Casino Jack's Republican Roulette

Posted By: June
Posted on: Jan. 9, 2006 at 3:43 PM

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CasinoJack

Governor Howard Dean, Chair of the Democratic National Committee, was on Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer and stomped all over the RNCs talking points about Democrats taking Abramoff's money!

Fact is, none have. Not one!

This is a Republican scandal, and there's nothing they'd like more than to drag Democrats into this along with them.

Now that President Bush has returned $6000, what about Jack's boast, "Everyone in town is trying to be a Pioneer or Ranger, but the only way to do it is to have contacts outside of D.C., which fortunately I do. So far I've raised about $120,000, and I haven't even really started making calls." (International Herald Tribune 7/22/03)

And, hey, returning the money? Proves they took it! Why'd they take it in the first place? In return for what?

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Akman

Jan. 9, 2006 at 06:51:47 PM

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Thanks for this one June! Was on a wilderness experience this weekend and am just getting caught up. Too bad Dean didn't give his war whoop right in Blitzer's face!

Yes! Why did they take the money is indeed the question! Lax controls on contributions? They were gonna return it anyway?

Based on what I've seen, the majority of the monies that are being dumped by the GOP can be traced directly to Abramoff or one of his firms but with Abramoff out to save some portion of his golden years, you better bet there are some folks involved in the Indian casino deals who're sweatin' bullets!

Yeah, what about those big bucks that made Abramoff a BUSH PIONEER?

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fasteddie

Jan. 9, 2006 at 08:14:32 PM

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PIONEER PERKS

Abramoff Was A Republican Insider Who Had Strong Pull With Bush White House.

Abramoff's lobbying partner boasted that he is a phone call away from the President. "Jack has a relationship with the President," Abramoff's former spokesman and fellow lobbyist Michael Scanlon once said. "He doesn't have a bat phone or anything, but if he wanted an appointment, he would have one." Scanlon has since pleaded guilty to conspiring to bribe a congressman and other public officials. (New Times Broward-Palm Beach, 2/22/01; Washington Post, 11/29/05)

Abramoff's Pay-To-Play Program For White House Meetings Abramoff Arranged A White House Meeting With Bush
And Administration Officials For Indian Leaders.

In the summer of 2001, Abramoff arranged a meeting between Bush and top Indian leaders to discuss tax issues. Among the attendees was one of Abramoff's biggest clients, Lovelin Poncho, chairman of the Coushattas. Abramoff also invited the Coushattas and other tribal clients to a fall 2001 dinner party attended by Interior Secretary Gale Norton. (National Journal, 4/20/02)

Abramoff Arranged White House Meeting In Exchange For Donation To Grover Norquist's Americans For Tax Reform.

A lawyer for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe in Michigan revealed that tribal leaders had "three or four" meetings at the White House - including one with Bush and another with Rove- after they gave a $25,000 donation to Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform at Jack Abramoff's request. ATR later confirmed that Norquist arranged White House meetings for Indian tribal leaders and others who were "supportive of the president's agenda." (Newsweek, 5/2/05)

Bush White House Blocked Construction Of Casino By Rival Tribe Of Abramoff Client.

The Coushatta Indians of Louisiana paid Abramoff's former law firm $1.76 million "in the last sixth months of 2001." A month after Abramoff"s law firm received the payment, the Bush White House blocked a rival tribe's attempt to construct a casino near the Coushatta casino. "William Worfel, vice chairman of the Coushattas, views the administration's decision as a direct benefit of the eye-popping lobbying fees his tribe paid Mr. Abramoff." (New York Times, 4/3/02)

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June

Jan. 10, 2006 at 10:02:25 AM

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We all know money and politics has created a undesirable cycle. Campaign costs mean candidates are perpetually on the make for money.

BUSH and the REPUBLICANS have raised this to an art form that crosses the line between financial need and near-blackmail. Campaign contributions provide preferential accessibility for the donor. Preferential accessibility opens the door to influence-peddling and the buying of votes. The elected official who doesn’t play for pay loses the place at the trough.

Not many, if any, HOUSE REPUBLICANS have received the play for pay bucks from their constituents. The play for pay bucks flow to those guys because of their committee assignments and leadership positions. The votes that play for pay money buys usually has nothing to do with constituent needs and everything to do with the special needs of the donors.

