Jack Abramoff has implicated Senate Majority Leader-to-be, Harry Reid in engaging in illegal activities with the disgraced former lobbyist and the MSM is eerily silent on the story. The only story I could find when searching Yahoo or Google news was this one… and it’s on the back pages of ABCnew’s blog.
If Abramoff were implicating a Republican, do you think the coverage would be a little different?
And about that election fraud that was finally solved by a Democrat win. Here’s a good article about the “catastrophe that wasn’t.”
On the crime front, look at the trend Don Singleton uncovered relating to the “most dangerous cities in America.” Don’t expect to see some hard-hitting exposé on 60 Minutes about such an ominous trend.
About the weather… while NOAA is reporting America saw below-average temperatures that for the second straight month and what happened to the wrath of hurricanes we were supposed to experience given that the destructive 2005 season was signaling the result of global warming?
To recap, the MSM kept telling us that the Abramoff scandal was a “Republican scandal”, the the elections would be stolen by various methods of fraud, disenfranchisement and electronic machine irregularities, and we were all doomed by another terrible hurricane season caused the effects of global warming.
And here we are near the end of hurricane season with barely a peep from the Atlantic, a week after elections in which Democrats won and almost no word on widespread voting problems and conspiracies and hardly a mention about a convicted lobbyist implicating the Senate Majority Leader for engaging in criminal activities.
Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff has offered testimony on some corrupt politicians he has had dealings with… including six to eight Democrats in the Senate.
Sources close to the investigation say Abramoff has provided information on his dealings with and campaign contributions and gifts to “dozens of members of Congress and staff,” including what Abramoff has reportedly described as “six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators.”
Of course, to readers of this blog, this won’t come as a surprise.
And, in the House, who could forget, soon-to-be Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel’s connections with Abramoff:
The New York Post has revealed that Representative Charlie Rangel has taken more donations from Abramoff’s tribal clients than almost any other Democrat in the House.
So just who are the “seriously corrupt” Democrats that dealt with Jack Abramoff?
Senator Harry Reid (Senate Minority Leader) received $66,000 from Abramoff tribal clients (and refuses to return it). He also claims to have never met Abramoff, even though his legislative counsel and assistant finance director of his Senate campaign went to work for Abramoff.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (House Minority Leader) received $3,000 from Abramoff tribal clients
Rep. Charlie Rangel took $36,000 from Abramoff tribal clients (and refuses to return it)
Senator Max Baucus took almost $19,000 from Abramoff tribal clients (he’s now donating tribal colleges in Montana)
Senator Byron Dorgan (ranking Democrat on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, which is currently investigating Jack Abramoff) received $67,000 in contributions from Abramoff tribal clients just weeks after supporting legislation favorable to Abramoff clients. (he’s returning the money, but refuses to step down from the investigation)
Allah is taking guesses on which other Democrats will soon be feeling the heat.
If you’re looking for Democrats who received contributions from Abramoff and his clients, you don’t have to look very far. They represent just about every state.
Soon-to-be-Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi saidDemocrats “intend to lead the most honest, the most open and the most ethical Congress in history.” Interestingly, this reminds me of another newly elected Democrat back in 1992 that promised “the most ethical Administration in the history of the Republic.”
Let’s just take a look at Pelosi’s “honest, ethical” Congress.
It includes William Jefferson (assuming he wins his December 9th runoff), the Democrat who hid $90,000 in bribery cash in his freezer at home.
It will include Alcee Hastings, who was convicted by the U.S. House on two Articles of Impeachment: perjury and conspiracy to obtain a bribe. He’s so “honest and ethical” that it’s rumored Pelosi will get him to Chair the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
That ol’ corruption glass house comes shattering down on Harry Reid… again.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid collected a $1.1 million windfall on a Las Vegas land sale even though he hadn’t personally owned the property for three years, property deeds show.
In the process, Reid did not disclose to Congress an earlier sale in which he transferred his land to a company created by a friend and took a financial stake in that company, according to records and interviews.
The Nevada Democrat’s deal was engineered by Jay Brown, a longtime friend and former casino lawyer whose name surfaced in a major political bribery trial this summer and in other prior organized crime investigations.
…
The deal began in 1998 when Reid bought undeveloped residential property on Las Vegas’ booming outskirts for about $400,000. Reid bought one lot outright, and a second parcel jointly with Brown. One of the sellers was a developer who was benefiting from a government land swap that Reid supported.
…
The complex dealings allowed Reid to transfer ownership, legal liability and some tax consequences to Brown’s company without public knowledge, but still collect a seven-figure payoff nearly three years later.
But when questioned about the deal, Harry Reid came clean…
…or not
Reid hung up the phone when questioned about the deal during an AP interview last week.
Oops.
But Reid didn’t run afoul of Congressional rules…
The senator’s aides said no money changed hands in 2001 and that Reid instead got an ownership stake in Brown’s company equal to the value of his land. Reid continued to pay taxes on the land and didn’t disclose the deal because he considered it a “technical transfer,” they said.
