Santorum: Abramoff-Endorsed, Lobbyist-Approved
Santorum: Abramoff-Endorsed, Lobbyist-Approved
The Hill reports that Majority Leader Bill Frist is enlisting the support of Sen. Rick Santorum to craft a conservative version of a lobbying reform bill. The selection of Santorum suggests that the Senate leadership is not seriously committed to lobbying reform. Santorum cannot reasonably be considered a credible messenger for reform because he was largely responsible for creating the culture and environment in which Abramoff’s criminal activity thrived.
Santorum was a key player in implementing the “K Street Project,†an effort by conservatives in the wake of Bush’s 2000 victory to monopolize influential positions at trade associations and corporate government affairs offices. The Washington Monthly described Santorum’s role:
Santorum’s Tuesday meetings are a crucial part of that effort. Every week, the lobbyists present pass around a list of the jobs available and discuss whom to support. Santorum’s responsibility is to make sure each [job opening] is filled by a loyal Republican–a senator’s chief of staff, for instance, or a top White House aide, or another lobbyist whose reliability has been demonstrated. After Santorum settles on a candidate, the lobbyists present make sure it is known whom the Republican leadership favors.
Santorum created an environment in which Abramoff flourished. From NPR’s Marketplace (1/5/06):
The infamous K Street Project…set up a money-generating machine to fuel GOP campaign coffers and think tanks. But in the process, jobs also got traded for official acts, including legislation, and that’s illegal. Abramoff simply took advantage of K Street’s ingenious scheme. Trading jobs for official acts is one of the charges against him.
Having recently returned his campaign contributions from Jack Abramoff, Santorum has apparently been deemed clean enough to help fix the problem he once helped create.
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The fact is that the Republicans will leave you fools in the dust when we pass tons of useful reforms.
You Democrats will have two options
#1) vote for Republican-led reforms (a Aye vote)
#2) vote for corruption (a Nay vote)
In fact, Dirty Harry Reid is refusing to return the money he got from Abramoff and his clients.
January 5th, 2006 at 8:57 pmonly Santorum is knowledgeable enough to craft a lobbying reform bill that will still allow all of the illegal activities to continue. It takes a real insider to write a phoney bill.
Besides, his reputation is one of the ones most in need of rehabilitation.
Appearances are all that matter.
January 5th, 2006 at 8:58 pmHey, Gary, I thought a vote for the GOP was a vote for corruption.
Aren’t they the same thing?
January 5th, 2006 at 8:59 pmPS… show me proof that Reid got money from Abramoff.
Abramoff never gave to a Democrat.
January 5th, 2006 at 9:00 pmI would submit to GR that a vote for corruption is a NEY vote.
January 5th, 2006 at 9:05 pmGary, your Repubs have been voting for corruption ever since they took over in 1994.
January 5th, 2006 at 9:06 pmIn the meantime, the illegal actions of the Bush administration in their domestic spying put the entire nation in jeopardy as terrorist suspects challenge Bush administration for spying information
January 5th, 2006 at 9:06 pmReid got money from Native Americans, not from Jack Abramoff.
Frist is just attempting to help Ricky out with some positive PR as he’s facing a rough reelection campaign.
January 5th, 2006 at 9:23 pmThe Republicans in Washington,DC, are like Heroin addict junkies when it comes to lobbyist cash outlays to them, so NO way can they fix this problem!
Concerned Americans of both parties must demand that Lobbying in DC is OUTLAWED and lobbyists banned from the capital forever!
All who took Abramoff’s dirty bribe money should resign!
January 5th, 2006 at 9:23 pmLooks like the people who run ThinkDefeat are being intolerant of dissent yet again. Joe Stalin would be proud of their efforts.
January 5th, 2006 at 9:36 pmAnd in the interest of fairness, I’d wish Think Progress would not refer to Native American tribal money as Abramoff money as they have in this particular Santorum post. It’s muddying the issue as it is not all tainted–including contributions to Republicans. What’s truly tainted with quid-pro-quo agreements and what isn’t will be dealt with by the Justice Department, under the control of the Republicans, in time.
January 5th, 2006 at 9:52 pmFaiz: Soros-Endorsed, Lobbyist-Approved
January 5th, 2006 at 9:53 pmMy last sentence was sarcasm, by the way.
January 5th, 2006 at 9:54 pmUnlike the Clinton Justice Dept. under Reno, which did not vigorously pursue the Clinton-Gore campaign finance scandal, there’s no indication the Bush Justice Dept. is acting that way with regard to Abramoff.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:02 pmIn fact, Dirty Harry Reid is refusing to return the money he got from Abramoff and his clients. Gary Ruppert
Ok, time for a grammar lesson. The use of and is inclusive, meaning that both actions are the same grouping. For your statement to be true, Reid would have had to have received money from Abramoff and his clients (see the grammar). Yet Reid did not receive money from Abramoff, making your statement inaccurate, misleading, and one might argue intentionally deceptive. If I gave you the benefit of the doubt, I would say you accidentally posted this inaccuracy. Since I already informed you of this earlier, I’ll go with the last item, which is that you are intentionally deceptive (in lay terms meaning you’re lying for partisan and political purposes).
Don’t worry, that sort of deception isn’t likely to hold water in Court, but Abramoff’s testimony to save is own scared butt will likely take down the criminal machine that now controls the republican party. Have fun, get out the popcorn, and watch the fireworks. This should be fun!
January 5th, 2006 at 10:02 pm#13 Viktor,
Thanks for that clarification as I was
January 5th, 2006 at 10:03 pmwondering.
You got that right, they are even more lax. It took a newspaper to uncover this scandal.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:04 pmAnd here I thought Santorum was selected in order to give him favorable Republican exposure because he is sinking in his reelection campaign in Pennsylvania.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:04 pmI see that not only is he a loser politically, he is part of the crime family. Mr. Righteous. Mr. Family Values.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:05 pm
I have found legal proceedings interesting
January 5th, 2006 at 10:12 pmsince I started following the SCO v. IBM
case over UNIX code in linux over at
groklaw.net. It is very interesting once
you begin to follow things.
Word to the wise:
Don’t mess with IBM lawyers.