One might argue that Louisiana’s Coushatta Indians are BUSH’s constituents but fasteddie connects the dots to show us the influence that the tribe purchased. As Pat Buchanan put it, it starts as a movement, becomes a business, then, turns into a racket.

In the transition from business to racket, play for pay becomes business-as-usual and Duke Cunningham is the extreme result. BUSH’s payback to the Coushattas is just as obvious. It’s obvious to everyone when the media does its job and just how many REPUBLICANS are on the brink of becoming a BUSH or a DUKESTER remains to be seen but there, with all the Abramoff money that’s being dumped there must be an extensive queue.

What’s the solution? Well, first, every elected official who played for pay must to be indicted and disgraced!

Elsewhere, Liberator contends that term limits are the cure. That would assure turnover on congressional committees and in leadership positions but only it treats a symptom.

The problem is BIG MONEY.

Can we deal directly with that? How about NO CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS to campaigns? How about a cap on “donations and gifts” from non-constituent sources with a complete accounting required of each Representative and Senator? How can we handle the White House ATM?

Any ideas?

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fasteddie

Jan. 10, 2006 at 10:18:07 AM

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George Bush is busy purging his scrapbooks and telephone logs and, as usual, banking on the public’s short memory, but, there’s already enough on record to pin the Abramoff albatross on the White House.

PIONEER PERKS Continued

Abramoff Lobbying Team Had "Extensive Access" To Bush Administration Officials.

According to his lobbying firm's billing records, Jack Abramoff and his Marianas Islands (CNMI or Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands) lobbying team had almost 200 contacts with Bush Administration officials. The records include meetings with Cheney policy advisers Ron Christie and Stephen Ruhlen, Attorney General John Ashcroft at the Justice Department, White House intergovernmental affairs chief Ruben Barrales, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, Deputy Interior Secretary Steven Griles and others. While records show that many of the meetings were handled by Abramoff's lieutenants, Abramoff personally met with Top Interior Department officials, "whose Office of Insular Affairs oversees the Mariana Islands and other U.S. territories." (AP, 5/6/05)

Abramoff Cited Interior Department Connections And Bush Administration Appointments In Letters To CNMI Officials.

In two separate letters to CNMI officals, Abramoff cited Bush Administration appointments as being friendly to the CNMI. In a January of 2001 letter to CNMI officials Abramoff wrote, "Our standing with the new administration promises to be solid as several friends of the CNMI (islands) will soon be taking high- ranking positions in the Administration, including within the Interior Department." In another letter from October of 2001 Abramoff boasts, "We have worked with WH Office of Presidential Personnel to ensure that CNMI-relevant positions at various agencies are not awarded to enemies of CNMI." (AP, 5/6/05)

Abramoff Advised Bush Interior Department Transition While Representing Indian Tribes.

Abramoff advised the Interior Department during the Bush transition in 2001. Aside from the Department of Homeland Security, which regulates coastline gaming, and the Department of Treasury, which regulates illegal financial transactions, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (within the Interior Department) is one of the few means the Federal Government has to regulate the gaming industry, specifically the Native American gaming industry. (Wall Street Journal, 3/19/01; DOI website)

At Least Two Bush Appointees Were Former Abramoff Lobbyists Who Had Traveled To The Marianas Islands: One Was Indicted For Lying About Relationship With Abramoff.

Patrick Pizzella now the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management and Chief Information Officer at the Department of Labor, and David Safavian, former Director of Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget, were both employed by Abramoff's former firm. Safavian also attended a golfing trip to Scotland with Abramoff and Representative Bob Ney (R-OH). Safavian "was indicted on Oct. 5 on charges of lying and obstructing investigations into" the golf trip. "Safavian was charged in a five-count indictment of making false statements to Senate and GSA investigators looking into his relationship with Abramoff." (AP, 5/6/05; Washington Post, 1/21/05; Reuters, 1/4/06)

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JustJoan

Jan. 10, 2006 at 10:52:40 AM

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Time magazine reported Sunday that administration officials obtained from the Secret Service a list of all the times Abramoff entered the White House complex -- and were scrambling to determine the reason for each visit.

After all, the Secret Service is there to protect the President...

Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Abramoff might have attended large gatherings with Bush but added, "The president does not know him, nor does the president recall ever meeting him."

And, Scottie's job has been "to say it isn't so" for a long time...

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Average American

Jan. 10, 2006 at 06:02:14 PM

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June,

Don't be so sure. Abramoff said he can finger 6-60 depending on the source. If it goes into the higher numbers do you honestly think that the Dems will be lilly white?