…or did he?
Senate ethics rules require lawmakers to disclose on their annual ethics report all transactions involving investment properties _ regardless of profit or loss _ and to report any ownership stake in companies.
And not only did Reid apparently run afoul of the disclosure requirements, it appears he used his office to enable land deals for campaign contributors:
In 1994, Reid wrote a letter with other Nevada lawmakers on behalf of Del Webb, and then met personally with a top federal land official in Nevada. That official claimed in media reports he felt pressured by the senator. Reid denied any pressure.
The next year, Reid collected $18,000 in political donations from Del Webb’s political action committee and employees. Del Webb’s efforts to get federal land dragged on.
In December 1996, Reid wrote a second letter on behalf of Del Webb, urging Interior to answer the company’s concerns. The deal came together in summer and fall 1997, with Perma-Bilt joining in.
In January 1998 _ just days before he bought his land _ Reid applauded the Lake Tahoe land transfers, saying they would create the “gateway to paradise.”
Let’s not forget another time Harry Reid wrote letters:
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wrote at least four letters helpful to Indian tribes represented by Jack Abramoff, and the senator’s staff regularly had contact with the disgraced lobbyist’s partners about legislation affecting other clients.
I remember a certain Senator describing the culture of corruption like this:
“The arrogance of power, the culture of corruption has not come to the attention of the American public as it has the past several months… I think it has shone a bright light on the abuses that have taken place that need to be corrected. And that’s what we want to do. We want to shine a bright light and make things better than what they were.”
Consider the bright light shone, Dirty Harry.
Contact Harry Reid and encourage him to do the right thing and resign today (Isn’t this what the Left would be calling for if this had been a Republican story?):
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3542
Fax: 202-224-7327 Email
Now we have the Democratic caucus leader dodging disclosures and failing to disclose $800,000 in profits from a project on which he partnered with a lawyer suspected of connections to organized crime and a bribery scandal. And let’s not forget Reid’s connections to Jack Abramoff, whom Democrats tried mightily to use as a poster boy for Republican-only graft
No wonder they started that “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” campaign.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission to three professional boxing matches while that state agency was trying to influence him on federal regulation of boxing.
Reid, D-Nev., took the free seats for Las Vegas fights between 2003 and 2005 as he was pressing legislation to increase government oversight of the sport, including the creation of a federal boxing commission that Nevada’s agency feared might usurp its authority.
So, about that whole “culture of corruption” thing…
Several ethics experts said Reid should have paid for the tickets, which were close to the ring and worth between several hundred and several thousand dollars each, to avoid the appearance he was being influenced by gifts.
Normally, I’d ask, “what if this had been a Republican”… but in this case, I don’t have to ask, because two Republicans did join Reid at the fights. Compare their actions with his.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., insisted on paying $1,400 for the tickets he shared with Reid for a 2004 championship fight. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., accepted free tickets to another fight with Reid but already had recused himself from Reid’s federal boxing legislation because his father was an executive for a Las Vegas hotel that hosts fights.
So, about that whole “culture of corruption” thing…
Update: While liberals are still rushing to defend Reid’s corrupt behvaior (even in the very comments to this post), Reid, himself, is acknowledging the wrongdoing:
Reversing course, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid’s office acknowledged Wednesday night he misstated the ethics rules governing his acceptance of free boxing tickets and has decided to avoid taking such gifts in the future.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid wrote at least four letters helpful to Indian tribes represented by Jack Abramoff, and the senator’s staff regularly had contact with the disgraced lobbyist’s team about legislation affecting other clients.
The activities - detailed in billing records and correspondence obtained by The Associated Press - are far more extensive than previously disclosed. They occurred over three years as Reid collected nearly $68,000 in donations from Abramoff’s firm, lobbying partners and clients.
Reid’s office acknowledged Thursday having “routine contacts” with Abramoff’s lobbying partners and intervening on some government matters - such as blocking some tribal casinos - in ways Abramoff’s clients might have deemed helpful. But it said none of his actions were affected by donations or done for Abramoff.
Of course, Reid’s camp is saying it’s all on the up and up, but let’s not forget that Reid “began receiving campaign contributions from at least four American Indian tribes only after they hired Jack Abramoff.”
Reid, D-Nev., has led the Democratic Party’s attacks portraying Abramoff’s lobbying and fundraising as a Republican scandal. But Abramoff’s records show his lobbying partners billed for nearly two dozen phone contacts or meetings with Reid’s office in 2001 alone.
Yeah, [Democrats] are pretty clean, Chris, and I’ll tell you why. First of all, every dime of Jack Abramoff’s money went to Republicans. Not one dime went to any Democrat or any Democratic organization - his personal money. Secondly, he did direct contributions to mostly Republicans, but a few Democrats. But the Democrats, A, didn’t know that he directed that - his clients to give them money and, B, they never produced anything for Abramoff.
