Abramoff lobbied Monkey House 200 times in first 10 months.

[Octafish]

An article deserving of a good read, pasting about and passing to friend and foe alike...



Answer: The fact that there are no pictures.

Controversial lobbyist had close contact with Bush team

WASHINGTON (AP) — 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.

SNIP...

"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.

CONTINUED...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-05-06-abramoff-bush_x.htm

Question: What makes the unctuous offal of the crazy monkey sooooooooooooooooooo obvious?

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. This is for just one client

We need to FOIA the WH logs to find out how many times Jack came and went from the WH.

[Octafish]

2. Excellent point! Here's a start on the Senate side...

Welcome to the Office of Public Records
Lobby Filing Disclosure Program

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/m_opr_viewer.exe?DoFn=3

Query Results
Back To Query Page

Records are available in 100 groupings...click below to get each 100 grouping...
0 1


# Registrant Client Lobbyist Filing Type Filing Period Filing Year
1. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CASH AMERICA INTL, INC ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION   1998
2. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP NORTHERN TELECOM ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION   1998
3. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CHANNEL ONE NETWORK ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION   1998
4. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP TRANSPORTATION INST ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT   1998
5. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CHANNEL ONE NETWORK ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT   1998
6. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CHANNEL ONE NETWORK ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT   1998
7. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP HILL BETTS & NASH ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT   1998
8. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COASTAL TRANSPORTATION ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
9. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP AMERICAN CASINO ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
10. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP AMERICAN PELAGIC FISHING CO ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
11. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP SUNMAR SHIPPING ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
12. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP MORMAC MARINE GROUP ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
13. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP OMI CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
14. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP ALLEGHANY CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
15. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP PITNEY BOWES ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
16. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP HAZARDOUS WASTE ACTION COALITION ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
17. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BATTELLE MEMORIAL INST ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
18. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP USFHP CONFERENCE GROUP ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
19. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BUSINESS SOFTWARE ALLIANCE ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
20. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP AMERICAN CLASSIC VOYAGES CO ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
21. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BROWN-FORMAN CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION AMENDMENT 1998
22. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP MICROSOFT CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
23. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP FUTURE OF PUERTO RICO ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
24. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COURT TV ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
25. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP AMERICAN PELAGIC FISHING CO ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
26. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP NEPTUNE ORIENT LINES ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
27. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP PITNEY BOWES ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
28. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BUSINESS SOFTWARE ALLIANCE ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
29. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
30. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP AMERICAN CLASSIC VOYAGES CO ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
31. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP FLUOR CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
32. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BROWN-FORMAN CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
33. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CASH AMERICA INTL, INC ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
34. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BNSF Railway Co. ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
35. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
36. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP HILL BETTS & NASH ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
37. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP SIMPSON INVESTMENT CO ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
38. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP GRANT COUNTY PUBLIC UTILITY DIST NO. 2 ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
39. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR TERMINATION Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1998
40. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COURT TV ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
41. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP FUTURE OF PUERTO RICO ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
42. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
43. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP PITNEY BOWES ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
44. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BUSINESS SOFTWARE ALLIANCE ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
45. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CHANNEL ONE NETWORK ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
46. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP PORT OF SEATTLE ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
47. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP SHAW ENVIRONMENTAL & INFRASTUCTURE ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
48. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP FLUOR CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
49. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END TERMINATION Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
50. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CASH AMERICA INTL, INC ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END TERMINATION Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
51. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP NORTHERN TELECOM ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END TERMINATION Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1998
52. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP WESTERN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COUNCIL ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION   1999
53. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP VOOR HUISEN PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICE BEDRYT B.V., LTD ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION 1999
54. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION 1999
55. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
56. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BUSINESS SOFTWARE ALLIANCE ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
57. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP PITNEY BOWES ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
58. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CHANNEL ONE NETWORK ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
59. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP FUTURE OF PUERTO RICO ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
60. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COURT TV ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
61. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP ENVIROCARE OF UTAH ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
62. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP TATE & LYLE NORTH AMERICAN SUGARS ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
63. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP SOUTHEAST ALASKA REGIONAL HEALTH CONSORTIA ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
64. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP WESTERN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COUNCIL ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
65. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP TRANSPORTATION INST ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
66. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP U S MARITIME COALITION ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
67. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP INTERMODAL ASSN OF NORTH AMERICA ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
68. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP USFHP CONFERENCE GROUP ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
69. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP FOSTER WHEELER CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
70. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BATTELLE MEMORIAL INST ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 1999
71. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP WESTERN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COUNCIL ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
72. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP USFHP CONFERENCE GROUP ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
73. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP TRANSPORTATION INST ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
74. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP PRIME TIME 24 ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
75. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP PITNEY BOWES ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
76. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP LAKE CARRIERS ASSN ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
77. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP H.D. VEST FINANCIAL SERVICES ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
78. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BNSF Railway Co. ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
79. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BROWN-FORMAN CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
80. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BATTELLE MEMORIAL INST ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
81. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP PORT OF SEATTLE ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
82. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP MICROSOFT CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
83. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
84. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CHANNEL ONE NETWORK ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
85. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP FUTURE OF PUERTO RICO ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
86. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP DREDGING CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
87. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP AMERICAN CLASSIC VOYAGES CO ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
88. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP BUSINESS SOFTWARE ALLIANCE ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
89. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP TATE & LYLE NORTH AMERICAN SUGARS ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END REPORT Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
90. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP FOSTER WHEELER CORP ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END (NO ACTIVITY) Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
91. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP COURT TV ABRAMOFF, JACK YEAR-END TERMINATION Year-End (July 1 - Dec 31) 1999
92. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP NATL PRODUCE PRODUCTION ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION   2000
93. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP ELOTTERY, INC ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION 2000
94. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP NATL CENTER FOR ECONOMIC FREEDOM ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION 2000
95. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CHITIMACHA TRIBE OF LOUISIANA ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION 2000
96. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP SAGINAW CHIPPEWA INDIAN TRIBE ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION 2000
97. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP DRY PRAIRIE RURAL WATER ABRAMOFF, JACK REGISTRATION 2000
98. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP DRY PRAIRIE RURAL WATER ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 2000
99. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP CHANNEL ONE NETWORK ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 2000
100. PRESTON GATES ELLIS & ROUVELAS MEEDS LLP DREDGING CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA ABRAMOFF, JACK MID-YEAR REPORT Mid-Year (Jan 1- Jun 30) 2000

