For some time now
I have written about the Abramoff scandal and its links to the Commonwealth of North Marianas Islands (CNMI)--especially how Jack, Tom DeLay and the GOP worked to protect sweatshops and the economic control of CNMI by the Tan Family of Hong Kong, China.
One big player in that story is Ben Fitial. He is the new CNMI Governor-elect and a former Tan Company VP who DeLay had installed as CNMI Speaker of the House in 1999-2000.
Today, comes the report out of CNMI that Ben is talking to the Feds about Tom and Jack:
The Marianas Variety Online reports that Governor-elect Benigno R. Fitial says he will cooperate with federal authorities in the ongoing investigation of Rep. Tom Delay and former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, whom he once described as his "close friends."
More on the jump...
The
Marianas Variety is the Tan Family opposition paper on CNMI. They add a few more details:
House leadership spokesman Charles P. Reyes Jr. said Speaker Fitial "will comply with all the legal requirements asked of him."
But Reyes said it's unfair that Fitial's name is always being associated with Delay, R-Texas, and Abramoff.
In April, when news about DeLay's and Abramoff's possible ethical violations broke, Fitial issued a statement in their defense.
"I join Congressman DeLay in condemning this unfair criticism, which has even gone to the extent of attacking the Northern Marianas for its efforts to rightfully defend itself against hostile federal takeover attempts orchestrated by partisan political groups and other liberal special interest groups," said Fitial in a statement issued on April 20.
But Mike Scanlon was one of the two operatives that Delay sent to CNMI to ensure that Fitial was elected speaker. This has been widely reported and it is no surprise that the Feds would want to talk to Ben about DeLay and Abramoff. One report was by Ruth L. Tighe, A CNMI print and online columnist, who wrote in Jan. 2000 (emphasis added):
Obscene. As in "offensive to accepted standards of decency." Is there any better word to describe the machinations of the unholy trio that is trying so hard to disrupt the normal, routine, civilized way the CNMI House of Representatives usually does business? [snip]
Adding to the obscenity of it all is the fact that one of the unholy trio behind all these machinations is an outsider. He doesn't live here, he's never lived here, he isn't registered to vote here, and so far as I know, he doesn't have any family or relatives here. But, it is said - and it appears obvious - that he has friends here, and even, so the rumors go, financial interests. As if that weren't bad enough, he is a member of the U.S. Congress.
Just what is a member of the U.S. Congress doing interfering with the internal politics of the CNMI? Sending his staff out to, in effect, bribe members of the House by promises of direct financial support from Congress (and Fitial has freely admitted that two aides to Congressman Tom Delay did indeed meet with Rota representative Alejo M. Mendiola and newly-elected representative from Tinian Norman S. Palacios)? Particularly when the CNMI is not a U.S. possession, is not under the control of the U.S. Congress - as is Washington, D.C. - but is a member of the U.S. family via a Covenant that in some cases allows the CNMI more freedom than the states?
Though perhaps hypocritical (or greedy, or duplicitous), rather than obscene, is the better word to use in regard to those CNMI legislators now so docilely feeding at the trough of the U.S. Congress despite their many protestations in the past that Congress has no right to interfere in matters internal to the CNMI.
After Scanlon made his plea is it any wonder that Ben and his Tan Family patrons are trying to cooperate with the Feds?
And as Tan Family members, who are Chinese Nationals, gave the max to George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, this may have something to do with why the Bush WH shut down the Guam probe in 2002 (please check out Sherlock Google's recent Diary on the Guam investigation).
And the news from CNMI had this bit as well:
In a separate news article, the AP reported that the 2001 donations to Burns, a Montana Republican, included money directly from Abramoff and Northern Marianas garment magnate Willie Tan's company, Tan Holdings Corp.
In that same article, Eloy Inos, a corporate executive of Tan Holdings, was mentioned as donating $5,000 to Burns' political action committee.
Inos now serves on Fitial's transition committee.
Fitial, a former executive of Tan's, became speaker of the 12th Legislature largely through the help of DeLay's aides. [snip]
In a separate interview, Press Secreatry Peter Callaghan said the CNMI Attorney General's Office has provided federal authorities with all the documents they needed regarding the CNMI's previous transactions with Abramoff.
My guess is that DeLay has more to worry about over the Holidays than a certain Texas DA. And he will have plenty of company when you count the many nervous members of his party. Who are, of course, not so much worried for Tom as they are worried about their own connections to scandal (Jack and/or Duke).
Yet another GOP scandal front is opening. And, like the Tribal casino scandal, there are Abramoff emails to and from his client in the hands of Federal investigators. And a star witness for both.
When Ben was running for Speaker of the House in 1999 and then a failed 2001 run for Governor he had the support of some US Congressmen like Chris Cannon and John Doolittle. Expect them to join Ney, DeLay and Burns in the spotlight as this breaks open.
I'm looking forward to a great Holiday season with lots of Abramoff Scandal news everyday.
And is this the first report of a Federal investigation of Tom DeLay for his work on CNMI? I think it is.
This is going to get very interesting.
Update: Abramoff news is breaking out all over. Daily Kos Abramoff scholar jorndorff has a new Diary up about a plea deal in the SunCruz Fraud Case. It seems that Jack's partner, Adam Kidan, has beat him to a plea. Now Jack only has Congressmen and other GOP scondrals to sell in a plea bargain.
And over at the Talking Points Memo Josh Marshall is on fire. There are several Abramoff posts in a row. Including more details on the Kindan deal, links between Jack and Rep, Pombo and Willie Tan and the Tan Company helping to cover the cost of Jack's skyboxes. It includes this e-mail exchange between Jack and Willie Tan over payment details.
Great stuff. More is coming. Abramoff will produce new news on an almost daily basis. Bad times for the GOP. Good news for our country.