I think not. Watch you leader Harry Reed. He loooks pale...

As for the Republicans, if they took it and it was legal, big deal, if it wasn't boot them. Remember, a lot of people are handing out money on capital hill. I thought that McCane Fiengold stopped that, guess not. Another stupid infringement on our rights that actually does effect our ability for exercise our right to free speach and you all worry about the mythical recordings of you personal conversations. As if what you are doing is so damn important. McCane walked all over our right to free speach, Bush was stupid enough to sign it thinking that the Supreme Court would strike it down. Well with Alito it would have been struck down, along with the Democrat backed property right case. That's right, your guys made it ieasier for them to take your home for through eminent domain and turn your house into a Costco. " Oh my rights, Oh my rights" " I was video taped on Camelback" big damn deal. these people are taking real rights away that can and will effect you and you are whinning about this crap.

FOCUS PEOPLE!

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June

Jan. 10, 2006 at 08:04:02 PM

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Republicans, nervous about the bad noise to come, have attempted to paint this as an equal-opportunity crime. To wit, the Democrats are into Abramoff as deeply as the GOP. The facts, however, do not bear this out. According to campaign donation information gathered by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, the following officeholders and candidates have received political donations from Abramoff since 2000:
Tom DeLay (R-Texas). John Ashcroft (R-Mo.). Frank A. LoBiondo (R-NJ). Eric Cantor (R-Va.). Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). John Ensign (R-Nev.). Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). Charles H. Taylor (R-NC). Chris Cannon (R-Utah). Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Mark Foley (R-Fla.). Richard Pombo (R-Calif.). Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (R-Mo.). Curt Weldon (R-Pa.). Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.). Doug Ose (R-Calif.). Ernest J. Istook (R-Okla.). George R. Nethercutt Jr. (R-Wash.). Jim Bunning (R-Ky.). Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.). Tom Feeney (R-Fla.). Dan Burton (R-Ind.). Eric Cantor (R-Va.). Suzanne Terrell (R-La.). Rob Simmons (R-Conn.). Charles W. "Chip" Pickering Jr. (R-Miss.). Connie Morella (R-Md.). Gordon H. Smith (R-Ore.). James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.). James M. Talent (R-Mo.). John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.). John Thune (R-SD). Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.). Bob Smith (R-Fla.). Bob Ney (R-Ohio). CL. "Butch" Otter (R-Idaho). Carolyn W. Grant (R-NC). Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.). Elizabeth Dole (R-NC). Heather Wilson (R-NM). J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.). Jack Kingston (R-Ga.). James V. Hansen (R-Utah). John Cornyn (R-Texas). Kimo Kaloi (R-Hawaii). Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.). Mike Ferguson (R-NJ). Mike Simpson (R-Idaho). Ralph Regula (R-Ohio). Ric Keller (R-Fla.). Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.). Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). Dave Camp (R-Mich.). Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.). Tom Young (R-Ala.). Bill Janklow (R-SD). Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.). Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.). William L. Gormley (R-NJ). Bill McCollum (R-Fla.). Bill Redmond (R-NM). Bob Riley (R-Ala.). Claude B. Hutchison Jr. (R-Calif.). Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.). Francis E. Flotron (R-Mo.). George Allen (R-Va.). Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.). Walter B. Jones Jr. (R-NC). Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Bob Smith (R-Fla.). Joe Pitts (R-PA). Charles H. Taylor (R-NC). Bob Ehrlich (R-Md.). Charles R. Gerow (R-Pa.). Ed Royce (R-Calif.). Elia Vincent Pirozzi (R-Calif.). Jerry Weller (R-Ill.). Mark Emerson (R-Utah). Tom Davis (R-Va.). Van Hilleary (R-Tenn.).

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June

Jan. 10, 2006 at 08:19:01 PM

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Also:
Americans for a Republican Majority, Leadership PAC of Tom DeLay (R-Texas). Republican Majority Fund, Leadership PAC of Don Nickles (R-Okla.). Keep Our Majority PAC, Leadership PAC of Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Leadership PAC, Leadership PAC of Michael G. Oxley (R-Ohio). Rely on Your Beliefs, Leadership PAC of Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). Friends of the Big Sky, Leadership PAC of Conrad Burns (R-Mont.). Senate Victory Fund, Leadership PAC of Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). American Liberty PAC, Leadership PAC of Bob Ney (R-Ohio). Battle Born PAC, Leadership PAC of John Ensign (R-Nev.). Fund for a Free Market America, Leadership PAC of Phil Crane (R-Ill.). Team PAC, Leadership PAC of J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.). The Republican Party of New Jersey.