CONTINUED...

[Octafish]

6. FOIA would show BFEE at work.

The record we know shows when Abramoff talked, Bush listened.

Bush removal ended Guam investigation

US attorney's demotion halted probe of lobbyist

By Walter F. Roche Jr., Los Angeles Times | August 8, 2005

WASHINGTON -- A US grand jury in Guam opened an investigation of controversial lobbyist Jack Abramoff more than two years ago, but President Bush removed the supervising federal prosecutor, and the probe ended soon after.

SNIP...

Abramoff spokesman Andrew Blum said the lobbyist ''has no recollection of his being investigated in Guam in 2002. If he had been aware of an investigation, he would have cooperated fully." Blum declined to respond to detailed questions.

The transactions were the target of a grand jury subpoena issued Nov. 18, 2002, according to the subpoena. It demanded that Anthony Sanchez, administrative director of the Guam Superior Court, turn over all records involving the lobbying contract, including bills and payments.

A day later, the chief prosecutor, US Attorney Frederick A. Black, who had launched the investigation, was demoted. A White House news release announced that Bush was replacing Black.

SNIP...

His replacement, Leonardo Rapadas, was confirmed in May 2003 without any debate. Rapadas had been recommended for the job by the Guam Republican Party. Fred Radewagen, a lobbyist who had been under contract to the Gutierrez administration, said he carried that recommendation to top Bush aide Karl Rove in early 2003.

After taking office, Rapadas recused himself from the public corruption case involving Gutierrez. The new US attorney was a cousin of ''one of the main targets," according to a confidential memo to Justice Department officials.

CONTINUED...

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/08/08/bush_removal_ended_guam_investigation/?p1=email_to_a_friend

These guys are in a heap of hot gas, now.

[Octafish]

7. E-mails expose sordid tale of political corruption

A bit of what we know, reported from real journalists in Deutschland:

Emails expose sordid tale of political corruption

Ronda Hauben 10.01.2006

Lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleads guilty and Washington trembles

To understand the nature of the Abramoff scandal that is now rocking Washington, it is especially helpful to look at the email files that John McCain and the US Senate Indian Affairs Committee have put on the Internet.<1> These emails reveal a sordid, day-by-day account in Abramoff's own words documenting how he maneuvered government officials and others in Washington to transfer millions of dollars in fraudulent fees from his clients into the coffers of the political establishment in Washington. The testimony during three committee hearings held from November 2004 through November 2005 and presented in the emails and other documents put on the Internet by the committee, help to create a portrait of political corruption that rivals any other in US history.

SNIP...