“Unlike the Clinton Justice Dept. under Reno, which did not vigorously pursue the Clinton-Gore campaign finance scandal, there’s no indication the Bush Justice Dept. is acting that way with regard to Abramoff. wa11ace”
Was that meant to be funny, because it was. This investigation was initiated because evidence was presented that proved a criminal action had occurred. The justice department investigation was done by ‘career’ (non-political – you know what that is don’t you?) investigators. If similar evidence of wrongdoing had occurred as you claim, the investigation would have continued as it has now. It doesn’t require the attorney general to pursue an investigation like this when actual evidence presents itself. You do realize how our legal system and justice system work don’t you? Because your posting makes it seem like you don’t.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:15 pmI’m afraid Santorum is going to need a lot more help than this for his reelection. He is one of the dumbest senators in history and an absolute embarrassment (his comments after Katrina were retarded). The Repubs. ought to focus on other reelection campaigns because Santorum is done.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:19 pmwa11ace, are you saying you or some other republican troll was banned? It’s obvious from your posting that you’re a troll, but you or whoever you’re defending who was banned must be one annoying and disruptive troll. Are you I-RIGHT-I? Because he was posting the most vile, racist, violent and intollerant drivel I think I’ve ever seen today. Hopefully he/you were banned? Because if he’s below the bar, I’d hate to see what crap actually passes muster for banning. From what I’ve seen the last few days, this place is the wild west, and trolls like I-RIGHT-I aren’t held accountable to the Terms of Use agreement or its terms, the law, or human decency in the slightest manner. Are you sure you’re thinking of this blog?
January 5th, 2006 at 10:31 pmThe fact is that the Republicans will leave you fools in the dust when we pass tons of useful reforms.
Comment by Gary Ruppert — January 5, 2006 @ 8:57 pm
“we”? Who are you, Santorum?
You Democrats will have two options
#1) vote for Republican-led reforms (a Aye vote)
#2) vote for corruption (a Nay vote)
We are not all Democrats in this blog. Whatever Democrats will have as options is their concern, not mine.
Also, your choices are a false dilemma. How about:
1) A “yes” vote for bi-partisan reforms.
2) A “no” vote for a crooked, Republican-sponsored bill.
In fact, Dirty Harry Reid is refusing to return the money he got from Abramoff and his clients.
This statement is deceptive. Reid received money from tribes that were once Abramoff’s clients:
Reid received some $61,000 from tribes that were once Abramoff clients.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:32 pmAbramoff’s money: Not all lawmakers are giving it up
Jack Abramoff and the Banana Republicans: America’s Most Wanted.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:37 pm“If similar evidence of wrongdoing had occurred as you claim, the investigation would have continued as it has now.”
The AG doesn’t have any control of the Justice Dept.? Reno had no control over waht went on in the dept. when she allegedly ran it? ROFL That’s some spin.
ThinkNegative deleted a bunch of my earlier posts that contained no material in violation of the site Terms of Use. They’re clearly just a bunch of fascists.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:44 pmClinton and Reno?
Wow. That is such pre-9/11 thinking. Disgraceful.
New administration. New felonies. Bush’s Justice Department is obviously deeply schizoid…just like all the Federal agencies whose missions he’s attempted to subvert from the top down. I’m hoping the part that’s going after Bush wins.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:58 pmRunnningDoglackey is obviously deeply schizoid.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:01 pmAh, now I can see why you were banned, you’re just annoying and libelous. Although frankly, I-RIGHT-I deserves it most. Your statement #28 appears to be in violation of the terms of use, however I’m guessing this is the tip of the iceberg if you were banned. Ashamed that republicans have to be such hate filled and such hacks. I attribute it to their innate greed and desperation.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:04 pmAnd now Santorum is heading up Justice Sunday, how ironic.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:08 pm“The AG doesn’t have any control of the Justice Dept.? Reno had no control over waht went on in the dept. when she allegedly ran it? ROFL That’s some spin.” wa11ace
It’s interesting how you ramble off topic, are you ADD? The AG is not required to initiate an investigation, only evidence or a reported crime requires this. The AG can either start an investigation or stop one, but in neither administration was the AG involved in either of these cases.
What’s ’spin’ is that the AG is somehow required to run any criminal investigation. That sure would keep the AG busy, don’t you think? Or is that the point, that maybe you didn’t actually think about this?
You do know how the justice department works don’t you? I would intimate based on your posting that you don’t, but then again maybe you intentionally misrepresented the data? It wouldn’t be the first time a republican lied, so I hold judgement on whether we’re dealing with ignorance or intentional lying on your part.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:12 pmDid you all miss that this SCUMBAG was on IMUS this AM??
January 5th, 2006 at 11:18 pmWrite to Imus and tell him what a dope he is for having this idiot on , Again, and Again, and Again.
(Look it up. Dope-Head’s on all the time.)
Just Google Don Imus.
Let him know NOT TO GIVE THIS IDIOT AN AUDIENCE ANY MORE!
Sorry to be forcefull, but it really is time…
http://www.imus@msnbc.com
January 5th, 2006 at 11:21 pmThere you go.
Lets hope the people in Penn. have enough sense to vote Santorum out of office. He is a corrupt Republican.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:21 pmwa11ace,
The buddhist event was prosecuted, but the Democrats weren’t criminals, unlike the the current crop of Republicans that Abramoff is taking down. Democrats were proven innocent, and now Republicans are being proven guilty. I can understand how ‘innocent until proven guilty’ is a difficult paradigm for you, but it is an american one. You might try to understand it sometime, it’s quite profound.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:23 pmBush Visit Protest This Friday in Chicago
Mr. Bush is visiting the Board of Trade and then
speaking to the Economic Club of Chicago at the
Hilton at 720 S. Michigan Avenue. The Hilton is
right across from Grant Park, where the
demonstration will occur.
There was some discussion about doing a
demonstration at the Board of Trade, but that is a
very crowded area. There may be a few protesters
there, but, since no one knows how the “authorities”
will act, it is best to stay with the larger group -
safety in numbers.
It is recommended we meet up in Grant Park at 11AM.
For those of us coming in from the suburbs, we could
plan to meet at Union Station at 10:30 on the
Chicago River side and then go down to Grant Park as
a group.
We’re hoping that several thousand people show up,
and from the number of groups represented last
night, that does seem possible. The more people
that show up, the more “tolerant” the authorities
will have to be.
For those of you who remember 1968, this is a very
significant site. We don’t want a repeat of that,
but we do want to be heard and we want Mr. Bush to
feel unwelcome in Chicago.
Just like any peaceful protest, stay with a large
group. If police or other authorities ask you to do
something that you know violates your constitutional
rights, this is not the place to have that
discussion. There will be several legal groups
monitoring the situation and police reaction, but
let’s try not to get to that point.
