I'm very glad that even now, in one of the darkest and most corrupt portions of American political history, the system still works enough to nail this bastard.

Hope for the future.

Obdicut: I'm very glad that even now, in one of the darkest and most corrupt portions of American political history, the system still works enough to nail this bastard.

Hope for the future.

Unless he gets pardoned. You know, 'cause Bush thinks that he's "been through enough" like Scooter Libby had.

Make no mistake, the party of personal responsibility will fall all over themselves trying to make the case that the Indians Jackie-boy was ripping off made a contribution to Harry Reid, therefore proving this a democratic scandal.

. (Approximate representation - actual violin too small to be resolved in a whole pixel.)

For some reason I just thought of Tonto, Tarzan and the Frankenstein Monster.

"See yoooooouuu in Septeeeeeemberrrrrrr..."

Hope someone brings up the 700,000 plus pages of evidence mcCain suppressed and he gets thrown in jail alongside him...

Jack Abramoff (D*)

*according to Fox News

Wait, who? Oh that guy. That was so last year.

He's a dirty crook.

Vast, left-wing conspiracy.

This article is completely:

FAKE and GAY

How about how McCain's Indian affairs committee followed the money but never reported on who got what and for what legislation?

*sweeps it under the rug*
nothing to see here move along.

Here once again we have an example of "What we desperately WANT" being portrayed as "Something that is actually happening", but hey, what can you expect from Kos? It's the left wing version of Stormfront.

It's a good scandal. There are quite a few examples now of McCain sweeping things under the rug. However, it's convoluted and takes too much time to figure out. You have to go back and research the players and the people involved. The American people will fall asleep.

SphericalTime: Unless he gets pardoned. You know, 'cause Bush thinks that he's "been through enough" like Scooter Libby had.

unfortunately, that wouldn't surprise me at all.

randomjsa: Here once again we have an example of "What we desperately WANT" being portrayed as "Something that is actually happening", but hey, what can you expect from Kos? It's the left wing version of Stormfront.

Now, you've crossed over the line into not even making sense.
Abramoff is about to Foley the Republicans right before the election.
And if you want to try to dismiss that because it is Kos that brought you the news, fine.

Oh, just so you know, I have no love for Kos either, but I take the news from whatever source I can, as long as it is verifiable.

Try that from NewsMAx or Rush Limbaugh.

Randomjsa

If Kos is the left-wing version of stormfront, then what the hell does that make revleft?

Twelve Republicans and one Dem will get nailed and the righty talkers will proclaim, "Its a bipartisan scandal!!!"...

/while humping floor

Wrist slap, and everyone else walks.

/farking yawn

Are there any punishments Bush CANNOT pardon? Can the President pardon exile or revocation of citizenship?

Abramoff to be sentenced in September, meaning a whole new slew of testimony and corruption charges against Republicans right before the election. Cue world's tiniest violin


Oh, failmitter, you partisan hack. FYI, Abramoff was a lobbyist who...oh,...forget it,...people like you can't be educated.

JQPublic: FYI, Abramoff was a lobbyist who...oh,...forget it,...people like you can't be educated.

No, please... continue. This should be interesting.

Also coming up in September: Tony Rezko faces sentencing. It'll be interesting to see if the left-wing media moonbats put him and his buddy Barack "Nobody is the person I knew" Obama under the same microscope they're using for Republicans and Abramoff.

Ceph: Are there any punishments Bush CANNOT pardon? Can the President pardon exile or revocation of citizenship?

Under what circumstances can someone's citizenship be revoked, or be exiled? I've never heard of either punishment in the USA. If they do exist as punishment, which I kind of doubt, the President would be able to commute the sentences or pardon the criminal.

JQPublic: FYI, Abramoff was a lobbyist who...oh,...forget it,...people like you can't be educated.

People like *me* can.

Time to put up or shut up...

Abner Doon: Under what circumstances can someone's citizenship be revoked, or be exiled? I've never heard of either punishment in the USA. If they do exist as punishment, which I kind of doubt, the President would be able to commute the sentences or pardon the criminal.

I'm not sure. Was just a question not necessarily related to Abramoff.

