Posted on 09/29/2006 8:32:06 PM PDT by axes_of_weezles
Trip Comes Amid New Reports Linking Rove to Indicted Former Republican Lobbyist Jack Abramoff
9/29/2006 6:14:00 PM
To: State Desk
Contact: Luis Miranda of the Democratic National Committee, 202-863-8148
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following release was issued today by the Democratic National Committee:
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the Arizona Republican Party has gone to desperate measures today by bringing GOP fear and smear king Karl Rove to Tucson and Scottsdale to raise campaign cash. But, Rove is lucky to be getting out of Washington and avoiding questions raised in a new a bipartisan Congressional report, which reveals that Rove and the Bush White House have grossly misled the American people about their relationship with convicted criminal and GOP super-fundraiser Jack Abramoff.
The White House has claimed it had only minimal contact with Abramoff. But a Congressional study identified 485 contacts between Abramoff's lobbying team and White House officials from 2001 to 2004, including 82 with Rove's office, and at least 10 direct contacts with Rove himself. The report also found that Abramoff's access and the gifts he showered on White House officials-including basketball tickets he got for Rove-bought policy outcomes that benefited his clients, "including decisions to distribute millions of dollars in federal money to Indian tribes with large gambling operations." (New York Times, 9/29/06)
This new revelation is evidence that Karl Rove was a central player in the Republican culture of corruption in Washington, as well as the leading architect of the Republican Party's fear and smear campaign. Rather than running on ideas, Rove has developed an election year strategy for Republicans that focuses on using "anger points" to divide the electorate and challenging the patriotism of critics of the Bush Administration's failed leadership. Of course, with just 44 percent of Arizonans supporting Republican Senator Jon Kyl, it is becoming increasingly clear that this is the only chance the Bush Rubberstamps in Congress have of winning this November. (SurveyUSA, 9/26/06)
"Today, Arizona Republicans showed how desperate and out of ideas they are by bringing the king of fear and smear to Arizona," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda. "While Democrats are offering a new direction, Arizona Republicans are pulling out all the stops to keep their Bush Rubberstamps in Washington, even if that means raising money with one of the leading figures in the Republican culture of corruption in Washington and the architect of his party's shameful fear and smear tactics. This is just the latest evidence that the only way for Arizonans to get the change they want is by electing Democrats this fall."
KARL ROVE: A FIGURE IN THE GOP CULTURE OF CORRUPTION.
Was Rove Abramoff's Crony, or Was Abramoff Rove's Crony? While the White House claimed criminal lobbyist and GOP super- fundraiser Jack Abramoff had minimal contact, a bipartisan Congressional report today found 485 contacts between Abramoff's lobbying team and White House officials from 2001 to 2004, including 82 with Mr. Rove's office and at least 10 direct contacts with Rove himself. (New York Times, 9/29/06)
Rove May Have Violated White House Gift Ban. Record show Rove asked Abramoff for seats at sporting events, and joined Abramoff in his box seats for 2002 NCAA basketball tournament games at the MCI center. According to today's report, "it was generally unclear from available records whether the aides reimbursed Mr. Abramoff for the meals or tickets. Ethics rules bar White House officials from accepting lobbyists' gifts worth more than $20." (New York Times, 9/29/06)
Abramoff Got What He Paid For. After getting Rove NCAA tournament tickets, Abramoff told a colleague, "He's a great guy. Told me anytime we need something just let him know through Susan," a reference to Susan Ralson, Abramoff's former secretary who was then Rove's executive assistant at the White House. The report found that "Abramoff's lobbying resulted in Bush administration actions that benefited Abramoff clients, including decisions to distribute millions of dollars in federal money to Indian tribes with large gambling operations." (New York Times, 9/29/06)
.. AND THE GOP POLITICS OF FEAR AND DIVISION
Rove Leads Attacks on the Patriotism of Administration Critics. In a speech to New Hampshire Republican officials here Monday night, the White House deputy chief of staff attacked Democrats who have criticized the U.S. war effort in Iraq, such as Sen. John F. Kerry and Rep. John P. Murtha (Pa.), who he said advocate "cutting and running." "They may be with you for the first shots," Rove said of such opponents. "But they're not going . . . to be with you for the tough battles." (Washington Post, 6/13/06)
Karl Rove Has Led Republican Effort to Find "Anger Points." "Under the direction of Karl Rove, Bush's top White House adviser...the Bush political team developed a strategy for 2004...Surveys were then used to determine 'anger points' (late- term abortion, trial lawyer fees, estate taxes) that coincided with the Bush agenda for as many as 32 categories of voters, each identifiable by income, magazine subscriptions, favorite television shows and other 'flags.'" (Washington Post, 12/30/2004)
Rove Applying His Skills to Use Immigration as A Wedge Issue. "In the mini-shuffle announced yesterday, Rove was a winner. At the moment, he has two broad responsibilities: handling macro issues like taxes and immigration and planning for the election on November 7. When Rove's job change was announced, it spread fear among the immigrant groups that are lobbying for immigration reform. Rove still has the assignment of working on a compromise on immigration legislation acceptable to Bush and to a majority of congressional Republicans." (The Weekly Standard (The Daily Standard), 4/20/2006)
