wash their hands of anything Abramoff related. What I don’t understand is everyone (Dems, liberals, lib bloggers) jumped down Courics throat when she said this scandal is bipartisan and even think progress has published articles saying it is partisan and please do not include Dems and now you guys have a list that includes Reid, one of the more prominent Dems. We all need to do our research or just stick to our guns and say it is partisan. Republicans never fold…that the problem with Dems, grow some balls.
January 30th, 2006 at 1:26 pmI find it simply amazing that Patric Kennedy was not mentioned as to being one of the persons recieving money and or gifts or a gift from Ambramoff
January 31st, 2006 at 2:01 pmRegarding Tigua Casino, it may be worth adding George W. Bush to the list or as a side note. As the newly elected Governor of Texas in 1998, he instructed CORNYN to go after the the Tigua Casino. Part of his campaign campaign platform was to rid the state of the evils of gambling. The fact that he actually followed through on a campaign promise makes one wonder what was in it for him?
February 7th, 2006 at 12:38 pmThank you for doing this. Very well done!
February 9th, 2006 at 11:34 pmThis is all I have to say.
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, http://www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Political Money Line Website, http://www.tray.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Internal Revenue Service Website, http://www.irs.gov, Accessed April 21, 2005)
40 Of The 45 Members Of The Senate Democrat Caucus:
* Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) Received At Least – $22,500
* Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) Received At Least – $6,500
* Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) Received At Least – $1,250
* Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) Received At Least – $2,000
* Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Received At Least – $20,250
* Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Received At Least – $21,765
* Sena