Posted on 01/11/2006 5:39:15 AM PST by conservativecorner
Ever since the plea bargain with corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff was announced, the media and the Democrats have done their best to portray this as a Republican controversy. Abramoff bribed Republican lawmakers like Tom DeLay we're told. This is being used to paint the current House and Senate leadership as corrupt. That may be true, but what's getting swept under the rug is the two big fish in the Democratic party that Abramoff had on his payroll.
Who are they? None other than Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid and North Dakota Democrat Byron Dorgan. What are they accused of doing? Law enforcement is said to be scrutinizing the two for perhaps performing official acts in exchange for some sort of bribe from Abramoff. Both have returned large contributions from Indian reservations that Abramoff represented and apparently defrauded.
But will we hear about any of this from the mainstream media? Doubtful. The story today is in the Washington Times...far from being a left-leaning newspaper. The next time you see a story about Abramoff, see if the Democrats are mentioned in the article. Media bias at its finest.
Oh .. and by the way. What's this about Hillary dumping some Abramoff money a few weeks ago?
No! It can't be true! No Democrat would ever possibly be caught up in this!!!! Democrats are the party of purity and love and tolerance and..........................bleah.
/sarc
Harry Reid and his culture of corruption...
Harry will now go into his cornered rat routine.
Caught some clips of him on the radio a couple weeks ago when someone raised the issue of him receiving money from Abramoff. Didn't know Mr. Peepers was capable of such intensity.
He was hissing things like, "Don't go there" and "I've never met the man (Abramoff)" to the interviewer.
If I remember correctly, Mr Reid is not giving any money back.
ping
It can't be true because we have been told (even by Rich Lowrey) that this is a Republican scandal. So, clearly this story is a LIE!! (do I really need a sarcasm alert for this post?)
susie
Reid was in Phoenix yesterday for a fund raiser for the Dem challenger to Sen Kyle's seat.
After a meandering, boring speech about how his father was a miner, Reid took questions.
Five of them.
Two local reporters, one from a paper and one from radio station, asked him about the $$ he had received from Abramhoff.
One of Reid's handlers called it off after it became apparent he was in unfriendly territory.
Didn't that remind you of Clintons "I did not have sex with THAT woman" comment?
I've heard their names mentioned in connection with this on NPR, which I'd have to say is far from a right-leaning outlet.
Who paid for the "no drilling in ANWAR" votes? The corruption door has been breached where or where will it lead?
How about who are the lobbyist that fund the illegal invasion over these past years?
I guess we taxpayer forgot to fund them to make tax cuts permanent.
In my state, we were told in 1976 that if we voted in no-fault insurance, our auto insurance rates would go down.
I've been waiting for 30 years for our auto insurance rates to go down.
If we elect the Democrats to Congress, this corruption stuff will be cleaned up. ;-)
THE TOP RAT!!! This is so sweet!
The list of Democrats (sleazeballs) taking Abramoff money needs to be in ads running all over the country. What better use for the contributions sent to the RNC?
Boortz! Of course.
Even the MSM wouldn't pass up a prime time indictment and perp-walk.
Speaking of the media.
"Many of them are so dumb they could throw themselves at the ground and miss," Traficant said of members of the news media
This can't be true. Howard Dean just said that no democrates were involved in this scandal.
Hypocrite Harry Descends on Red States
Can The Senate Democrat Minority Leader Preach Ethics And Lobbying Reform With Such A Massive Credibility Gap?
“Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid’s five-city tour to court Western voters stops today in Phoenix, where he is expected to call for tougher congressional ethics rules and more stringent oversight of lobbyists amid a growing Capitol Hill lobbying scandal. . . . Other cities on the tour include Denver; Salt Lake City; Omaha, Neb.; and Pocatello, Idaho.” (Pat Flannery, “Nevada’s Harry Reid Speaks In Valley To Capture ‘Red State’ For Democrats,” The Arizona Republic, January 10, 2006)
HARRY REID CALLS FOR LOBBYING REFORMS TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT
Senate Democrat Minority Leader Harry Reid Says He Wants To Bring “Complete Transparency” To The Lobbyist-Politician Relationship. “Reid said in a recent interview that he and other Democratic leaders plan to introduce legislation this year to bring ‘complete transparency’ to the relationship between lawmakers and lobbyists in a bid to restore public confidence in government. ‘We have an arrogance of (GOP) power, and that power is corrupting,’ Reid charged. ‘There is a culture of corruption in Washington.’” (Pat Flannery, “Nevada’s Harry Reid Speaks In Valley To Capture ‘Red State’ For Democrats,” The Arizona Republic, January 10, 2006)
THAT’S A TOUGH SELL FOR REID CONSIDERING HOW HIS FAMILY EXCELS AT QUESTIONABLE LOBBYING PRACTICES!
When It Comes To Family Members Who Lobby The Government, “Harry Reid Is In A Class By Himself.” “At least 17 senators and 11 members of the House have children, spouses or other close relatives who lobby or work as consultants, most in Washington . . . . But Harry Reid is in a class by himself. One of his sons and his son-in-law lobby in Washington for companies, trade groups and municipalities seeking Reid’s help in the Senate. A second son has lobbied in Nevada for some of those same interests, and a third has represented a couple of them as a litigator. In the last four years alone, their firms have collected more than $2 million in lobbying fees from special interests that were represented by the kids and helped by the senator in Washington. So pervasive are the ties among Reid, members of his family and Nevada’s leading industries and institutions that it’s difficult to find a significant field in which such a relationship does not exist.” (Chuck Neubauer and Richard T. Cooper, “In Nevada, The Name To Know Is Reid,” Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2003)
Reid’s Family Would Lobby Reid’s Own Staff On Pending Legislation Affecting Nevada. “In an internal memo, [Reid chief of staff Susan] McCue said Reid’s family members had lobbied his staff by ‘supplying research, technical support and strategic guidance.’ She described them as ‘effective advocates for their clients.’” (Chuck Neubauer and Richard T. Cooper, “In Nevada, The Name To Know Is Reid,” Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2003)
Reid’s Family Members Are Omnipresent Lobbyists For Nearly Every Major Industry In Nevada. “[B]etween them, Barringer and Key Reid have represented nearly every major industry in Nevada, from mining and real estate development to tourism and gambling to the city of Las Vegas. All of those clients rely on the senator’s goodwill on Capitol Hill.” (Chuck Neubauer and Richard T. Cooper, “In Nevada, The Name To Know Is Reid,” Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2003)
Reid Said He Saw No Problem With His Sons Lobbying His Staffers Until The Los Angeles Times Started Asking Questions. “Reid said in an interview that he sees no problem with lobbying by relatives, because lobbyists’ activities are ‘very transparent.’ . . . In September 2001, Reid sent a letter to his staff telling them that he had sought guidance from the Senate Ethics Committee and had been advised that there was no restriction on lobbying by a relative of a senator. He told his staff to treat his family members who were lobbyists no better or worse than any other lobbyist. Soon after The Times interviewed him about his children’s activities last fall, the senator decided to ban relatives from lobbying his office entirely. The ban applies to members of Reid’s family but not to colleagues at the firms where they work, such as former Sen. Bryan.” (Chuck Neubauer and Richard T. Cooper, “In Nevada, The Name To Know Is Reid,” Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2003)
REID’S OWN FAMILY OF LOBBYISTS AND THEIR CLIENTS HAVEN’T DONE TOO BADLY!
