What Noonan, Margolis and the rest of the wing-nut cabal overlook are a few significant facts about Jack Abramoff:
First, they try to connect Abramoff with Democratic politicians by noting that Abramoff's CLIENTS gave the Democrats money, but cannot produce evidence that Abramoff himself gave them a DIME. In fact, Abramoff's clients were already giving money to Democrats prior to Abramoff taking them on and, once he became their lobbyist, their donations to Democrats dipped significantly. Abramoff, himself, ONLY gave money to Republicans.
Next, records clearly indicate that Abramoff and Bush had a releationship that stretches back over ten years. From USA Today last year:
"In President Bush's first 10 months, GOP fundraiser Jack Abramoff and his lobbying team logged nearly 200 contacts with the new administration as they pressed for friendly hires at federal agencies and sought to keep the Northern Mariana Islands exempt from the minimum wage and other laws, records show.
"The meetings between Abramoff's lobbying team and the administration ranged from Attorney General John Ashcroft to policy advisers in Vice President Dick Cheney's office, according to his lobbying firm billing records.
"Abramoff, a $100,000-plus fundraiser for Bush, is now under criminal investigation for some of his lobbying work. His firm boasted its lobbying team helped revise a section of the Republican Party's 2000 platform to make it favorable to its island client.
"In addition, two of Abramoff's lobbying colleagues on the Marianas won political appointments inside federal agencies.
"Our standing with the new administration promises to be solid as several friends of the CNMI (islands) will soon be taking high-ranking positions in the Administration, including within the Interior Department," Abramoff wrote in a January 2001 letter in which he persuaded the island government to follow him as a client to his new lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig.
The reception Abramoff's team received from the Bush administration was in stark contrast to the chilly relations of the Clinton years. Abramoff, then at the Preston Gates firm, scored few meetings with Clinton aides and the lobbyist and the islands vehemently opposed White House attempts to extend U.S. labor laws to the territory's clothing factories.
"The records from Abramoff's firm, obtained by The Associated Press from the Marianas under an open records request, chronicle Abramoff's careful cultivation of relations with Bush's political team as far back as 1997.
In that year, Abramoff charged the Marianas for getting then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush to write a letter expressing support for the Pacific territory's school choice proposal, his billing records show.
"I hope you will keep my office informed on the progress of this initiative," Bush wrote in a July 18, 1997, letter praising the islands' school plan and copying in an Abramoff deputy."
Look up Abramoff's activities virtually anywhere and you will quickly discover that he was a Republican animal through and through. He was close with Norquist, Reed, DeLay, Bush, Rove, Ney...all of these people. He was the nexus of a political culture that thrived under the Bush regime. This is how the Democrats won the mid-term elections. By exposing the REAL culture of corruption in Washington that was part of (a) Abramoff's sleazy dealings (b) DeLay's slimy K Street Project and (c) Rove, Bush and Company's thirst for money. They'd sell out to anyone willing to pony up the dough.
Wonder if that's going to be in your book, Noonan?
You guys have to admit that the suspicion of Bush stemmed not only from the reluctance to release that photograph but also the fact that he is the first president in history to classify the White House visitor's list...
While it may not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, it seems slightly "sketchy" to me...
What Noonan, Margolis and the rest of the wing-nut cabal overlook are a few significant facts about Jack Abramoff:
First, they try to connect Abramoff with Democratic politicians by noting that Abramoff's CLIENTS gave the Democrats money, but cannot produce evidence that Abramoff himself gave them a DIME. In fact, Abramoff's clients were already giving money to Democrats prior to Abramoff taking them on and, once he became their lobbyist, their donations to Democrats dipped significantly. Abramoff, himself, ONLY gave money to Republicans.
Next, records clearly indicate that Abramoff and Bush had a releationship that stretches back over ten years. From USA Today last year:
"In President Bush's first 10 months, GOP fundraiser Jack Abramoff and his lobbying team logged nearly 200 contacts with the new administration as they pressed for friendly hires at federal agencies and sought to keep the Northern Mariana Islands exempt from the minimum wage and other laws, records show.
"The meetings between Abramoff's lobbying team and the administration ranged from Attorney General John Ashcroft to policy advisers in Vice President Dick Cheney's office, according to his lobbying firm billing records.
"Abramoff, a $100,000-plus fundraiser for Bush, is now under criminal investigation for some of his lobbying work. His firm boasted its lobbying team helped revise a section of the Republican Party's 2000 platform to make it favorable to its island client.
"In addition, two of Abramoff's lobbying colleagues on the Marianas won political appointments inside federal agencies.
"Our standing with the new administration promises to be solid as several friends of the CNMI (islands) will soon be taking high-ranking positions in the Administration, including within the Interior Department," Abramoff wrote in a January 2001 letter in which he persuaded the island government to follow him as a client to his new lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig.
The reception Abramoff's team received from the Bush administration was in stark contrast to the chilly relations of the Clinton years. Abramoff, then at the Preston Gates firm, scored few meetings with Clinton aides and the lobbyist and the islands vehemently opposed White House attempts to extend U.S. labor laws to the territory's clothing factories.
"The records from Abramoff's firm, obtained by The Associated Press from the Marianas under an open records request, chronicle Abramoff's careful cultivation of relations with Bush's political team as far back as 1997.
In that year, Abramoff charged the Marianas for getting then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush to write a letter expressing support for the Pacific territory's school choice proposal, his billing records show.
"I hope you will keep my office informed on the progress of this initiative," Bush wrote in a July 18, 1997, letter praising the islands' school plan and copying in an Abramoff deputy."
Look up Abramoff's activities virtually anywhere and you will quickly discover that he was a Republican animal through and through. He was close with Norquist, Reed, DeLay, Bush, Rove, Ney...all of these people. He was the nexus of a political culture that thrived under the Bush regime. This is how the Democrats won the mid-term elections. By exposing the REAL culture of corruption in Washington that was part of (a) Abramoff's sleazy dealings (b) DeLay's slimy K Street Project and (c) Rove, Bush and Company's thirst for money. They'd sell out to anyone willing to pony up the dough.
Wonder if that's going to be in your book, Noonan?
It appears Ney knew Abramoff.
Former Ohio Republican Representative Bob Ney, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison and fined $6,000 by U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle.
Give the system time to see if anyone in the White House knew Jack better than they have let on. Bob Ney was able to hold out for 2 years.
Cyber,
Its all in the book - we note, with great care, the entire Abramoff story...and you are in for a whole series of unpleasant Abramoff-connected Democratic suprises.
You also might want to look who's trolling through K Street these days...
I live on the same planet as Mr. Abramoff, therefore I am guilty of multiple crimes against the Democratic Party and thus should be put to death.
Right?