No Wonder Bush Sided With Extremists On Immigration. "...President Bush is signaling a new willingness to negotiate with House Republicans in an effort to revise the stalled legislation before Election Day. Republicans both inside and outside the White House say Mr. Bush, who has long insisted on comprehensive reform, is now open to a so-called enforcement- first approach that would put new border security programs in place before creating a guest worker program or path to citizenship for people living in the United States illegally. The shift is significant because Mr. Bush has repeatedly said he favors legislation like the Senate's immigration bill, which establishes border security, guest worker and citizenship programs all at once. The enforcement-first approach puts Mr. Bush one step closer to the House, where Republicans are demanding an enforcement-only measure." (New York Times, 7/4/06)
ARIZONA REPUBLICANS ARE FOLLOWING ROVE'S LEAD
Arizona Republican Congressional Candidate Gets David Duke's Nod of Approval. Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Founder and former Grand Wizard David Duke praises Republican Congressional candidate Randy Graf and links to Graf's campaign website from his own. The Arizona Daily Star, however, reported that Graf campaign manager R.T. Gregg told that newspaper that "Graf has no plan" to ask David Duke to remove the link to the campaign. Graf's history may shed some light on that: ( http://www.davidduke.com ; Arizona Daily Star, 09/21/06 )
Graf Opposed Banning Cross Burning. In 2004, Graf voted against HB 2694 which made it a Class 1 misdemeanor to burn a cross on another person's property without permission with the intent to intimidate any person or group of persons. (HB 2694, 5/26/04; Associated Press, 5/5/04)
Graf Was a Senior Advisor to a Group Led by a Self-Described "White Separatist." Graf was a senior advisor to Protect Arizona Now (PAN). The chair of PAN's advisory board, Dr. Virginia Abernethy, told The Arizona Republic that she was a "white separatist." (Tucson Citizen, 9/23/06)
FAIR Donated Thousands to Graf's Campaign. FAIR's Political Action Committee donated $5,000 to Graf's 2004 campaign for Congress. (www.tray.com) Between 1982 and 1994, FAIR received more than $1.2 million from the Pioneer Fund, a little-known foundation created in 1937 which openly supported Adolph Hitler. In fact, Paul Gemma, a known Holocaust denier, is employed at FAIR. (Center for New Community Report, Nov. 2004; The American Prospect, 11/05)
Republican legislator Russell Pearce Resurrects "Operation Wetback." In an interview on KJZZ Wednesday, Republican legislator Russell Pearce called for a reinstatement of Eisenhower's 1953 immigration plan, "Operation Wetback." The program, which was abolished a year later, sought to round up and deport all undocumented workers. (KJZZ, 9/28/06) Pearce explained his vision of a pre-civil rights era immigration policy of mass deportation: "We know what we need to do. In 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower, put together a task force called 'Operation Wetback.' He removed, in less than a year, 1.3 million illegal aliens. They must be deported."
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Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, http://www.democratsorg. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
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/© 2006 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
Anyone from Tucson attend?
Anyone want to bet what tomorrows' talking points will be in the Arizona "Red" Star?
Ping
They think Rove and the White House can be bought off? That's just ridiculous. The DNC is unquestionably the king of fear and smear. They are despicable; no tactics are too low for the democRAT party.
The Valerie Plame incident didn't work, so they're trying this.
They're still going after Rove, huh??
Assuming that the above statement is true (which, considering the source, I don't) it sounds like the people who say it's impossible to remove the millions of illegals in an era of computers and mass transit could take a lesson from General Ike.
Why he is the antichrist, donchaknow?
AZ Rats must have a sense they are losing, to pull the DNC in to this crap.
They have to get the smears out early. The debates start next week and Giffords is a lightweight and they know it.
Could we just wind this up with the observation that our guy is better than their guy?
Two reasons I posted this.
1. This shows the depth of the rats.
Not very deep.
2. Wanted some feedback of the Rove meeting in Tucson.
Our Guy is better than their "Girl" :0
The thing about smears is NOT to give the victim any time to respond. Cause the Rats have nothing,the mud came early. Plenty of time to expose them.
Two predictions: Allen will win by 8+% and by this time next week, Woodward will be the one trying to answer the questions.
Allen will win by 5-10% in Virginia, Graf will win in a race that goes all the way to the wire here in Arizona, and I truly believe that Diana Irey has a 50-50 chance of unseating the pififul Murtha in PA.
ping
Luis Miranda was the Director of Internet Operations for the Kerry Campaign Organization
DNC's Hispanic Caucus
Luis Miranda, the director of regional and specialty media at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), explained that because the African-American, women’s and Hispanic outreach programs are part of the 50-state strategy, they are now housed in the chairman’s office, giving them greater access to committee resources.
“Hispanic outreach is part of everything we do,” he said.
While congressional leaders such as Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have gone to lengths to avoid the appearance that they are trying to capitalize politically on the widespread Hispanic anger directed at the enforcement-oriented House Republican bill, DNC officials helped organize the rallies and promote the party at the gatherings.
Miranda said that DNC staffers in Washington were given Monday off to help organize the rallies and that organizers in other states were encouraged to support them.
Compare the talking points to today's Rove writeup in the Red Star.
I must be clairvoyant.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/149014
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