Posted on 05/23/2005 5:52:45 PM PDT by wagglebee
America’s leading anti-tax activist, Grover Norquist, fears he’s being dragged into the controversy swirling around lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and he says he knows why: Sen. John McCain "hates me.”
A Congressional committee is investigating whether Abramoff defrauded Indian tribes, and subpoenaed records from Norquist’s group, Americans for Tax Reform.
According a New York Times report Monday, the Justice Department is reviewing records of an advocacy group Norquist founded with Gale A. Norton, now secretary of the interior, after reports that Abramoff told Indian tribes he was representing to give the group $250,000.
And Norquist’s name appears "over and over again” in documents outlining Abramoff’s work in the Northern Mariana Islands, an American protectorate in the Pacific, the Times reports.
Norquist has never hid his friendship with Abramoff, who has known for decades – and scoffs at any suggestion of wrongdoing. Norquist says the only reason he is "getting dragged into this” is because Sen. McCain, the head of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee – which is investigating Abramoff – holds a grudge against Norquist.
Norquist backed President Bush in the 2000 Republican primaries.
"McCain hates me,” he said.
McCain, an Arizona Republican, said he subpoenaed the records only after Norquist refused for six months to turn them over voluntarily.
McCain has been turning the screws on Abramoff since allegations first surfaced. Last fall he said at a congressional hearing: "What sets this tale apart, what makes it truly extraordinary, is the extent and degree of the apparent exploitation and deceit.”
Among the allegations against Abramoff are that he collected big checks from American Indian tribes while performing little work, steered clients’ contributions to outside groups in which he had a personal interest, and sent politicians on junkets to curry favor.
Sounds like typical Washington fare?
Norquist and Abramoff have been close since their college days, when Norquist managed Abramoff’s campaign to become chairman of College Republicans, a national campus organization.
Norquist denies any wrong doing. As one of Washington's most influential conservatives, he remains one of the Democrats' biggest targets.
Don't fret Grover.
The OBLs still love ya.
Well I personally don't think much of a person who gives up his or her values for anyone.
Too many people have lost their lives when they refused to renounce or lie about what they truly believed in.
That actually did make me chuckle.. ;)
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