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Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Abramoff Cuts A Deal

This is great news.

MIAMI - Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to two criminal charges stemming from the 2000 purchase of a fleet of gambling boats, his attorney said Tuesday.

Abramoff will also agree to cooperate in any ongoing federal investigations in Washington, said his Miami attorney Neal Sonnett. Prosecutors there are investigating several members of Congress who allegedly received favors from Abramoff or his clients.

Abramoff will plead guilty to two of the six charges in a federal indictment, Sonnett said. U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck has scheduled a telephone status conference for later Tuesday.

Abramoff and former partner Adam Kidan were indicted in August on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with their 2000 purchase of the SunCruz Casinos fleet for $147.5 million from Miami businessman Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis.


For all I care Abramoff could get a slap on the wrist for his participation in this mess. The people I want to see taken down are the sleazey politicians who took his money, which is something I hope doesn't get lost in partisan bickering. This is a bi-partisan scandal. It is time for Democrats and Republicans to throw their corrupt colleagues under the bus.

politics, corruption, abramoff

Comments

Avatar for MikeAdamson

It is time for Democrats and Republicans to throw their corrupt colleagues under the bus.

Here Here!

MikeAdamson on January 3, 2006 at 07:01 am
Avatar for LoadTheMule

This is like putting the junkies in the slammer but giving the dealer a walk.

What a crock!  I don’t care what happens to Abramoff.  I want the politicians (on both sides of the aisle) exposed.  Sunshine is the best disinfectant regardless of party affiliation. They, whoever ‘they’ are, broke their public trust and I want the world to know who they are.

Regards…

LoadTheMule on January 3, 2006 at 08:01 am
Avatar for Don Myers

Good news? Are you kiddin’ me?

This is like putting the junkies in the slammer but giving the dealer a walk.

It’s shameful, unethical---and par for the course with the Bush regime.

Don Myers on January 3, 2006 at 08:01 am
Avatar for Don Myers

Load:

Perhaps you don’t know that offering a bribe is just as illegal as taking a bribe. Either that, or you think that bribery is a great way to conduct the business of gov’t.

Out of curiosity, who filled your head with this “let Jack off the hook” nonsense?

Don Myers on January 3, 2006 at 09:01 am
Avatar for Dan

Don,

If you don’t go after the Politicians what is the deterrant for them to continue to take bribes from the next “jack”? Your junkie relation is completely flawed, junkies have no power compared to the dealers, these politicians are the one with the power, and if it takes a few years off of Jack’s sentencing to nail the rest of the crooks I dont see any downside. The only reason I can see you not wanting this is because this is going to be a dual party attack, both sides took the bribes, and you don’t want to believe that your liberal congressmen and senators would do such a thing.

d.narloch

Dan on January 3, 2006 at 09:01 am
Avatar for Don Myers

dan:

#1: what’s wrong with sending Jack AND everyone he bribed to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison? They’re not mutual exclusives.

#2: The person with the money is the person with the power. In this case, that’s Jack.

#3: Since I’m not a democrat I don’t give a shit who goes to jail, as long as they are guilty.

Typically, conservatives see things in a very simplistic, very stark black-and-white. If you don’t believe Dubya, you’re an unAmerican traitor. If you don’t want to see Jack get off scott free, you must be hiding crimes of the democrats.

While I think that the current republican Party is slightly more corrupt than the democrats, both parties---indeed, the entire system---are rotten to the core.

Don Myers on January 3, 2006 at 10:01 am
Avatar for The Whistler

It looks like Abramoff’s pleading guilty on some counts, so he will be punished.

Since it appears he was the conduit, not the source of the funds he’s a great guy to turn over.

Let’s see his clients (including Indian Tribes) punished just as much as the Congresscriters from both parties.

Still of the briber and the bribee I blame the bribee in this case.  Members of Congress do have a public trust that they betray when they accept graft.

The Whistler on January 3, 2006 at 10:01 am
Avatar for Dan

Don,

Either you work as a private investigator on the Abramoff case, or you are a pessimist. Since I highly doubt that you know any tangible evidence about this case, I’ll have to go with the latter. You say you would like to put everyone involved in prison for a very long time, you know what I’m sure the procecutors feel the same way. That doesn’t always work out. Obviously Abramoff has someone damning evidence that he is will to give, or he would not have been offered a plea. You say he has the power because he has the money, well obviously he doesn’t since he was caught red handed. Perhaps money can’t buy you everything, but there is a reason why he was offered the deal, and he is clearly not the biggest fish here.

d.narloch

Dan on January 3, 2006 at 11:01 am
Avatar for Don Myers

Either you work as a private investigator on the Abramoff case, or you are a pessimist.

Pessimist.

You say he has the power because he has the money, well obviously he doesn’t since he was caught red handed. Perhaps money can’t buy you everything…

...but it CAN buy your way outta prison.