Come down to Grant Park with your signs, banners,
etc., deliver your message, and return home safely. And make sure you tell your friends and neighbors
that you had the guts to be counted.
I’m taking action, how about you?
January 5th, 2006 at 11:28 pmhttp://wfan.com/feedback/
Or here…
It’s these things that will help, ’cause it’s no longer”doing the right thing”.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:29 pmIt’s “Oh, Sh*t. We better DO something before we lose MORE money!”
Let them know.
Good luck, Susan & Debtonater!!
January 5th, 2006 at 11:34 pmFight the good fight!
Fight the good fight!
Triumph
January 6th, 2006 at 12:23 amEven the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is on to the games of the Democrats.
If even the SPI is exposing the liberal double-standard..
the fact is that you all opened yourselves up to a lot of charges by linking money given by tribes to Abramoff.
You made tribal money into Abramoff money, and now you’re mad because it’s backfiring.
January 6th, 2006 at 12:32 amGary is still defending the criminals. They plead guilty and he says “no, you are not guilty cuz I said so!”
Take a pill Gary, reality is just around the corner.
January 6th, 2006 at 12:37 amSantorum is going to draft a conservative version of a lobbying reform bill? That’s like having Bonnie and Clyde draft the federal laws on bank robberies.
January 6th, 2006 at 12:40 amI still say, grab a front row seat and watch the “Capitol Hill Tsunami” unfold.
Here is some more juicy gossip on this Abramoff scandal, thanks to Joe Conason at Salon.com:
Abramoff showered money on [Rabbi Daniel] Lapin and his family, and the right-wing rabbi was not ungrateful. When the ambitious lobbyist needed to embellish his curriculum vitae to impress the overseers of the prestigious Cosmos Club in Washington, Lapin gladly furnished him with fake awards attesting to his religious scholarship.
“I just need to know what needs to be produced… letters? Plaques? Neither?” he asked in an e-mail to Abramoff.
“Probably just a few clever titles of awards, dates and that’s it,” the lobbyist replied. “As long as you are the person to verify them (or we can have someone else verify one and you the other), we should be set. Do you have any creative titles, or should I dip into my bag of tricks?” (…)
It would be interesting to hear Lapin — or Falwell or Robertson, both of whom have defended these crooks until now — explain how swindling Indian tribes and handing out money and favors to legislators fits into the “biblical worldview” they supposedly espouse. A decade ago, Reed described his mission as “changing the soul of American politics,” but he proved perfectly willing to sell the soul of his movement as soon as the opportunity arose. In fact, he pleaded with Abramoff to send him the business.
Let us prey
January 6th, 2006 at 12:41 amEven the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is on to the games of the Democrats.(…)
If even the SPI is exposing the liberal double-standard..
Comment by Gary Ruppert — January 6, 2006 @ 12:32 am
First, let’s have a link to the article:
Abramoff’s money: Not all lawmakers are giving it up
Second, you are up to your tricks again, quote mining, and making deceptive statements. If you had actually read the article, you would have found this sentence further down: “Reid received some $61,000 from tribes that were once Abramoff clients.”
Reid received money from Abramoff’s clients, not Abramoff.
You must be really slow -and think the rest of us are too. I had already answered to this very same nonsense before and linked to this article in my post #25; so you are not telling us anything new.
Also, you obviously are not reading the replies to your posts. What is the point of your posts if you are not going to read the replies?
the fact is that you all opened yourselves up to a lot of charges by linking money given by tribes to Abramoff.
We haven’t opened ourselves to anything -it is the corrupt politicians who will be charged and punished.
You made tribal money into Abramoff money, and now you’re mad because it’s backfiring.
Backfiring? Prosecution of corrupt, crooked politicians is a “backfire”?
You are delusional if you think anybody here is sorry to see crooked politicians go to jail.
Why do you persist in defending corruption, instead of denouncing it and distancing yourself from it?
January 6th, 2006 at 12:57 am“If even the SPI is exposing the liberal double-standard.. Gary Ruppert”
Double Standard? Wow, you sure have an active imagination. The article says no such thing, but you sure do know how to stretch the truth. Do you work for Rove, or do you just wish you were that crooked? Abramoff pleaded guilty for buying votes, his clients didn’t. If his clients could buy votes themselves, why would they need to have Abramoff do it for them? Or hadn’t that logic ever crossed your mind? Apparently not.
As I pointed out earlier today (perhaps you missed this?), Reid was always opposed to indian gambling, so he certainly didn’t receive money to buy his vote – that would have been a bad investment. If you’re going to say that republicans are prone to bad investments, I would agree with you, but we aren’t talking about republicans, we’re talking about indians.
Now, why all of the rant about democrats, none of whom received any money directly from Abramoff? Why aren’t you ranting about the corrupt republicans who took his money? Do you believe that people in your party shouldn’t be held to an ethical standard? Do you believe that your crimes are acceptable? I’m not seeing you coming out and denouncing crimes that Abramoff perpetrated with members of Congress.
I say if Abramoff can prove that any member of Congress was guilty of a Crime, they should go to jail. Period. I don’t care whether they belong to a particular political party or not. But based on the public record, clearly Abramoff was in bed with Republicans, and not Democrats. After all, in order to ‘buy’ influence, you have to ‘have’ influence. That means Republicans – pure and simple.
I’m so sorry that you can’t accept this. It sounds like it’s tragic for you to cope with your political party’s habit of criminal activity – but you better get used to it. My advice for republicans is to Buck up, Grow up, and learn from your mistakes, instead of these hair brained schemes of yours to blame others for your errors. That’s what little children do, but not adults. When your party grows up and starts acting like a group of adults, then people will believe more of what you say.
January 6th, 2006 at 1:14 amThe North Carolina Republican Party brings up an interesting story too:
NC Democrat Party Hypocritical On Returning Contributions
(RALEIGH) – Jerry Meek, Chairman of the North Carolina Democrats, likes to talk about contributions given by Jack Abramoff. However, Meek is less likely to talk about contributions given by Andrew Reyes, a prominent Democrat fundraiser who gave nearly $300,000 to national Democrats, and at least $20,000 to the state Democrat Party in 1998. Reyes later plead guilty to 15 counts of bank fraud, three of income tax evasion and one of conspiracy to commit income tax evasion.