JQPublic: Abramoff to be sentenced in September, meaning a whole new slew of testimony and corruption charges against Republicans right before the election. Cue world's tiniest violin

Oh, failmitter, you partisan hack. FYI, Abramoff was a lobbyist who...oh,...forget it,...people like you can't be educated.

Abramoff was a lobbyist who was incredibly corrupt and whose corruption was tied to many Republicans.

Ace Frehley's Ghost: JQPublic: FYI, Abramoff was a lobbyist who...oh,...forget it,...people like you can't be educated.

No, please... continue. This should be interesting.

E.S.Q.: JQPublic: FYI, Abramoff was a lobbyist who...oh,...forget it,...people like you can't be educated.

People like *me* can.

Time to put up or shut up...

This is going to be fun. Political corruption means moving money, or donations may not be actual money but a gift in the form of a trip. Frequently Abramoff acted as a go-between on behalf of clients. So, instead of directly handing people money, he arranges donations, or arranges fundraisers. Sometimes gifts.

Here is a lie oops, reply from DNC Chairman Howard "The Scream" Dean when asked by CNN's Wolf Blitzer about the Abramoff scandal. Notice Dean's skills at sophistry. Sort of like Clinton's "definition of the word is."

DEAN: "There are no Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, not one, not one single Democrat. Every person named in this scandal is a Republican. Every person under investigation is a Republican. Every person indicted is a Republican. This is a Republican finance scandal. There is no evidence that Jack Abramoff ever gave any Democrat any money. And we've looked through all of those FEC reports to make sure that's true."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/08/le.01.html

These Democrats received donations indirectly, from Abramoff clients. Some of them returned (in whole or part) the "donation" when it became public. So, essentially, they had no problem taking the money in the first place. But when it started to make them look bad, they "gave it back" oops.

U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) failed to account properly for two fundraisers he held in Abramoff's skybox at Washington's MCI Center.

U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) - $18,892. "gave it back"
U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) - $79,300 "gave back" $67,000
U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) - $2,000 "gave it back"
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio(D-OR) - $1,500 "gave it back"

These ones felt secure with accepting money from clients of lobbyists, and not lobbyists directly, so the did not "gave it back."

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) received $35,000
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) received $61,000
U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) who received $36,000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monetary_influence_of_Jack_Abramoff

JQPublic, I notice Obama isn't on your list, so is it still okay with you if we vote for him?

JQPublic: These Democrats received donations indirectly, from Abramoff clients. Some of them returned (in whole or part) the "donation" when it became public. So, essentially, they had no problem taking the money in the first place. But when it started to make them look bad, they "gave it back" oops.

That's a little disingenuous, since 'Abramoff clients' as a whole greatly decreased their giving to Democrats after hiring Abramoff. Just because a client gives money to a Democrat, it does not mean that Abramoff either directed that contribution or influenced it in any way.

Please show that these contributions were made at the behest of Abramoff for unethical reasons, and then you will have a case to make.

Skleenar: Please show that these contributions were made at the behest of Abramoff for unethical reasons

This. Otherwise we're playing six degrees of Kevin Bacon here.

SphericalTime: Obdicut: I'm very glad that even now, in one of the darkest and most corrupt portions of American political history, the system still works enough to nail this bastard.

Hope for the future.

Unless he gets pardoned. You know, 'cause Bush thinks that he's "been through enough" like Scooter Libby had.

If he's pardoned, he can't take the 5th and will be forced to spill the beans on everything requested of him. It'd be putting a thumb into a New Orleans levee.

I don't want to get my hopes up, but this is F*CKING AWESOME!

It's almost that all that bad Karma they've been spreading around is slowly coming back to bite them in the ass. Oh please oh please oh please oh please let this turn out the way I hope it does...

El Morro: It's almost that all that bad Karma they've been spreading around is slowly coming back to bite them in the ass. Oh please oh please oh please oh please let this turn out the way I hope it does...

Schadenfreude. Let me show you it.

Screw the violin, break out the marching bands!

/Republicans are the worst of the worst
//good riddence to bad trash

What is the big deal? Why is he being persecuted? Did he get a blowjob?

The only thing that a President can't pardon is going AWOL in a time of war. And that is because when the person is caught they are sometimes shot on sight. Hard to pardon the dead guy...