In 2002 Reid Introduced Legislation That Provided “A Cavalcade Of Benefits” To Corporations And Industries That Were Paying His Relatives’ Lobbying Shops Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars. “It was the kind of legislation that slips under the radar here. The name alone made the eyes glaze over: ‘The Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002.’ In a welter of technical jargon, it dealt with boundary shifts, land trades and other arcane matters — all in Nevada. As he introduced it, Nevada’s senior U.S. senator, Democrat Harry Reid, assured colleagues that his bill was a bipartisan measure to protect the environment and help the economy in America’s fastest-growing state. What Reid did not explain was that the bill promised a cavalcade of benefits to real estate developers, corporations and local institutions that were paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbying fees to his sons’ and son-in-law’s firms, federal lobbyist reports show.” (Chuck Neubauer and Richard T. Cooper, “In Nevada, The Name To Know Is Reid,” Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2003)
One Corporation Retaining Reid’s Son-In-Law, The Howard Hughes Corp., “May Have Been The Single Biggest Beneficiary” Of The Clark County Legislation Through A Federal Land Swap Provision. “Another Barringer client may have been the single biggest beneficiary of the legislation: the Howard Hughes Corp., a division of the giant Rouse real estate company and the biggest private landowner in Clark County. Hughes wanted to expand its Summerlin planned community onto nearby federal land. In exchange for the federal land, Hughes proposed to swap 1,082 acres of rugged terrain scattered along the fringes of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Initially, Congress balked at the exchange. Several years earlier, it had explicitly banned land swaps in southern Nevada because of evidence the government had lost millions of dollars through unequal trades. Now, federal land in the area must be sold at auction in most cases. The Clark County bill set aside the auction requirement.” (Chuck Neubauer and Richard T. Cooper, “In Nevada, The Name To Know Is Reid,” Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2003)
A Senior Hughes Executive Credited Both Reid And His Son-In-Law – Especially The Son-In-Law’s Lobbying Firm – For Passing The Legislation. “The transfer was consummated in May. [Hughes Corp. VP Thomas] Warden said Sen. Reid had been ‘especially helpful.’ He also credited the expertise of Barringer and his firm, which was paid $300,000, according to lobbyist reports. ‘Why were we successful?’ Warden said. ‘It was because of the firm. They brought a lot to the deal.’” (Chuck Neubauer and Richard T. Cooper, “In Nevada, The Name To Know Is Reid,” Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2003)
In 2002, The Same Year That Reid Pushed Through The Land Swap, Howard Hughes Corporation Donated Over $30,000 In Unregulated Soft Money To Harry Reid’s Leadership PAC. During 2002, the Howard Hughes Corporation contributed $31,290 in soft money to the Searchlight Leadership Fund. Overall, during his career in the Senate, the company has donated $48,790 to Reid’s political committees. (Federal Election Commission, ftp.fec.gov; Internal Revenue Service, www.irs.gov)
AND NOW REID WANTS TO “BASH” REPUBLICANS FOR CORRUPTION? . . .
Reid Plans To “Bash Republicans On The Issue Of Corruption.” “Harry M. Reid is heading into the belly of the beast. The Senate minority leader will spend much of this week traveling to ‘red states’ – those that voted for George W. Bush in 2004 – to campaign for candidates, raise cash and bash Republicans on the issue of corruption. Dubbed by his office ‘Reid’s Red State Tour,’ the three-day journey will take the Nevada senator through Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Nebraska. He will be in Phoenix and Denver on Tuesday, Salt Lake City and Pocatello on Wednesday and Omaha on Thursday.” (Chris Cillizza, “Democratic Leader Takes Anti-Corruption Message To GOP Turf,” The Washington Post, January 8, 2006)
[Reid] Plans To Raise Money For The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee At Each Of His Five Stops.” (Chris Cillizza, “Democratic Leader Takes Anti-Corruption Message To GOP Turf,” The Washington Post, January 8, 2006)
“In Each State Reid Will Conduct Events Seeking To Highlight The Need To ‘Restore Honest Leadership In Washington, D.C.,’ Said His Spokesman Jim Manley.” (Chris Cillizza, “Democratic Leader Takes Anti-Corruption Message To GOP Turf,” The Washington Post, January 8, 2006)
. . . LIKE CONNECTIONS TO EMBATTLED LOBBYIST JACK ABRAMOFF?
Reid Called Abramoff A “Republican Scandal.” “So don’t lump me in with Jack Abramoff. This is a Republican scandal. Don’t try to give any of it to me.” (Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), “Fox News Sunday,” December 18, 2005)
Reid Said He Was Not Worried About A Thing Regarding The Abramoff Scandal. “Reid said at a news conference in Carson City that he has ‘not a thing’ to be worried about as far as Abramoff. ‘I've never been in the same room with the man as far as I know,’ he said.” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
WAIT A MINUTE! ISN’T REID CONNECTED TO ABRAMOFF TOO? LET US COUNT THE WAYS . . .