Reyes disappeared for 18 months in 2001 and 2002 when questions were raised about his handling of the financial affairs of a deceased New Hampshire businessman. Reyes was later arrested near the Mexico-California border, and he and federal prosecutors agreed to a four year, nine-month sentence. None of the money given to the North Carolina Democrat Party was ever returned. (“Former N.C. county Democratic leader gets prison sentence,†Associated Press, Tim Whitmire, 12/1/2003)
A review of Federal Election Commission filings and Center for Responsible Politics reports also shows that Abramoff’s donations may have also filled the N.C. Democrats coffers. The Democratic National Committee (DNC), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) received $843,900 from Jack Abramoff and his clients since 1999. The North Carolina Democratic Party received transfers of hard and soft money from the DNC, DSCC and DCCC in the amount of $9,421,585 since 1999.
“It is hypocritical of Democrats to call on Republicans to return funds while keeping $20,000 in tainted funds contributed to them by Andrew Reyes,†said Ferrell Blount, Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party. “With the Democrats own tainted past, as well as the current allegations of corruption and influence peddling surrounding Speaker Jim Black, Jerry Meek should look to clean up his own house first.â€
Yeah… what about Andrew Reyes?
Reyes has plead guility to many of the same offenses that Abramoff did, but the Democrats never returned one cent.
January 6th, 2006 at 1:25 am“The North Carolina Republican Party brings up an interesting story too” Gary Ruppert
How am I supposed to take any of your post seriously, when you begin with such an oxymoron!
And is your inability to distinguish the difference of ‘buying votes’ from ‘campaign irregularities’ because you don’t know they’re different, or just because you prefer to protect your friends in a partisan manner? Reyes didn’t plead guilty to buying votes, so the fact that both of them avoided income tax doesn’t make their ‘relevant to political office holders’ crimes the same.
Interesting distraction, you sure do have an eye for the unrelated, off topic, and partisan apologetic stories. You really don’t have a clue what bribery means do you? Because THAT is the crime that Abramoff committed that’s relevant to the ‘tainted’ money.
And once again, Abramoff only gave to republicans, not democrats, and according to his own claims, he can implicate 60 officials who traded favors for money. And yet Reyes wasn’t charged with, accused of (other than by partisan hacks with no evidence) of involving any politicians in his activities.
See you keep using that and word, without understanding its meaning. No democrats received money from Abramoff, only his clients. So your posting is intentionally deceptive (one would call it a lie based on the posts I already made to previously correct you). You don’t really mean to lie so openly do you? I really find that hard to believe that you could be such a dishonest person. It’s really shameful.
January 6th, 2006 at 1:41 amGary,
If we’re going to talk about convicted criminals, and the fact that they should give money back, lets go with Ken Lay, Skilling, and the folks at Tyco. Not only are they all guilty of crimes very similar to Reyes, but interestingly enough totally unrelated to the more direct crimes of Abramoff. Nice job of combining an unrelated set of criminal activities, and the FEC charges against Abramoff. It almost looks like there were FEC charges against Reyes, the way you list them. But then again, we both know republicans are desperate to decieve on this issue, so we shouldn’t be surprised that your responses would be as dishonest, sleazy and corrupt as the actions of Abramoff and your Representatives. Clearly you’ve embraced the culture of corruption that surrounds your political organization. Quite sad, because lincoln would be severely disappointed by your irresponsibility in policing your party and the nation.
January 6th, 2006 at 1:48 amRuppy,
The Reyes story is a classic red-herring. Is there any indiction that there were “quid-pro-quos” attached to Reyes money?
Nope. Again, should George W. Bush return ALL of the money that Ken lay gave to him? Although, if we could see what information was talked about in Darth Cheney’s double secret energy meetings, we might just find our “quid-pro-quo” now.
-GSD
January 6th, 2006 at 2:01 amIt’s not all about the “contributions.”
Abramoff is tied to Norquist, Norquist and Abramoff link to Rove. They even shared personal assistants. Plus, lots of funny goings-on with the Bush Department of the Interior, and some suggestions of pay-for-play to meet the President.
Not to mention that GSA guy, a Bush appointee, who rolled over.
Plus — what WAS Mohammed Atta doing on that SunCruz boat prior to 9-11?
No matter which Democrats are in the shit here, this goes all the way to the White House. Game. Set. Match.
January 6th, 2006 at 2:02 amReyes has plead guility to many of the same offenses that Abramoff did, but the Democrats never returned one cent.
Comment by Gary Ruppert — January 6, 2006 @ 1:25 am
You must be really riling over the Abramoff bribery/corruption scandal if you have to dig up a three-year old story -that also happens to be completely unrelated. Talk about changing the subject.
In case you haven’t noticed, the only one defending corruption (by using appeal to consequences and fear) is you:
the fact is that you all opened yourselves up to a lot of charges by linking money given by tribes to Abramoff.
Comment by Gary Ruppert — January 6, 2006 @ 12:32 am
You are clearly trying to say Abramoff and the guilty Republicans shouldn’t be prosecuted, lest Democrat heads might fall also.
I am going to repeat myself -I will type it slowly this time: You are delusional if you think anybody here is sorry to see crooked politicians go to jail.
The Andrew Reyes story you have posted, in relation to the Abramoff scandal, conclusively proves that… hhmm… err…. what, exactly?
Yeah… what about Andrew Reyes?
What about him? Well, he was sentenced to spend time in federal prison (back in 2003):
Former N.C. county Democratic leader gets prison sentence
Reyes out of prison in May?
Now, what about that Abramoff guy?
January 6th, 2006 at 2:04 amAs to the Republican meme: All politicians are corrupt.
Well, guess which party swooped into Washington to save America form political corruption, from the evils of lobbyists who were wining and dining politicians, from the scandals and graft. The Republicans were the ones who were going to do that.
Now, after 10 years, they are simply going to say, well everybody does it.
Whew, what avatars of moral rectitiude.
-GSD
January 6th, 2006 at 2:04 amThe current congress is at it’s most ethical in decades, due to the hard work of the GOP.
January 6th, 2006 at 2:21 amDid anyone else see that Tyco was apparently ‘Company A’ in the Abramoff case? I’m curious to see how many republicans Tyco gave money to in the last few years.
January 6th, 2006 at 2:22 am“The current congress is at it’s most ethical in decades, due to the hard work of the GOP. Gary Ruppert”
Is that why dozens of congressmen are now facing potential criminal charges for selling votes? Do you believe in ‘creationism’ as well, because I sensing a pretty well developed ability to dispell rational thought, and to ignore facts when coming to conclusions.