The pressure Abramoff and his cronies brought to bear on government officials with regard to regulation in the Marianas is an example of a nexus between Congress and the Bush administration and the Abramoff corruption. Since the Northern Mariana Islands are a US territory, clothing made there can have a label that says "Made in the USA". Name brand clothing manufacturers would use the factories there. Conditions in the factories, however, approached slave labor conditions, as workers were "indentured aliens" and had no labor rights. They were working to pay off the loans that they had taken to come to the islands. To maintain these conditions on behalf of his Island clients, Abramoff had numerous contacts with Bush administration officials, both when Bush was governor of Texas, and then when Bush took office in 2001.

A staffer for Abramoff, Patrick Pizzella, was appointed as an assistant Secretary of Labor by the Bush administration in 2001. Bush's reelection campaign also received contributions from Abramoff's Mariana clients, notably the owners of clothing factories. Congressional action to oppose efforts to extend minimum wage protection to workers on the Islands was opposed by those Abramoff supported, including Congressman DeLay, even though such legislation would worsen the labor environment for workers in their own states.

Visits to the factories in the Marianas were included as stops on trips to the Islands for politicians and public officials organized by Abramoff, as an example of free market success.<2> Describing the contacts that Abramoff had with the Bush administration, an AP reporter, in a story in the Washington Post writes, "His team also had extensive access to Bush administration officials, meeting with Cheney policy advisers Ron Christie and Stephen Ruhlen, Ashcroft at the Justice Department, White House intergovernmental affairs chief Ruben Barrales, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, Deputy Interior Secretary Steven Griles and others."<3>

There are other instances of how Abramoff's dealings reached into the White House itself. For example, a large corporation got contracts it wanted and was able to get department freezes lifted after intervention by Abramoff with White House officials. Visits to meet with Bush were also among the favors Abramoff provided for clients for a price. Another example is the meeting on May 26, 2004 between George Bush and Gabon's President Omar Bongo. Abramoff arranged for the meeting and the fees he sought from the African President's office of $9 million were to be paid to a small Maryland lobbying firm, GrassRoots Interactive, Abramoff was said to control. The New York Times reporter writing the story<4> about this meeting commented that Gabon's "government is regularly accused by the United States of human rights abuses, as routine."

CONTINUED w/LINK CITY...

http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/21/21751/1.html

Is it any wonder

[Sydnie]

3. Now let's follow the money from Italia Federici to Gale Norton

Can't get much higher in Interior than that. Italia used to work with Norton, as did Deputy Interior Secretary Steven Griles.

edited to add -

Secretary Norton and others at the Department of Interior have denied any wrongdoing. But journalists might want to take a close look at whether or not the Department of Interior made any favorable rulings on behalf of Jack Abramoff’s clients while accepting outside funding for a public opinion survey provided to the Department that somehow made its way into the office of the Vice President.

http://www.rockthrower.blogs.com/

and this -

WASHINGTON (June 28, 2004) - Despite the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal last week to open more Cheney energy documents to the public, the Bush administration has not been able to keep everything secret.

On June 1, in response to a federal court order, the Department of Justice provided NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) with several hundred more documents related to the work of the task force. These latest documents -- generally dating from early 2001 through November 2002 -- relate to the implementation of energy policy recommendations by the Interior Department. (The Department of Justice must disclose additional Interior documents -- dating from November 2002 to the present -- on July 1.)

NRDC's exhaustive review over the past few weeks of the latest batch of task force records illustrates how, as part of the Bush administration's energy plan, the Interior Department has pushed energy development as the primary activity on federal lands -- rather than a balanced land management approach that considers other values, such as recreation and wilderness protection. Moreover, the documents provide several examples of specific industry requests that were quickly granted, as well as efforts to exploit rising gas prices as a way to justify more drilling on public lands.

http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/040628.asp This site lists some of the info from the documents from the secret energy forum.

[Octafish]

4. Italia is the reason Abramoff is so mad at Gordon...

Wayne Madsen Report says Abramoff, Norquist and Rove are spreading the word Dorgan took Abramoff money.

Heh heh. The pukes are worried that the guy might actually arrive at the Truth.

Good for We the People, Dorgan already has.

The greening of Italia Federici

To buy influence at the White House, GOP operative Jack Abramoff gave $500,000 in tribal loot to a Gale Norton pal who heads an "environmental" nonprofit.

By Michael Scherer
Salon.com

Nov. 18, 2005 | Italia Federici is a minor Republican player in Washington, the sort of dime-a-dozen functionary who can build a career trading favors in backrooms and producing political campaigns for moneyed interests. Her specialty is the environment. She leads a conservative front group called the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, or CREA, a tiny outfit, originally founded by Interior Secretary Gale Norton, that argues it is healthy for forests to clear-cut trees, good for the air to weaken air-quality controls, and "environmentally responsible" to drill for oil in the Alaskan wilderness.

