Breaking! Hastert is added to the Abramoff scandal

[shraby]

In June 2003, House Speaker Dennis Hastert sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton urging her to act in favor of clients of the scandal-plagued lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported yesterday that investigators believe that Abramoff and his staff provided the congressmen with the letter's text.

Three other representatives, including former House Majority leader Tom DeLay and the current majority leader Roy Blunt, co-signed the letter. Both DeLay and Blunt have close ties to Abramoff and have received thousands of dollars from his clients.

The letter endorsed a view of gambling law that would block the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians from opening a casino nearby one owned by the Coushattas, an Abramoff client.

In September 2004, the Washington Post quoted V. Heather Sibbison, a lobbyist at the time for the Jena Band: "I have never seen a letter like that before. It was incredibly unusual for that group of people, who do not normally weigh in on Indian issues, to express such a strong opinion about a particular project not in any of their home states."

(more)
<http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/11/6/115626/557>

It just doesn't get much sweeter!!!

[Straight Shooter]

1. Hastert was acting as a stenographer for Abramoff?

I always felt like he was a bit dense, but this is beyond stupid.

[cantstandbush]

26. Wasn't Hastert caught in some other scandal too? n/t

[Ganja Ninja]

27. Taking bribes from some Turkish official.

Uncovered by none other than Sibel Edmonds.

http://shininglight.us/mt/archives/2005/08/democracy_now_d.html

[elehhhhna]

31. In the form of campaign contributions.

[truebrit71]

2. YEEE EEEEE EEESSS SSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I KNEW that Jabba-The-Hut looking mother-effer was dirty...Now it seems we have proof...

I think in all honesty Abramoff is going to bring about the destruction of the rethuglicans and not Plame-gate...

[Midnight Rambler]

Maybe Abramoff outed Valerie Plame!

Just kidding. Actually, I think Plamegate will indeed be what brings down the administration, but Abramoff will bring down the Republican Congress.

[anitar1]

16. I have thought for sometime that the Abramoff will

bring the Pugs down.I recently saw an article where 20 or 25 members of congress are listed as involved with him. I personally think that is a low number.Abranoff has stated that he is NOT going down alone. I hope he sings like a canary. The Plame case is bad enough but Abramoff is an earthquake of huge proportions.Can hardly wait!

[FreedomAngel82]

19. A lot of the main one's

such as Hasert are connected to guys like Abramoff for their own political purposes. So if he goes down than all those people connected to him will have something attached too.

[UrbScotty]

3. Two in a row, huh? (nt)

[napi21]

4. Tell me again the line of succession?

If the Pres, VP, and Speaker is gone.....

[DRoseDARs]

9. Order of Presidential Succession...

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0101032.html

* The Vice President Richard Cheney
* Speaker of the House John Dennis Hastert
* President pro tempore of the Senate Ted Stevens
* Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
* Secretary of the Treasury John Snow
* Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
* Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
* Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton
* Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns
* Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez (born in Cuba, ineligible)
* Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao (born in Taiwan, ineligible)
* Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt
* Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson
* Secretary of Transportation Norman Yoshio Mineta
* Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman
* Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
* Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson
* Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff (bill pending in House to move up to #8)

[napi21]

10. OH MY GOD! Te idiot Senator from Alaska!!! Mr Bridge!!!!

Geesh, I want to see them all go down, but Stevens is almost worse that Shrub!

[il_lilac]

14. but 2006 can see us replace speaker of the house

How does President Conyers sound?

[FreedomAngel82]

20. That would be amazing

I thought it would be Pelosi though?? :shrug:

[BamaBecky]

24. That sounds pretty good to me!

[itzamirakul]

37. I would love hearing "President Conyers"

Certainly he deserves it.

BTW; I wouldn't be too angry with Pelosi either, right now. Just hope she keeps speaking up and out.

[JJackFlash]

15. This succession list wouldn't mean much to the Bush Junta

those criminal, power-mad sons-of-bitches.

[me b zola]

17. Do you have any info on the pending bill in the House?

It is a little frightening to see how they want to move their henchman up the food chain. DHS needs to be dismantled as soon as this criminal administration leaves (is escorted out of) office.

[petgoat]

23. But after a 2006 Dem sweep it's:

The Vice President Richard Cheney
* Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
* President pro tempore of the Senate Robert Byrd


86 43

Pelosi for President 2007

[DanCa]

5. Man I hope they give Denny H an extra large cell.

You know I feel sorry for the janitors in his cell block on the day the ac gives out.

[Erika]

6. This is going to be bigger than Watergate n/t

[DanCa]

8. Specially with Denny H - lol sorry cheap shot.

[JJackFlash]

7. I posted on this 2 days ago

[flyarm]

12. yes i sent this out a couple days ago as well!!..but glad others are

finding it now!! this needs to be spread far and wide!!

fly

[lonestarnot]

33. Yes I saw it... What is with our regular posters these days. Have they

all been on vacation?

[annabanana]

11. they are all dirty...

It's only a matter of time before they all go down. It's our job to see to it that it doesn't take any longer than necessary. Every day that this crime syndicate is running the show.

[NewJeffCT]

13. this is on top of the Turkish spying scandal!

Of course, that went over like a lead balloon.

[FreedomAngel82]

18. Oh wow

I'm not too surprised though. Isn't he also in some investigation with the Turkish government? I remember reading something about that from Sibel Edmonds in Vanity Fair (someone posted it here).

[The Doctor.]

21. This will be very nice to see. n/t

[SittingBull]

22. If he is indicted

maybe someone will search for Sibel Edmonds claims?

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/10/1346254

[BamaBecky]

25. That would be sweet too!

[Swamp Rat]

28. YES!!! Roast that fucking pig!!!

:)

[Vinca]

29. I cannot wait for the culmination of the Abramoff investigation!

Somewhere a prison is being readied for Republicans.:rofl:

[corbett]

30. Same Here! Have You Seen A Cogent Timeline For Prosecution Recently?

http://www.dccc.org/houseofscandal/main.html

[lala_rawraw]

32. Let me see if I get this...

The power structure might have to go down to the janitors because most of Congress will either be in jail or forced to resign?

[indepat]

34. Damn, if the shit hits the fan, how far down the succession list will we

have to go?

[robertpaulsen]

35. Great catch shraby!

The possibility of seeing President Pelosi inaugurated in 2007 is starting to seem more realistic every day.

[shraby]

36. Enjoyable thought, isn't it?