I've
posted about Abramoff for some time now and have been researching him since 1999.
At the beginning of August, I posted a list of 21 GOP Candidates tied to Abramoff.
[FYI: the list has grown to about 50 and I hope to post the updated Diary on 8-31-06. Keep an eye out for it and please feel free to send me suggestions, links and tips to help me fill in the details.]
It is hard to name the worst story of Republican malfeasance when it comes to Abramoff. Sure, Tom DeLay is in a class all his own. And Pombo, Doolittle, Ney and Burns have ridden their greed and incompetence to a prominent role in the Abramoff Scandal. And there are many more (50 and counting) GOP candidates in this cycle who have an Abramoff problem. Some are in competitive races. Some are in "safe" seats. They all need to be held accountable this November.
Of them all one stands out as a sick evil prick. His name is Don Young and now he has an opponent.
Join me on the Jump...
I do not like to toss words like
evil and
sick and
prick around casually. There needs to be a fairly high bar. Don Young has leapt over that bar.
Since January 1997 Alaska's Congressman has been Jack Abramoff's first line of defense in protecting the system of sweatshops, human trafficking, force prostitution and forced abortion on the Commonwealth of North Mariana Islands (CNMI). And he has used his Chairmanships of the House Resource Committee and then the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to ensure that cash always flowed from the GOP controlled Congress to their Chinese patrons on Saipan.
If it was just about greed and graft and corruption, then Don Young would be on par with Burns, Doolittle, Ney, Pombo and the rest. But it is about more than that. It is about allowing a system of human trafficking, a slavery 2.0 if you will, thrive and survive under the American Flag, on US soil.
For those who want the grotesque details here are a few background Diaries on the GOP's Petri Dish of Capitalism:
Tom DeLay's connection to sex, money and cockfights...
Sex, Abortion, Sweatshops and GOP Values
NEW Abramoff News: The Chinese/Sweatshop/GOP Connection
Jack Abramoff explains how the GOP protected sweatshops
WOW! No wonder Rove & Abramoff block the 2002 CNMI/Guam Security Report
Now Don Young has been a player in this story from almost the very beginning.
In 1994 there was a bipartisan consensus that the abuse on the Marianas Islands had to stop. And that the only way to end the abuse was to extend US labor, immigration and custom laws to the rogue territory. This is from an August 29, 1994 Washington Post article by William Branigin:
For most visitors, this tiny U.S. island is an idyllic place of flowering flame trees, turquoise waters and homey cordiality where motorists routinely wave to each other. Natives like to call it "the Friendly Island."
But for many foreign workers over the last several years, a little slice of paradise in the Pacific has become an outpost of tropical hell under the American flag -- a place where labor and human rights are routinely violated by islanders who are U.S. citizens. [snip]
Waitresses have been forced into prostitution and locked up during their free time, the sources say. Housemaids have been beaten and raped. Farm laborers have been treated as virtual slaves. Construction workers have been abandoned without pay. And foreign employees of all categories have been routinely cheated of their wages. [snip]
Their vulnerability has facilitated sexual abuse of migrant women on Rota, which human rights investigators say is perhaps the most alarming aspect of a broader problem of labor exploitation throughout the islands that also affects men. Most victims are Filipinos, who make up the bulk of the commonwealth's 27,000-strong alien labor force, but other exploited contract workers have come from China and elsewhere in Asia. [snip]
"Congress has got to send a very clear message that this kind of behavior cannot be tolerated," said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). He favors cutting the commonwealth's current annual federal grant of $ 28 million. Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) wants U.S. immigration laws applied to curb the importation of "slave labor."
When Abramoff began his work to block American laws from extending to CNMI, he had a problem. The new Chairman of the House Resources Committee was Rep. Elton Gallegly. That meant in 1995 and 1996 he had to work with back benchers on the Resources Committee. Men like Don Young.
After the 1996 election, Abramoff was in solid with the GOP leadership of Gingrich, Boehner, Armey and DeLay. He exerted his influence to have the person he wanted appointed as the new Chair of the House Resources Committee.
Gallegly was out and Young was in. And Abramoff had a living, breathing Congressional Firedoor: since Don Young became the Chairman all efforts to end the system of human trafficking failed to get out of his Committee. Despite widespread bipartisan support to end the abuse, Don Young made sure he could kill any and all legislative efforts. Here is how Sweatshop owner Willie Tan explained it to an uncover human rights worker in a video aired on ABC's 20/20:
GSN: So you think as long as the Republicans are in control there won't be a problem?
