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Hi y'all. I am down here in Williamsburg, VA attending the 2006 Issues Conference of the House Democratic Caucus. I wanted come on here and urge you guys to not let up on your incredible activism around Chris Matthews. Please
keep up the pressure. I cannot believe he had the audacity to refer Senator Edward Kennedy as "the guy that molested" Justice Samuel A. Alito's wife during Mr. Alito's confirmation hearing. Again, this kind of comment is simply absurd, uncalled for, and harmful to our nation. For someone like Mr. Matthews who is in a position to have an influence on shaping of public opinion, he has a responsibility to treat issues fairly and the public honestly. That is why I have been so disturbed by the recent revelations of a potential connection between MSNBC host Chris Matthews and former GOP super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
This just doesn't sit right with me. And I am now even more troubled about revelations of potential connections between him and convicted felon lobbyist like Jack Abramoff.
I have read news stories showing how Mr. Matthews was included in the plans of those organizing a Jack Abramoff "fundraiser" originally scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. on March 5, 2003. The so-called "Spy Game Gala" was actually one of Mr. Abramoff's pet projects designed to funnel money to his numerous organizations. In this case, the proceeds from the Gala were intended to go to a fake charity Mr. Abramoff had established, the Capital Athletic Foundation, and from there into the coffers of his clients and allies. (The impropriety of this event is heightened by the fact that Jill Doolittle, wife of Rep. John Doolittle [R-CA-4] was hired by Mr. Abramoff to plan the event - more on that below.)
Well this is a serious problem. As the public is learning more and more about the Republican selling of Washington and Mr. Abramoff's role in it, Mr. Matthews has consistently downplayed the significance of Mr. Abramoff's actions. For example, he said on January 3rd he said on Hardball, "I'm not sure that people are going to see [Jack Abramoff] as part of any Republican culture of corruption," adding that, "It's not going to be part of a larger story of Washington this year, I think."
I wonder why Mr. Matthews was so quick to downplay this growing scandal. Mr. Matthews has already made public comments that, even if made in jest, have challenged his objectivity.
But now, the fact that Mr. Matthews was so involved with a sham event connected to convicted felon and a well known uber Republican lobbyists such as Abramoff raises serious questions to about his ability to cover Washington's latest scandals in a straightforward manner. He should be open and honest about any connection he has, however small, to political insiders who are currently being investigated. If the integrity of his political commentary has been compromised in any way, his viewers have a right to know about it.
So please
keep up the pressure on MSNBC - and let them know Mr. Matthews needs to be straightforward, open, and honest about any possible connections to Mr. Abramoff. We are fighting for honest and open government here in Washington and at the same time we also need to hold our media accountable to make sure they are fair, honest, and open about the news they are supposed to cover. -LMS
BACKGROUNDER
ABRAMOFF FORMS THE CAPITOL ATHLETIC FOUNDATION (CAF): Jack Abramoff formed the "Capital Athletic Foundation" just over four years ago. The group appears to have played a
key role in the Abramoff scandal:"...allegations [exist] that Abramoff used NCPPR and CAF to pay for overseas trips for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and other Republican lawmakers and that he attempted to influence lawmakers with large donations from various American Indian tribes."
MONEY FROM CAF GOES TO CLIENTS, NOT CHARITY: As the
Washington Post reports, "Records for GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff's Capital Athletic Foundation show that less than 1 percent of its revenue has been spent on sports-related programs for youths, and federal investigators are looking into how large amounts of money were funneled through the nonprofit group to support Abramoff's interests. (Thomas Butler -- The Hill)"
ABRAMOFF ORGANIZES A "SPY GAME GALA" TO BENEFITY HIS CHARITY: Abramoff organizes a Gala to benefit CAF, as reported on
March 5, 2003: "It's called the Interactive Spy Game Gala. Scheduled for March 26 at the International Spy Museum in Washington, the event's purpose is to raise about $300,000 for the Capital Athletic Foundation....
REP. JOHN DOOLITTLE'S WIFE PLANS THE SPY GALA: A second Washington Post article has shown that Jack Abramoff hired Julie Doolittle, wife of Representative John Doolittle (R-CA-4), to plan the Spy Game Gala event, the proceeds of which were to benefit CAF. (Rep. Doolittle's office denies that she was hired in order to influence the Congressman.) In exchange for a monthly retainer paid to her firm for more than a year, Ms. Doolittle identified and contacted potential event attendees, presumably including Matthews, and dealt with other planning details. Her firm was subpoenaed by the grand jury investigating Mr. Abramoff's case. [Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi, "Lawmakers Under Scrutiny in Probe of Lobbyist: Ney and DeLay Among the Members of Congress Said to Be a Focus of Abramoff Investigation," Washington Post, 11/26/05)
CHRIS MATTHEWS INCLUDED IN SPY GALA PLANNING: Mr. Matthews was included in the planning of the event, and was contacted by those organizing it, perhaps even by Rep. Doolittle's wife, as
reported in 2003: "Fox News Channel's Tony Snow is master of ceremonies, and Fox's Brit Hume and MSNBC's Chris Matthews are aboard. Opera great Placido Domingo is an event committee member. But, this being Washington, the event will be mostly populated by powerful lawmakers, including Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas; Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa.; and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif."
MATTHEWS USES HARDBALL TO DOWNPLAY CRIMES OF ABRAMOFF: Mr. Matthews has made numerous questionable statements about Mr. Abramoff on his MSNBC program, like
this one from January 3rd of this year: "I'm not sure it's partisan. I'm not sure that people are going to see him [Abramoff] as part of any Republican culture of corruption. I think [Rep. Randy] "Duke" Cunningham [R-CA] also was sort of a lone wolf in that department. I think we're gonna see this case, basically -- What's the right word? -- it's gonna be kept to itself. It's not gong to be part of a larger story of Washington this year, I think."