Oh really?
Reid also intervened on government matters at least five times in ways helpful to Abramoff’s tribal clients, once opposing legislation on the Senate floor and four times sending letters pressing the Bush administration on tribal issues. Reid collected donations around the time of each action.
In addition, Abramoff’s firm hired one of Reid’s top legislative aides as a lobbyist and Reid’s longtime chief of staff accepted a free trip to Malaysia arranged by a consulting firm connected to Abramoff. Abramoff may not have personally cut a check to Reid, but he did instruct one tribe, the Coushattas, to send $5,000 to Reid’s tax-exempt political group, the Searchlight Leadership Fund, in 2002. About the same time, Reid sent a letter to the Interior Department helpful to the tribe, records show. So Howard Dean may be technically accurate with his “not one dime” mantra”… but it sure would’ve looked better for Abramoff to have donated “a dime” to Reid’s political campaign than to have purchased the apparent legislative favors.
Any such plea agreement likely would secure the Republican lobbyist’s testimony against several members of Congress who received favors from him or his clients. The Justice Department is believed to be focusing on as many as 20 lawmakers and aides.
But they’re getting a bit ahead of themselves if they think he’s the secret to securing Democrat victories this Fall. Even though the MSM is calling Abramoff a “Republican lobbyist”, it’s quite clear Abramoff was an equal opportunity politicker.
Some highlights the Democrats (and MSM) would rather ignore (hat tip: NoAgenda.org):
Senator Harry Reid (Senate Minority Leader) received $66,000 from Abramoff tribal clients (and refuses to return it). He also claims to have never met Abramoff, even though his legislative counsel and assistant finance director of his Senate campaign went to work for Abramoff.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (House Minority Leader) received $3,000 from Abramoff tribal clients
Rep. Charlie Rangel took $36,000 from Abramoff tribal clients (and refuses to return it)
Senator Max Baucus took almost $19,000 from Abramoff tribal clients (he’s now donating tribal colleges in Montana)
Senator Byron Dorgan (ranking Democrat on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, which is currently investigating Jack Abramoff) received $67,000 in contributions from Abramoff tribal clients just weeks after supporting legislation favorable to Abramoff clients. (he’s returning the money, but refuses to step down from the investigation)
Other Democrats used Abramoff’s skybox, took foreign trips paid for by Abramoff and more…
So if Democrats think Abramoff’s turning state’s evidence will be a boon for their political aspirations, they better think again.
A study by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics found that 210 members of Congress have received campaign cash from Abramoff, his associates or his Indian-tribe clients.
And they ain’t all Republicans… so good luck with that strategy, Democrats.
When it comes to Jack Abramoff, Democrats have tried to paint it as a Republican scandal, but as the investigation continues, more and more Democrats are being revealed to have their own connections to the embattled lobbyist, including Byron Dorgan, Harry Reid, Max Baucus, even Nancy Pelosi…
The New York Post has revealed that Representative Charlie Rangel has taken more donations from Abramoff’s tribal clients than almost any other Democrat in the House.
Oopsie. Damn that law of unintended consequences. It’s almost laughable that Democrats launched this campaign entitled “culture of corruption” in the first place… thinking in their sheltered elitist minds that they were ethically pure and morally incorruptable.
Note to Democrats, when you throw the anchor into the water, make sure the rope isn’t tied around your own legs.
Harry Reid has been an outspoken critic of Tom Delay, apparently reserving the “innocent until proven guilty” policy for those more closely aligned to his political persuasion. And when I say closely, I mean closely… as in himself.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid will not return campaign contributions he received during the past five years from lobbyists and clients associated with Jack Abramoff, a Reid spokeswoman said Friday.
Because apparently there’s only an appearance of impropriety when Abramoff is giving money to Republicans.
Reid, D-Nev., and other Democrats have been sharply critical of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who has close ties to Abramoff.
So how does Harry Reid and the other Democrats define “close ties”?
Would having your “legislative counsel and assistant finance director of your Senate campaign” being hired by Abramoff suffice?
What if that same “legislative counsel and assistant finance director of your Senate campaign” then held a fund-raising reception for you at Abramoff’s office?
Ok, so Reid’s got some ties to Abramoff. Maybe his defense will simply consist of pointing at Tom Delay while yelling, “yeah, but he’s got more”.
Maybe Reid’s ties to Abramoff are simply a coincidence…
Federal officials are investigating whether Abramoff, a lobbyist, bilked millions of dollars from Indian gaming tribes. …
Reid received $6,500 from Abramoff’s associates at the Greenberg Traurig law and lobbying firm from 1999 through 2004, The Washington Post reported Friday.
During the same period, Reid received $40,500 from Indian tribes that were Abramoff clients, the paper reported based on research of federal records. …
Reid received his contributions while serving on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.