Just out of curiosity, what do you consider ethical? Because according to the dictionary I just checked, I’m not getting how any sane or rational person could possibly make this claim.
Are you going to call for republicans to give back their Tyco money now that it’s proven they were part of the Abramoff scam? That should be millions, considering they gave almost 500,000 to the republican organizations in the 2002 midterm election cycle alone.
January 6th, 2006 at 2:31 amThe current congress is at it’s most ethical in decades, due to the hard work of the GOP.
Comment by Gary Ruppert — January 6, 2006 @ 2:21 am
It is hard to believe someone could be so intellectually dishonest, but I guess now the evidence is overwhelming: Mr. Ruppert is going beyond the call of duty to defend Abramoff and corrupt politicians -as long as they are Republicans. Even misrepresenting the facts, if he must. Cognitive dissonance, anyone?
Let’s read what news people are saying about the Abramoff scandal:
Abramoff is the central figure in what could become the biggest congressional corruption scandal in generations.
The Fast Rise and Steep Fall of Jack Abramoff
It’s too early to know for sure, but maybe this Jack Abramoff scandal will be a whopper, one of the biggest, sleaziest examples of corruption in Washington in decades
The other corruption
Jack Abramoff’s agreement to cooperate with an investigation into public corruption could turn into the biggest political scandal in decades.
A sordid tale
Super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s guilty plea Tuesday to three felony counts sets the stage for the biggest congressional scandal perhaps in decades, certainly since the Republicans took over Congress 10 years ago, pledging clean government.
January 6th, 2006 at 2:46 amAbramoff deals, Congress quakes
Gregor,
I believe Gary Ruppert is a well known troll at Atrios of the same name. The atrios troll is the worst kind of dishonest and disreputable sort. He’s thought of in the same moral light as Abramoff and Libby. His posts always consist of the most fringe of republican talking points, poor guy.
You hope people can find their better self, but that always assume they have a better self. Abramoff proves that some people don’t have a better self, just selfishness, as do the those that defend them.
January 6th, 2006 at 3:01 amIt’s Greed that Killed…
January 5, 2006
The ship in which Carl Denham and Ann Darrow find themselves in the film “King Kong†George W. Bush and Tom Delay are in a ship themselves only they’re heading toward the rocky and craggy shore of justice, on a Skull Island of their own making. In Anne E. Kornblut’s “Republicans dump Abramoff donations†in the New York Times Bush and DeLay and others are returning their ill-gotten gains to charities. Lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s indictments had spooked many Republicans who had associated with him. Now that Abramoff is about to sing as part of his plea bargaining all of the rats on that ship are strapping on their lifejackets, cinching them on tight and ready to jump ship before it sinks to the bottom of deserving retribution. Although the article also stated that no charges have been brought against other lawmakers the very fact that Bush and Delay are incriminating themselves by publicly returning the donations should convince the American public these men more crooked than a T-Rex’s hind leg.
January 6th, 2006 at 6:06 amDecember 10, 2005
The Arrogance of Power
by Charles Sullivan
http://www.opednews.com
Living in the United States is akin to living in a land of fairly tales. It is a surreal landscape of bizarre shapes through which one must navigate carefully. Being American is like living in the Land of Oz. The American people are held in such contempt by those in power and by their servants in the corporate media that they are constantly spoon fed the most blatant lies. Those in power not only loathe ordinary working people, they loathe truth; and they loathe democracy. The rich and powerful see the unworthy masses as their servants and play things. They see them as canon fodder. Nothing could make this truth more obvious than the spate of lies spread this week by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in regards to torture.
Dr. Rice went before the world this week, looked us in the eye and lied through her teeth. The skill with which she carried out her mockery of the facts suggests considerable practice. Delivering a lengthy diatribe on torture at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC, before departing on an extensive European propaganda tour, Dr. Rice stated flatly, and in stark contradiction to the facts, that the United States does not torture people. Dr. Rice further stated that the United States does not send detainees to foreign lands to be tortured—a process called rendition. By failing to challenge the premise of Dr. Rice’s phantasmagoric assertions, the corporate media in effect gave them the appearance of legitimacy. Dr. Rice said we do not torture people, the media reported it as fact. The people do not want to believe that the United States tortures people. Thus the lies grow to mythic proportions and once again the people are perfectly deceived. A people fed on manure cannot long endure.
Even as Dr. Rice was busily sowing lies for the Bush regime’s agenda of global domination, legislation was worming its way through Congress that would exempt the CIA from prosecution for torturing people, as well the practice of rendition. This begs the question: If the United States does not torture people, or send detainees to foreign countries to be tortured, why do they need such legislation?
The corporate media allowed Dr. Rice’s preposterous lies to stand. Even worse, it reported them as truth. The evidence that undermines Dr. Rice’s lies is unassailable and abundant; and it is readily available. Clearly, the corporate media omitted the facts by design, delivering another smack to the chops of an already dumbed down American public and leaving them clamoring for more. This shameful performance reveals the corporate media’s utter contempt for the people. It reveals contempt for truth in its worst incarnation. It illustrates the complicity between the corporate media and those in power and the betrayal of the American people.
According to Amnesty International, they have tracked more than eight hundred rendition flights flown by the CIA to secret U.S. gulags around the world. The existence of these torture camps are well documented by many different sources, including The Red Cross and Amnesty International. These gulags exist in opposition to international law and the Geneva Convention. They exist in Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan, Romania, Egypt, Jordan and Siberia, and a multitude of other locations.
Additional evidence comes from those who have survived unimaginable ordeals in these god-forsaken hell holes and lived to tell about it. German citizen Khaled el-Masri is a good example. Khaled el-Masri was abducted by the CIA and transported to a CIA gulag in Afghanistan, where he was tortured for five months in a case of mistaken identify. These are the kind of atrocities that occur when rogue elements of the government kidnap suspects without due process. This is state sponsored terrorism at its worst and the United States does it better than anyone.
Conditions in these festering sewers of depravity are worse than deplorable. They make Abu Ghraib look like a Boy Scout camp. In these clandestine places the worst qualities of human nature emerge and are practiced with sadistic pleasure on human beings—many of whom are innocent. This is what makes the seemingly sweet and innocent face of Dr. Rice and others so dangerous. Behind the faces of Dr. Rice and her cohort in depravity, Donald Rumsfeld, lie twisted, sadistic minds. The reality behind their apparently normal appearance is the grotesque monstrosity of what they do to their fellow human beings. It was this kind of hubris and venomous hate that drove Manifest Destiny, slavery, the Ku Klux Klan and the invasion of Iraq. The arrogance of power is the common thread that ties these shameful events together.