Willie Tan: We have no problem. Even if the Democrat, they can pass it, they still have 10 years. Can't do it. [snip]
GSN: And best-case scenario...
Willie Tan: And they must see the light at end of tunnel, is two years from now. Because Tom DeLay will never let it go.
GSN: You're sure?
Willie Tan: Sure. You know what Tom told me? He said, [Willie], if they elect me as majority whip, I make the schedule of the congress. And I'm not going to put it on the schedule. They got to go through all committee before it come to me. Even if it come to me, I'm not going to schedule it. What, are they going to have a motion to get it from my committee, they will not do that--who are you? So Tom told me, forget it, [Willie], not a chance.
GSN: And you're sure his loyalties aren't going to change?
Willie Tan: We very close friend. And you know what he did, he call those guys. He call up the guy who is in charge of the committee, his name is Don Young from Alaska.
GSN: Yeah, I know who he is.
Willie Tan: And he said Don, nothing wrong with CNMI. He say, you gotta go there. If this is slave labor, mistreatment, those kind of thing, go after them. It's all not true. And they change--what's the problem? You guys are trying to do something right into wrong. Tom explain to them. So, Don Young backed off. [snip]
That was in 1999. By then Don Young had not only "backed off", he had worked overtime to kill any effort to bring justice to CNMI. And he did this with a first-hand knowledge of the abuse. In February 1999 he traveled to CNMI. He had the opportunity to see the abuse, but Don decided to look the other way. He had also been sent detailed reports by human rights workers, sworn affidavits from victims of abuse and other evidence documenting the abuse. Young ignored it all.
He was Team Abramoff's ace in the hole. Pombo and Doolittle were Young's back-up. They not only stopped all the bipartisan efforts to end the abuse, they also worked over-time to send US taxpayer dollars to fund infrastructure projects to benefit the many business interests of the Tan Family, their Hong Kong based Chinese patrons.
And when Tom, Jack and the gang needed US funds to bribe some CNMI legislators to switch their vote for CNMI Speaker of the House, Don Young used his Committees to serve as Jack's ATM.
Young's service to Jack and the human traffickers of Saipan was very important to their success. So important that Abramoff's 1-4-2001 pitch letter to the Governor of CNMI highlighted the work of Don Young as Jack tried to get the Territory to hire his new lobbying firm:
Change of House committee chairmen: House rules have forced longtime CNMI friend Chairman Don Young (R-AK) to give up his chairmanship of the Resources Committee. The loss of Chairman Young's authority cannot easily be measured - or replaced. Chairman Young had an outstanding knowledge of the CNMI and was able to prevent movement of anti-CNMI legislation from his committee. Ardent CNMI opponent Representative George Miller (D-CA) is expected to have more influence on the Committee in Young's absence- We have been working with Young's replacement, Representative Jim Hansen (R-UT) and he is positively disposed toward the CNMI, but we have lost major institutional memory and friendship.
But all was not lost for Team Abramoff. Young became the Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and provided Jack with a second ATM in the Republican Congress. And Hansen didn't last long as Chair of the Resources Committee. Jack soon had him replaced with Richard Pombo.
I could go on and on with more details about Don Young's deep involvement in the Abramoff scandal. There is so much evidence. And it is important to remember that there are women (and young girls) raped, abused, enslaved and harmed because Don Young chose power over honor, greed over integrity and Party over Country.
He is a sick, evil prick.
Fortunately there is an election this November.
And Don Young has a Democratic opponent.
Her Name is Diane Benson. She is taking on an entrenched, well-funded and deeply corrupt Republican Congressman.
She needs our help.
Please look into this race. Talk about it and promote it to the Netroots.
Please donate, volunteer or help in any way you can.
As because posted on August 11, a League of Women Voters straw poll had the race at 53% for Young and 47% for Benson. Granted, it was not a proper poll, but it is an indication that this is a seat we should fight for. I think the independent West will surprise a few folks come November.
But it will not happen without our sweat, energy and cash.
2006 is now.
Let's do this.
We need to take our Country back before it is FUBAR.