For the past five years, Federici has limited her public activities to supporting President Bush's environmental plans. She claims that traditional environmentalists, groups like the Sierra Club and Democrats like Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., are dishonest and deceptive. But that is just the public face of Federici. In private, she has played a very different role in Washington, one that has now put her in the middle of one of the largest political ethics scandals in a decade.


SNIP...

Sen. Dorgan compared Federici's story to a fairy tale. "You know what bothers me?" Dorgan asked at the end of the hearing. "It's pretty clear that this is one of the most disgusting tales of greed and avarice, and perhaps fraud and stealing. It's unbelievable what we have uncovered here. It's almost sickening to see what we have uncovered. And you come to our table and say, 'Oh, gosh, this is just about friendships.'

"Somehow none of this adds up," he continued. "This committee, in my judgment, has had people testify, and, in my judgment, some of the testimony was fraudulent. We need to find out who, because there are consequences to that."

Dorgan may well have his way. The Senate Finance Committee is beginning its own investigation into the use of nonprofits like CREA by lobbyists like Abramoff. The Justice Department is in the midst of a wide-ranging investigation of Abramoff's lobbying operation. Sen. McCain has suggested the Internal Revenue Service should mount its own investigation. And Dorgan said he will ask for another hearing of the Indian Affairs Committee.

CONTINUED Subscription or watch or commercial...

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/11/18/federici/

For good reason they refuse to deal in reality.

[Sydnie]

5. d'oh! NOW it makes sense to me

I couldn't figure out why they were going after Dorgan as hard as they were. NOW I get it. I did see that hearing on C-Span last week and I heard him say those very words. They didn't come to praise Cesar, they can to bury him!

Dorgan has broad shoulders and we have his back. Abramoff is singing like a bird and they have reason to run scared.

[Sydnie]

8. kick n/t

[Octafish]

9. Rolling Stone: The Abramoff-Bush Connection

Thank you for the kindly kick to the backsides of the Bush Crime Family.

Back to the business at hand:

The Abramoff/Bush Connection

Rolliing Stone
Jan 06, 2006 4:32 PM

President Bush is donating $6,000 in tainted Abramoff donations to charity. But how much cash did the Don of K-Street raise for the president? As he bragged to the New York Times back in July of '03: "So far I?ve raised about $120,000, and I haven't even really started making calls."

The total cash raised hasn't been disclosed by the White House. But this USA Today story from last May suggest that Abramoff had already bought his firm wide access to the White House.

Bush and Abramoff's contacts date back to at least 1997, when then Governor Bush wrote a letter at Abramoff's behest supporting education reforms on the Mariana Islands, an Abramoff client.

SNIP...

The USA Today story suggests the firm got very cozy with the administration indeed, even securing a post for one of Abramoff's firm members, Patrick Pizzella, as an assistant secretary at the Department of Labor. Needless to say: The collective effort stalled a 2001 proposal to bring the minimum wage the islands.

SOURCE:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/nataffdaily/story/9118194?rnd=1136945778734&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1465

[Octafish]

10. Bush removal ended Guam investigation

A bit mehr licht:

Bush removal ended Guam investigation

US attorney's demotion halted probe of lobbyist

By Walter F. Roche Jr., Los Angeles Times  |  August 8, 2005

WASHINGTON -- A US grand jury in Guam opened an investigation of controversial lobbyist Jack Abramoff more than two years ago, but President Bush removed the supervising federal prosecutor, and the probe ended soon after.

The previously undisclosed Guam inquiry is separate from a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia that is investigating allegations that Abramoff bilked Indian tribes out of millions of dollars.

In Guam, a US territory in the Pacific, investigators were looking into Abramoff's secret arrangement with Superior Court officials to lobby against a court reform bill then pending in Congress. The legislation, since approved, gave the Guam Supreme Court authority over the Superior Court.

In 2002, Abramoff was retained by the Superior Court in what was an unusual arrangement for a public agency. The Los Angeles Times reported in May that Abramoff was paid with a series of $9,000 checks funneled through a Laguna Beach, Calif., lawyer to disguise the lobbyist's role working for the Guam court. No separate contract was authorized for Abramoff's work.

Guam court officials have never explained the contractual arrangement. At the time, Abramoff was a well-known lobbying figure in the Pacific islands because of his work for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Saipan garment manufacturers, accused of employing workers in what critics called sweatshop conditions.

CONTINUED...

http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/live/node/1976

Thanks for giving a damn, y'all.

[Sydnie]

11. Kick n/t