All of this is common knowledge in most countries outside of the United States. For example, Nobel Prize winning playwright, Harold Pinter told the audience in his acceptance speech in London on December 7, that the United States had not only lied to justify waging war against Iraq but had also “supported and in many cases engendered every right-wing military dictatorship†in the last fifty years. Pinter went on to say “The crimes of the United States have been systematic, constant, vicious, remorseless, but very few people have actually talked about them. You have to hand it to America. It has exercised a quite clinical manipulation of power worldwide while masquerading as a force for universal good. It’s a brilliant, even witty, highly successful hypnosis.â€
If we are ever going to redeem ourselves as a people and realize our full potential, we must purge the corruption from the American political system. A good blood letting—a revolution—is in order. In the past, during the hey day of social unrest in America, the working class people organized themselves into a formidable force. The social justice movement forged by organized labor brought us the eight hour work day and the weekend. Before then, the work day and the work week were brutally long and harsh. From a powerful sense of outrage emerged a compelling social justice movement. One wonders if we will ever see anything like that again in America.
Now we have not only the common enemy to overcome—the corruptive elements of the political process that created Condoleezza Rice and what Mussolini called corporatism; we have the powerful hypnotic drug of television and citizen apathy to overcome. Do we have it in us? We must serve and protect one another. We the people must wage war on those in power. A good beginning would be a boycott of the corporate media.
Charles Sullivan is a furniture maker, photographer, and free lance writer residing in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. He welcomes your comments at earthdog@highstream.net.
January 6th, 2006 at 6:39 amHopefully, Santorum’s Democratic opponents are filling their campaign chests with all the negative press that Santorum drums up for himself, like his connections to Abramoff, his support for ID, and his campaign to dismantle Social Security.
January 6th, 2006 at 8:42 amAs someone from PA, I sure will do my best to give Ricky the size 9 in ‘06.
January 6th, 2006 at 8:50 am“#1) vote for Republican-led reforms (a Aye vote)
#2) vote for corruption (a Nay vote)
In fact, Dirty Harry Reid is refusing to return the money he got from Abramoff and his clients.”
Comment by Gary Ruppert
Gary Pookbutt #1,
Another fine ‘gradiate’ of the minimalist school of inbred political philosophy.
Your simplistic optimism is as unsophisticated as your writing skills…
(a Aye vote)…indeed…
Please keep posting though, we intellectually superior Progressives find your species quite fascinating to study…
January 6th, 2006 at 8:57 amWatch the real news of wich you can be proud!!!
http://www.libertynewstv.com/
January 6th, 2006 at 9:04 amNot to mention that GSA guy, a Bush appointee, who rolled over.
Plus — what WAS Mohammed Atta doing on that SunCruz boat prior to 9-11?
No matter which Democrats are in the shit here, this goes all the way to the White House. Game. Set. Match.
Comment by RunningDogLackey
RunningDog #51
Don’t celebrate just yet…
Remember the DOJ belongs to the GOP, from the Supremes down to the FBI file clerks…
This is going to be interesting if not maddeningly frustrating considering the media is also corrupt, and corporate owned. We no longer have Bill Moyers, Cronkite, or Rather to give us the straight “skinny”…
…And before you inbreds start howling about Rather and his stepping down because of the (planted) fake ANG documents concerning- your false god- “the cowardly deserter” Bushiva, that story was basically true regardless of the lack of authenticity of the documents…
That Gary Pookbutt- is he for real? Sounds like he (like pretty much all the inbreds) would rather have his sister/first cousin/wife and their incestuously conceived hatchlings raped by wild dogs than admit he’s placed his faith and loyalty into a pit of vile, corrupt, cowardly skunks…how tragic!
January 6th, 2006 at 9:16 am#53 Not all Politicians are corrupt. Our Senator from WIsconsin Russ Feingold is not corrupt. He is going to run for President in 2008 and I will vote for him.
January 6th, 2006 at 9:23 amThis is sort of like asking a cancer victim to cure himself.
January 6th, 2006 at 9:26 am“And once again, Abramoff only gave to republicans, not democrats…”
Comment by RightPunch
RightPunch #48
One huge difference btwn we Progressive American patriots and our enemies- the inbred treasonous right wing conservative’ish’ Bushite scum- is our (Progressives’) search and respect for truth, justice, and the TRUE American way.
Therefore, in the interest of fairness your statement above is incorrect. There are red state Democrat traitors (like the senator from SD to point out one) who have accepted money from Abramoff either directly or through third party transactions. Howard Dean and the DNC need to clean house of the Dem traitors (Lieberman, and all the reds staters) as well.
Let it rain!
January 6th, 2006 at 9:30 amHay how come that libertroll fag reid wont return the money he got from Abramoff?
January 6th, 2006 at 9:50 amSanatorum is gonna lose his re-election bid this year. So let them put him up as their poster boy.
Just goes to show how out of step with reality the republican leadership truly is.
The trolls are swilling the kool-aide lately. I don’t feel sorry for their miserable selves. When reality coldly slaps their asses (Nov 06), they’ll still blame Clinton and say dumbya is the best ever.
January 6th, 2006 at 10:10 amIts a fact President Bush will go down in history as one of the best Presidents ever no blue dress in his closet.
January 6th, 2006 at 10:13 amYou must be smoking something Bush is the most corrupt president in our life time. He is a total crook along with his croney administration. The Republican will be voted out in November of 2006.
January 6th, 2006 at 10:58 am#2 Yes, they are one in the same and #1, or NeD (the dirty comment always gives you away), is just in denial and trying desperately to convince himself. It’s becomming fun to watch the disintegration though. Abramoff will sing and truth will out. Sorry.
And yes, Reid is keeping the money, wonder why? Wonder why all the repubs are giving it back? Do you really wonder why? No, I think you already know. The payments will be tracked. Don’t worry, buddy, all will be known.
January 6th, 2006 at 11:24 amAnd, Santorum is as good as dead. He will not be reelected. He is toast and the repubs will ditch him – no honor among thieves.
January 6th, 2006 at 11:25 amAs soon as the pundbuts on “Meet the Depressed” began to say that this is the biggest scandal since….EVER!…you knew right away that this was just so much more BS coming from the DNC and their MSM lackeys. I give it a month or two then it’s totally off the radar, faster if one of the big Donks gets his tail caught in the grinder. And of course Reid won’t divest himself of filthy lucre, if he did that he’d be broke. Reid has never earned an honest dollar in his entire life and he’ll be damned if he’s going to apologize for it.
