White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan was first asked about meetings between Jack Abramoff and White House staff on January 4. On January 5, McClellan said he would have a “thorough report” on staff level contacts “very soon.”
Fifteen days later, the stonewalling continues:
Q: Going back to the Abramoff investigation, do you have an update for us on any records or phone calls or e-mails between staff members and Mr. Abramoff or photos of the President with him?
McClellan: No, as I laid out yesterday, we’re not going to engage in any sort of fishing expedition.
I know there’s some that want to play partisan politics and do so. This is a gentleman being held to account for the wrongdoing he was involved in He is someone who through himself and his clients contributed to both Democrats and Republicans and it was outrageous what he was involved in doing and he needs to be held to account and he is being held to account by the Dept of Justice.
Here is a specific question for an enterprising White House reporter: Did President Bush meet with Jack Abramoff in May 2001?UPDATE: Crooks and Liars has the video of the heated exchange between David Gregory and Scott McClellan on this topic from Wednesday.