Don Myers on January 3, 2006 at 11:02 am
Avatar for MikeAdamson

It is bipartisan in the same sense that George Soros is a bipartisan financial contributor. The majority, even the vast majority, of cases may be linked to one party but there are individuals involved from both sides of the aisle. I think that Rob’s post should be read as decrying corruption whether Republicans or Democrats are culprits rather than as identifying Republicans and Democrats as equally involved. I hope I’m not putting words in your mouth Rob.

MikeAdamson on January 3, 2006 at 12:01 pm
Avatar for mcair

This is a bi-partisan scandal. It is time for Democrats and Republicans to throw their corrupt colleagues under the bus.

Yeah, you and the GOP want to make it look like that. Problem is, Abramoff’s money went by and large to Republicans. Abramoff is a Bush Pioneer. Raised $100,000+ for Bush - not a dime to Democrats.

Tom DeLay is the leader of the House of Representatives and is up to his neck in the Abramoff money machine.

Blunt, Ney, Norquist, Reed. Lotsa GOP palms greased. But Rob wants to paint it as “bi-partisan”. Riiiight. And there were Iraqis on those planes on 9/11, right Rob?

mcair on January 3, 2006 at 12:01 pm
Avatar for The Whistler

#2: The person with the money is the person with the power. In this case, that’s Jack.

Wasn’t Jack Abramoff the intermediary?

Of course a client wouldn’t have to be guilty of bribery.  Suppose they retained Abramoff $1,000,000 to lobby Washington.  Jack may usu the money to bribe rather than lobbby.

The Whistler on January 3, 2006 at 12:01 pm
Avatar for The Whistler

Yeah, you and the GOP want to make it look like that. Problem is, Abramoff’s money went by and large to Republicans. Abramoff is a Bush Pioneer. Raised $100,000+ for Bush - not a dime to Democrats.

Gee our Senator, Byron Dorgan, is in the whole thing hip deep and he’s a liberal Democrat.

The Whistler on January 3, 2006 at 01:01 pm
Avatar for modern instances

I wonder if we’ll ever have a government that answers to the people?

modern instances on January 3, 2006 at 01:02 pm
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[...] Rightwing Nuthouse, Stop The ACLU, Tigerhawk, Hugh Hewitt, Michelle Malkin, The Political Teen, The Monroe Doctrine, A Blog For All, Mark A. Kilmer, Wizbang, Say Anything, Technorati Tags: Abramoff Corruption Indian Casinos Lobbying Filed in: Abramoff Story | No Comments » [...]

Avatar for MikeAdamson

Would plenty mean more than one? The only Democrat I’ve actually seen mentioned is Dorgan.

MikeAdamson on January 3, 2006 at 06:01 pm
Rob
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I hope I’m not putting words in your mouth Rob.

Not at all.  There are more Republicans involved with Abramoff than Democrats, for sure, but plenty of Dems have their hands dirty as well.


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

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Rob on January 3, 2006 at 06:02 pm
Avatar for Pajamas Media - A corrupt lobbyist who might have

[...] Updated by Pajamas Media in Los Angeles Tuesday, January 03, 2006 Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion, Reuters reported, and he’s expected to help in the probe of up to 20 members of Congress or aides to whom he allegedly gave dough in exchange for political favors. The plea gives prosecutors a boost in their huge investigation seeking to prove that Republican Congressman Tom De Lay and others took tainted cash. Say Anything doesn’t care about Abramoff, but wants to see the politicians suffer big-time. Michelle Malkin calls on conservatives to condemn him. David Corn asks the money question: “will indictments come before or after the coming congressional elections?” The Supreme Irony of Life says Democrats will not be implicated, but GOP Bloggers has data showing Dems took scads of donations from Abramoff’s clients. Suburban Guerilla argues that the Democrats took legal contributions and are not accused of taking bribes—only Republicans are. But Tigerhawk says corrupt political patronage doesn’t observe party lines, and this case won’t either. Meanwhile, Think Progress has the hug between Abramoff and De Lay, and TalkLeft describes the $25 million in restitution to victims that Abramoff must pay—but he could be on the hook for much more. [...]

Rob
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That’s because the media never give a lot of attention to the Democrats involved.

Along with Dorgan the most notable Democrat is Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who took $6,500 directly from Abramoff’s lobbying firm and $40,500 from clients of Abramoff.

More connections here.  The scandal is larger than just the GOP. Its a bi-partisan nightmare.  The corruption on both sides of the aisle should be appaling to all Americans.


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

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Rob on January 3, 2006 at 08:01 pm
Avatar for MikeAdamson

Is Harry Reid suspected of delivering something to Abramoff in exchange for the contribution or should I view this as similar to George Soros contributing to Arlen Specter? I see now that more than a few Democrats have received contributions from entities connected to Abramoff.

MikeAdamson on January 4, 2006 at 05:02 am
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