January 6th, 2006 at 12:02 pmHay how come that libertroll fag reid wont return the money he got from Abramoff?
Comment by RepublicanTeamLeader
HEY! RepubliscumCheerLeader #69 and I-Triflinbushitebuttsucker-I #75,
How do you “Bushite beeotches” type with Bushiva and L’il Dick’s appendages in your hands?
January 6th, 2006 at 12:57 pmi-wannabe-righty-but-im-an-idiot-i -
Have you read any papers? What is Phaux News not covering the Abramhoff thing? He pleaded guilty to MULTIPLE FELONIES! He’s rolling over on the folks up the food chain.
Let’s see, 21 or 24 big money donations from a felon returned by republicans….Hmmm, you smokin’ wacky tobaccy guy. This is gonna hurt your boys HARD in the 06 elections. Why you think spewing your crap here will help your cause is beyond me…
January 6th, 2006 at 1:21 pmThe North Carolina Republican Party
Always a reputable source, afterall they did give us Jesse Helms. And anyway, this is a non sequitor. If this guy is involved in illegal activities and Dems are involved, good. Give him his day in court, let the chips fall. Anyone involved, regardless of party, should suffer whatever consequences. And WTF was your point anyway, other than to deflect attention away from the current Abramoff prosecution?
January 6th, 2006 at 1:43 pm56- He/she/whatever trotted that turd out a week or two ago. I’m still trying to find and clean all the coffee spray from that one.
Let’s see: Martha Stewart goes to jail, Frist is still majority leader. How’s that double standard working for you?
January 6th, 2006 at 2:04 pmIts a fact President Bush will go down in history as one of the best Presidents ever no blue dress in his closet.
But how is he going to wipe all that blood off his hands? With hundred dollar bills?
January 6th, 2006 at 2:23 pmSantorum also recently told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he believed the K Street Project was “a good government thing.”
These guys have absolutely no shame.
January 6th, 2006 at 2:25 pmNo shame. No integrity. No respect. No courage. No lack of schemes to defraud. No intention to change. What do we get?
January 6th, 2006 at 2:39 pmNo Democracy. No Republic. No serious governance. No confidence, no truth, no help and no vision.
When will Dems merely mention (not necessarily crow from the roof tops) the “filthy lucre” (Thanks, IRI!) received by Dems and Dem Committees to Re-Elect??? I’m disgusted by crooks in either party. But when will Dems, MSM and prog bloggers condemn the practice by Dems?? When Donkeys fly!!!Or as Repubs have come to realize, not anytime soon with the hypocrisy often on display here!
January 6th, 2006 at 2:47 pmThis is gonna hurt your boys HARD in the 06 elections. Why you think spewing your crap here will help your cause is beyond me…
Comment by kindness
It’s not going to hurt our guys at all. The Republicans will put a few crooks in jail, including a few Donk crooks and that will be the end of it. Americans know that there are crooks in office and always have been. You losers are the only ones that seem surprised. Bottom line is business as usual in 06, Republicans fight the enemy, Democrats hire lawyers for them, Republicans kiss babies, Democrats kill them, Republicans plan their work and work their plan and Democrats can’t find an issue that hasn’t already been handled by the Republicans. Just look at the topics here…nothing to hang your hat on except WE HATE BUSHY!!!
I don’t know why you bother to come here and spout YOUR crap, until the Donks get rid of their radical Left Wing Losers (like you) the joke is over.
January 6th, 2006 at 2:51 pmNo shame. No integrity. No respect. No courage. No lack of schemes to defraud. No intention to change. What do we get?
No Democracy. No Republic. No serious governance. No confidence, no truth, no help and no vision.
Comment by Solitaire
Sounds like a good campaing slogan for the Democratic Party. I like it. Dang, you’re good.
January 6th, 2006 at 2:58 pmRepublicans kiss babies
Comment by I-RIGHT-I — January 6, 2006 @ 2:51 pm
IRI admitted that Repugs are pedophiles…
January 6th, 2006 at 3:19 pmIRI admitted that Repugs are pedophiles…
Comment by unbelievable — January 6, 2006 @ 3:19 pm
:-))
This is *really* funny stuff!!
January 6th, 2006 at 3:22 pmCrooks are crooks, regardless of party.
January 6th, 2006 at 3:24 pmPACS provide the money to corrupt, regardless of party.
PACS give the money to whoever will vote their way, regardless of party.
The PACS give most of their money to Republicans.
Conclusion?
(please, somebody with a brain, not the bigot)
“I don’t know why you bother to come here and spout YOUR crap, until the Donks get rid of their radical Left Wing Losers (like you) the joke is over.”
“Sounds like a good campaing slogan for the Democratic Party…”
Comment(s) by I-RIGHT-I #s 84 & 85,
I-’d-say-something-meaningful-butrightnow-my-mouth-is-full-I
Rick Sanitarynapkin and all other republiscum traitors are shi*ting reform ideas to try and redirect the attention of their inbred base…(that’d be you)…
Meanwhile, Iran is taking its oil off the American trading index and creating their own (index), to be traded in Euros (instead of dollars). Both Russia and China have stated that the idea has merit, and are both interested in the concept…
You Bushites have proven yourselves about as useful to American domestic and foreign policy as a used Rick “Sanitarynapkin” has been to the congress…
‘06 is gonna be a VEEERY GOOD YEAR!!!!!!
January 6th, 2006 at 3:29 pmA VEEERY GOOOOD YEAR!
January 6th, 2006 at 3:39 pmWorst. President. Ever.
WOW. This site has sure come up in the world, trolls at the very first post.
January 6th, 2006 at 4:10 pm:-))
This is *really* funny stuff!!
Comment by Gregor Samsa — January 6, 2006 @ 3:22 pm
Thanks, but I think you’ve gotten him far more often than I have. Fun isn’t it? :)
January 6th, 2006 at 4:44 pmThanks, but I think you’ve gotten him far more often than I have. Fun isn’t it? :)
Comment by unbelievable
It’s almost as much fun watching you chatter about how I handed your ass to you as actually doing it. By the way un’ how is your ass today?
January 6th, 2006 at 5:01 pmTrolls are scared. Whenever their side gets caught, they run here and scream and cry. It’s a good indicator of how well we are doing.