1. Reid Wrote A Letter To The Secretary Of The Interior On Behalf Of An Abramoff Client. “Nearly three dozen lawmakers pressed to block a Louisiana Indian casino while collecting large donations from the lobbyist and his tribal clients. Many, including leaders in both parties, intervened with letters to Interior Secretary Gale Norton within days of receiving money from tribes represented by Abramoff or using the lobbyist’s restaurant for fundraising, an Associated Press review of campaign reports, IRS records and congressional correspondence found. . . . Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada sent a letter to Norton on March 5, 2002, that was signed also by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.” (John Solomon and Sharon Theimer, “Indicted Lobbyist: Cash Flowed, Casino Fight Grew,” The Associated Press, November 18, 2005)
The Day After Reid Penned His Letter, Clients Of Abramoff Donated $5,000 To Reid’s Leadership PAC. “Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada sent a letter to [Interior Secretary Gale] Norton on March 5, 2002, that was signed also by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. The next day, the Coushattas issued a $5,000 check to Reid’s tax-exempt political group, the Searchlight Leadership Fund. A second Abramoff tribe sent $5,000 to Reid’s group. Reid received more than $66,000 in Abramoff-related donations between 2001 and 2004.” (John Solomon and Sharon Theimer, “Indicted Lobbyist: Cash Flowed, Casino Fight Grew,” The Associated Press, November 18, 2005)
2. Between 2001 And 2004, Reid Received $61,000 Worth Of Abramoff-Related Donations And Does Not Intend To Return Them. “Between 2001 and 2004 Reid received $61,000 from donors with links to Abramoff, Reid’s office confirmed. ‘Any contributions he received were part of lawful fundraising,’ Hafen said Tuesday. ‘Senator Reid has done nothing wrong and sees no need to return the donations.’” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
Reid’s Red-State Travel-Mate, Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), Has Also Received Abramoff-Related Contributions. “Some Democrats, including Reid and Salazar, have also received some contributions related to Abramoff and his tribal clients” (Mike Sunnucks, “Democratic Senators Plan Visit To Help Pederson” The Business Journal of Phoenix, January 6, 2006)
3. “Team Abramoff Included Former Staffers To . . . Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), Now Minority Leader.” (Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi, “The Fast Rise and Steep Fall of Jack Abramoff,” Washington Post, December 29, 2005)
A Former Reid Staffer, Edward Ayoob, Went On To Work For Abramoff As A Lobbyist. “Reid also has been linked to Abramoff through Edward Ayoob, who is from Las Vegas and worked for Reid from June 1997 to March 2002 variously as legislative counsel, tax counsel, appropriations manager, foreign affairs adviser and chief aide on judicial nominations, according to a biography on his employer’s Web site. Ayoob in 2002 was hired as a lobbyist by Greenberg Traurig LLP, where his work included teaming with Abramoff and other lobbyists on client matters.” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
. . . AND REID’S RESPONSE? “NO COMMENT”
Will Reid Return The Money He Received From The Abramoff Clients He Helped? “No Comment.” “[Tessa Hafen, spokeswoman for Reid] added that Reid, while receiving donations from Abramoff’s clients, has never met nor spoken to the lobbyist. And will Reid follow Ensign’s example and return the money? Hafen offers only a terse ‘no comment’ to that.” (Steve Sebelius, “The Money Tribe,” Las Vegas City Life, December 2, 2005)
Did Reid Use Abramoff’s Skybox At DC’s MCI Center? “No Comment.” “Among perks at his disposal, Abramoff controlled skyboxes at the MCI Center in Washington and at other sports venues that were used for fundraising…. [Senator Reid’s spokeswoman Tessa] Hafen said she had no comment on whether Reid has attended a sporting event in any such suite, saying Reid conducts ‘lawful fundraising.’” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid, Ensign Show No Worry,” Las Vegas Review Journal, January 4, 2006)
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