Wait he can pardon that too. Nevermind, there is nothing that the president can't pardon. =>

shamanwest: The only thing that a President can't pardon is going AWOL in a time of war. And that is because when the person is caught they are sometimes shot on sight.

That was always my favorite part of Platoon.


But yeah, Abramoff was tied to plenty of democrats, as well. In Washington, if you're going to be corrupt, you have to get both parties on board with you, or else you'll have a very short career. Republicans were clearly much more embroiled with Abramoff himself, but let's not kid ourselves - there are scores of Jack Abramoff's representing the Democratic party, too.


There are 535 Senators and Congress Critters polluting this country. If you can find even five (heck, even one!) that didn't use their office as a get rich quick scheme, but rather because they truly wanted to represent their constituency and help make this country a better place, I'd probably have a heart attack.

Skleenar: JQPublic: These Democrats received donations indirectly, from Abramoff clients. Some of them returned (in whole or part) the "donation" when it became public. So, essentially, they had no problem taking the money in the first place. But when it started to make them look bad, they "gave it back" oops.

That's a little disingenuous, since 'Abramoff clients' as a whole greatly decreased their giving to Democrats after hiring Abramoff. Just because a client gives money to a Democrat, it does not mean that Abramoff either directed that contribution or influenced it in any way.

Please show that these contributions were made at the behest of Abramoff for unethical reasons, and then you will have a case to make.

I would advise reading this thoroughly before getting all cocky.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monetary_influence_of_Jack_Abramoff (new window)

JQPublic: I would advise reading this thoroughly before getting all cocky.

monetary influence of Jack Abramoff ran deep in Washington, as Jack Abramoff spent millions of dollars to influence and entertain Republican politicians. Abramoff had a reputation for largesse considered exceptional even by Washington standards. In addition to offering many Republican members of Congress expensive free meals at his restaurant, Signatures, Abramoff maintained four skyboxes at major sports arenas for political entertaining at a cost of over $1 million a year. Abramoff hosted many fundraisers at these skyboxes including events for Republican politicians publicly opposed to gambling, such as John Doolittle. [1] Abramoff gave over $260,000 in personal contributions to Republican candidates, politicians, and organizations, and funded numerous trips for politicians and staffers and gave none to Democrats.

From 2000 to 2006, funds and Leadership PACs of numerous Republican candidates for Congress. [1] Under his guidance, his Indian tribe clients loosened their traditional ties to the Democratic Party, giving Republicans two-thirds of the $2.9 million they donated to federal candidates since 2001. [2] He raised $100,000 for the reelection of George W. Bush, making him a Bush Pioneer. Abramoff and his wife gave $10,000 to the Bush-Cheney Recount Fund, shortly before Abramoff joined Greenberg Traurig, which forgave over $314,000 in legal fees incurred by the Bush Campaign in the 2000 Florida election recount. [3]

Of the approximately $85 million in tribal money entrusted to Abramoff, his employers, or his related organizations (see Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal for more), over $4.4 million since 1999 were directed to at least 250 members of Congress, primarily Republicans in leadership positions or on relevant committees, and Democrats with standing connections to Native American interests (in a 2-1 GOP ratio). These contributions have since become tainted by their association with Abramoff's criminal behavior.[2]

Abramoff was associated with Tom DeLay's and Grover Norquist's K Street Project to bring Republican dominance to Washington lobbying. [4]

I suggest you read it.

Please indicate to me in that document where it shows Democrats receiving money at Abramoff's direction for unethical purposes.

You haven't really made that connection yet. But the Feds have made that connection for several Republicans already.

JQPublic: I would advise reading this thoroughly before getting all cocky.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monetary_influence_of_Jack_Abramoff (new window)

Donating money is perfectly legal, if it is accurately reported.

Can you show an illegal quid pro quo?

You see, if there could have been a way for this politicized DoJ to investigate a corrupt Democrat, I am pretty sure they would have.

Unless you would like to suggest that the DoJ was incompetent.

Moses To Sandy Koufax: There are 535 Senators and Congress Critters polluting this country. If you can find even five (heck, even one!) that didn't use their office as a get rich quick scheme, but rather because they truly wanted to represent their constituency and help make this country a better place, I'd probably have a heart attack.

Russ Feingold. That took all of two seconds.