JACK ABRAMOFF’S CONTACTS WITH WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS

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http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20080609101725.pdf

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM
PROPOSED COMMITTEE REPORT
JUNE 9, 2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................1
I. BACKGROUND.............................................................3
A. Jack Abramoff’s Lobbying Practice.................................................3
B. The Public Corruption Scandal Surrounding Jack Abramoff..........4
C. White House Reaction to the Abramoff Scandal.............................5
D. The Committee’s Investigation in the 109th Congress....................6
E. The Committee’s Investigation in the 110th Congress....................8
II. FINDINGS....................................................................11
A. Jack Abramoff Had Access to the White House...........................11
B. Jack Abramoff Influenced Some White House Actions................13
1. White House Officials Intervened in a State Department
Decision Regarding Extending the Employment of State
Department Official Allen Stayman......................................13
2. The White House Communicated with the Abramoff Team in
Considering Candidates for Political Positions in the
Administration.........................................................................19
3. Mr. Abramoff Influenced Decisions about Presidential
Political Endorsements............................................................21
4. Unanswered Questions Regarding Mr. Abramoff’s White
House Access and Influence.................................................22
C. Evidence of Abramoff Gifts to White House Officials....................26
1. Tickets.......................................................................................26
2. Meals and Drinks.....................................................................31
D. The White House Failed to Provide Public Accountability
Regarding its Relationship with Jack Abramoff............................32
III. CONCLUSION.............................................................33

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1. Who will answer the question of why John McCain withheld controversial Abramoff e-mail?

U. S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM PROPOSED COMMITTEE REPORT

JUNE 9, 2008

III. CONCLUSION
The documents and testimony obtained by the Committee in this investigation confirm that that
Mr. Abramoff and his associates had access and influenced some actions at the White House.
While the Committee’s investigation was limited by potential Fifth Amendment claims by
several White House officials and Abramoff lobbyists and the Committee’s accommodation of
Justice Department concerns, the new documents and testimony show that Mr. Abramoff had
personal contact with President Bush, that high-level White House officials held Mr. Abramoff
and his associates in high regard and solicited recommendations from Mr. Abramoff on policy
matters, and that Mr. Abramoff and his associates influenced some White House actions. The
new information obtained by the Committee also corroborates findings of the Committee’s
September 2006 staff report that Abramoff team offered White House officials expensive tickets
and meals, at least some of which were accepted. In addition, the Committee’s investigation
shows that the White House failed to provide public accountability regarding its relationship
with Jack Abramoff.

Jack Abramoff: John McCain’s other Lobbyist problem, May 19, 2008