Also: George W. Bush (R).

Notice anything similar? Each and every name listed, each and every PAC, has an (R) after it. The Center for Responsive Politics does not have one Democrat - not one - listed as having received a donation from Jack Abramoff.

[link:www.truthout.org]

"It is not our job to seek peaceful coexistence with the Left. Our job is to remove them from power permanently."

---Jack A. Abramoff

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Average American

Jan. 10, 2006 at 10:02:29 PM

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Explain the 2.8 million for (R) and the 1.5 million for (D) as reported by just about every news paper and media outlet since last weekend.

Don't jump to soon June, might not be any water in the pool.

Investor's Business Daily
Abramoff Democrats
Friday January 6, 7:00 pm ET
Ibd

Campaign Finance: Nearly all Senate Democrats took money steered their way by Jack Abramoff, and Hillary Clinton's fundraising committee has agreed to a $35,000 fine. Republicans aren't the problem. The system is.
It's absurdly hypocritical for Democrats to try to use the Abramoff scandal against Republicans. Any recent instance of Republicans playing fast and loose with campaign laws can be topped by a similar case on the part of prominent Democrats.

Sen. Clinton, for instance, was under investigation by the Federal Election Commission starting in 2001 for understating in-kind donations. Last week, The New York Sun reported that her "New York Senate 2000" fundraising organization conceded the falsity of its campaign filings and agreed to pay a penalty of tens of thousands of dollars for underreporting donations.

The in-kind contributions of shady entrepreneur Peter Paul, who was convicted of three drug and fraud felony counts in the 1970s and 1980s and has also admitted to stock manipulation, were understated in the committee's filings by nearly $722,000. Paul claims he spent nearly $2 million on an August 2000 celebrity concert at a Brentwood, Calif., estate for President and Mrs. Clinton.

Then there's Sen. Charles Schumer, head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) no less, who in 2003 quietly paid a $130,000 FEC fine, plus $120,000 in refunds to 77 donors, for violations by his 1998 campaign. But with a $26 million war chest and facing an unknown, cash-strapped GOP challenger, it was hardly a bump on the road in Schumer's 2004 re-election. He got 72% of New Yorkers' votes.

The DSCC and Hillary's campaign jointly set up the New York Senate 2000 committee for the express purpose of bypassing the $2,000 limit on contributions from individuals. It's that phony limit that empowers the likes of Abramoff, whose clients and associates gave Sen. John Kerry close to $100,000, according to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid apparently got nearly $70,000 from Abramoff sources, and Schumer himself benefited to the tune of nearly $30,000. All but five Democratic senators have taken Abramoff cash, says the NRSC.

And how about Charles Rangel, ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, who took $36,000 from Abramoff's Indian clients, then gave the New York Post a Marx Brothers skit in response: "I don't know Abramoff, have never met Abramoff and have never accepted a political contribution from Abramoff. But if I do find that any contribution I have received was made at the behest of Abramoff, I will return it."

Abramoff -- and all the sleazy middlemen who may never be caught -- are byproducts of the misguided post-Watergate campaign reforms that actually encourage political money laundering. We need an end to individual contribution limits and to stealthy political action committees. We also need full and immediate transparency regarding those who give -- personal details, occupation, etc.

Only a system based on public visibility will prevent future Abramoffs -- and make sure those we elect aren't being bought off.

Sorry June, facts suck huh?

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June

Jan. 10, 2006 at 10:48:52 PM

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Pretty simple actually, Avg, the truthout.org list of Republicans are elected officials and their affiliated PACs who received money DIRECTLY from Jack Abramoff, the man, or DIRECTLY from his lobbying and/or fundraising organizations.

Read your own article - "...money steered their way by Jack Abramoff" and "from Abramoff sources" are something different like... maybe Abramoff clients?

Do you see Abramoff sending any Democrats golfing in Scotland? Have any Dems been named among all those wined and dined in Abramoff's skyboxes or in his D.C. restaurant? Wonder why not?

If you don't understand what's going on, misinterpretation comes easy. And, for someone like you, Avg, who already believes, misinterpretation is a slam-dunk!

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