Lobbyist is target of calls for inquiry into millions in fees - Abramoff

[seemslikeadream]

Posted on Fri, Apr. 15, 2005

By Sharon Theimer

The Associated Press

...

Last month, Northern Marianas government auditors questioned whether the territory was overcharged when it paid Abramoff's firm millions of dollars during the 1990s.

The payments included at least $1 million that his then-employer, the Preston Gates lobbying firm, failed to justify. Auditors quoted officials as saying they could save lobbying money by flying fewer members of Congress to the islands.

"I believe there is more than enough initial evidence to warrant a thorough and bipartisan investigation of Mr. Abramoff and potential congressional wrongdoing in the territories," Miller wrote the chairman of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif.

...

Miller has long sought to lift the islands' exemption from U.S. labor and immigration laws, contending that immigrants are facing widespread abuse. The islands' government hired Abramoff and Preston Gates during the 1990s to help fend off any possible changes.

...

The trips included one to the Marianas in December 1997. Abramoff organized DeLay's visit and the commonwealth government and the Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association paid for it. DeLay said after the trip that he viewed the islands' clothing factories as a success and believed that they should keep their exemption from U.S. labor laws.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/11402215.htm

[Warpy]

1. Abamoff is cornered and giving all indications

of wanting to sing like a wee birdie. I hope he's not considering taking any air trips or even long surface trips. I also sincerely hope he's got bodyguards and state of the art alarm systems at his home,
otherwise, we're going to see another "suicide" with multiple gunshot wounds to the head.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Isn't it truly amazing how Democrats

can plant all these stories and fake these investigations against someone as kind and loving and christian as tom delay and all his wonderful friends. Its just a gosh darned shame.