January 6th, 2006 at 5:17 pmChrist! The DNC let’s the Republicans get the first shot at Lobbying Reform!! What are those idiots waiting for. Why didn’t the DNC announce the Democrats Plan last week! Did the DNC not see this coming? UGH!
January 6th, 2006 at 5:17 pmIRI, you represent republicans well. Thanks.
January 6th, 2006 at 5:19 pmThe Shite’s hittin the fan now.
RUN IRI, RUN!
January 6th, 2006 at 5:34 pmIt’s almost as much fun watching you chatter about how I handed your ass to you as actually doing it. By the way un’ how is your ass today?
Comment by I-RIGHT-I — January 6, 2006 @ 5:01 pm
Which do you mean? Where you’ve repeatedly refused to answer my question on the intelligent design of the appendix and then run away? Or the time that I posted the Oklahoma City bombing in response to your Muslim riots in France article? Or the time I called you out on incorrectly stating that 99.9999% of the world believes in a god?
January 6th, 2006 at 5:35 pmI don’t think it represents the right well at all. I think there are people on the right who can express themselves, who have intelligence, but we are unable to conduct civil discourse with them through the diatribe, the babble, the dribble of “IRI”s who cannot express a thought without falling into insult. It’s too bad because, while it is easy to point out falsehoods to fools, it is a waste time and energy. A valuable exchange is a rare item indeed.
January 6th, 2006 at 5:42 pm#98 He is indeed dilusional. Like I say, the more we see ‘em the more people are waking up. It clearly shows the impact of their scheme coming to light. Think about it, if all were well in their world of righteousness they would not be here recruiting. It is a good sign.
January 6th, 2006 at 6:22 pmThink about it, if all were well in their world of righteousness they would not be here recruiting. It is a good sign.
Comment by progressive and proud — January 6, 2006 @ 6:22 pm
I’m relatively new to the blogosphere – who is paying these morons to post their babble, and what exactly do they think – that they’ll convert the heathens? That’s rich :)
January 6th, 2006 at 7:18 pmdelay and santorum two obvious undercover Gays. Who knows maybe they get fulfilled serving time in Prison.
January 6th, 2006 at 7:54 pmWhen Jack-Off gives you
January 7th, 2006 at 12:45 ama pack of matches
to commit arson,
later you can return
the unused matches,
but you can’t get back
your innocence
that burned up
in the fire
you started.
ok, let’s put an end to the reid myth right now:
who was abramoff a lobbyist for? NATIVE AMERICANS
why were native americans lobbying? TO PROTECT THEIR GAMBLING INTERESTS
what state does harry reid represent? NEVADA
what is the largest city in nevada? LAS VEGAS
what is the largest industry in las vegas? GAMBLING
why would harry reid vote to block native american gambling operations? TO PROTECT THE GAMBLING INTERESTS OF THE STATE HE REPRESENTS
that’s how it works, folks. harry reid’s gotta be laughing his ass off over this one — abramoff and the tribes he represented flat out wasted their money here. there’s no chance in hell anyone’s ever going to prove quid pro quo in this case, and he has no reason to return the money, because whether or not he got it, he was always going to vote the same way. the money has no taint. he has nothing to prove by returning it.
sheesh. politics 101!
January 7th, 2006 at 2:47 amNot withstanding the “brilliance” of PRex, the headline could change to “Reid: Abramoff Endorsed, Lobbyist Approved”.
January 7th, 2006 at 12:58 pmit really is like talking to a brick wall in trying to make a point to you wingnuts, isn’t it?
mighty aphrodite, please re-read your comment in #105. is it just me or are you saying, “you make a great point… now let me ignore it completely so i can spew more meaningless wingnut garbage”…?
look, there are two things that are going to end congressional careers in this abramoff thing:
1) proof of quid pro quo, with indictments
2) the appearance of quid pro quo, lacking indictments, but still a strong enough taint to put the congressperson’s ethics into question.
in the first case, the indictments and (hopefully) ensuing convictions will be enough to force resignations (bob ney, tom delay, i’m calling you out — but delay’s head is so far up his royal bug-killing ass he probably will still try to claim it’s someone else’s fault).
in the second case, the taint of questionable ethics may result in resignations, or it could result in losses in november, and well it should (or “retirements” — i.e. congresspersons choosing to not run for re-election — as conrad burns of montana should do. funny, he ran his first campaign on a platform of term limits for senators, saying he thought senators should only be allowed two terms maximum. if he survives the abramoff scandal, he’ll be running for his fourth term in november. now there’s a man of strong convictions. does anybody think he’s maybe been charmed by the power game?).
harry reid is in no trouble whatsoever! there’s no way his constituents are going to believe that he took money to vote to defend his state’s gambling interests — he was already going to vote that way. he’s consistently voted that way in the past; to believe otherwise is just ignoring the facts for the sake of making a partisan attack. the only way he could’ve come out of this looking bad is if he had actually voted for the competing tribes’ gambling interests, and against the gambling interests of his own state. that would be quid pro quo, but that’s not what happened. you can’t pay someone to influence them to vote for something they were already going to vote for. this is either pure stupidity or a cover-yer-ass plan on the lobbyists part (”make sure we’ve got some dems who are sure to vote yes on the payment list, just so it looks bipartisan”).
in any event, i’m all for cleaning all of the ethically-challenged out of our government, regardless of party. you wingnuts are just mad because there’s clearly far more (r)’s than (d)’s on the abramoff list.
THE WAKE UP CALL IS COMING
January 7th, 2006 at 6:05 pmJanuary 8th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Fact is, Republicans have torn destroyed the ethics rules in the Congress since they’ve taken control. At least Democrats kept the rules in place and pretended to follow them. We all know the Republicans are much more to blame here, partly because they were in power, partly because they think their holy crusade is so important they can “bend the rules” (like Geneva Conventions, domestic spying, intelligence on WMD’s, etc). It’s just getting worse over time – in ten years, it may be the Democrats making these same mistakes. We’ll have to wait and see once the pendulum swings the other way.
January 24th, 2006 at 3:14 pm[...] Santorum to K Street Project: I wish I knew how to quit you. “After saying in January that he would end his regular meetings with lobbyists, Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.)…has continued to meet with many of the same lobbyists at the same time and on the same day of the week.†[...]
March 9th, 2006 at 9:04 amSterling Financial Investment Group
Thanks for this post!
April 1st, 2008 at 12:10 am