I figured I'd post this as a diary since I hadn't seen this anywhere else.
http://www.democrats.org/news/200505130001.html
May 12th: Howard Dean Says WH Should Disclose Ties With Abramoff
Some of the delicious nuggets that should get special attention:
Abramoff Arranged White House Meeting in Exchange for Donation to Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform.A lawyer for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe in Michigan revealed that tribal leaders had "three or four" meetings at the White House-including one with Bush and another with Rove-after they gave a $25,000 donation to Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform at Jack Abramoff's request. ATR later confirmed that Norquist arranged White House meetings for Indian tribal leaders and others who were "supportive of the president's agenda." [Newsweek, 5/2/05]
Bush White House Blocked Construction Of Casino By Rival Tribe Of Abramoff Client. The Coushatta Indians of Louisiana paid Abramoff's former law firm, Greenberg Traurig, $1.76 million "in the last sixth months of 2001." A month after Greenberg Traurig received the payment, the Bush White House blocked a rival tribe's attempt to construct a casino near the Coushatta casino. "William Worfel, vice chairman of the Coushattas, views the administration's decision as a direct benefit of the eye-popping lobbying fees his tribe paid Mr. Abramoff." [New York Times, 4/3/02]
Jenna Band of Choctawa Tribe Asked For Casino Near Texas/Louisiana Border. The Jenna Band of Choctawa Tribe asked Governor Mike Foster (R-LA) to allow construction of a casino "close to the Texas state line and an hour from the $300 million-a-year Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, La. The state was to get 15.5 percent of the profits. The Coushattas already vied for customers with nearby non-Indian riverboat casinos and did not want any more competition." The Coushatta tribe is an Abramoff client and a rival tribe of the Jenna Band of Choctawas. [Washington Post, 3/13/05]
Abramoff Used Network of Evangelicals And Bush Appointee To Lobby For His Client. According to The Washington Post, "Abramoff arranged for Dobson and Reed to pressure federal officials to reject the Jennas' bid on anti-gambling grounds. He and his partners drafted anti-Jenna letters that were then signed by congressional leaders, some of whom have received thousands of dollars in donations from tribes represented by Abramoff. One ally inserted language opposing the casino into a bill late in the legislative process." [Washington Post, 3/13/05]
Lobbying Network Involved Bush Administrator. According to The Washington Post, "in an attempt to influence the Interior Department -- which has the final say on a tribe's gambling ambitions -- Abramoff directed his tribal clients to give at least $225,000 to the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, a conservative group that was founded by Gale A. Norton before President Bush chose her to be his interior secretary. [Washington Post, 3/13/05]
Abramoff Lobbying Team Had "Extensive Access" to Bush Administration Officials. According to his lobbying firm's billing records, Jack Abramoff and his Marianas Islands lobbying team had almost 200 contacts with Bush administration officials. The records include meetings with Cheney policy advisers Ron Christie and Stephen Ruhlen, Attorney General 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. While records show that many of the meetings were handled by Abramoff's lieutenants, Abramoff personally with Top Interior Department officials, "whose Office of Insular Affairs oversees the Mariana Islands and other U.S. territories." [AP, 5/6/05]
Abramoff Cited Interior Department Connections and Bush Administration Appointments in Letters To CNMI Officials. In two separate letters to CNMI officals, Abramoff cited Bush administration appointments as being friendly to the CNMI. In a January of 2001 letter to CNMI officials Abramoff wrote, "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." In another letter from October of 2001 Abramoff boasts "We have worked went with WH Office of Presidential Personnel to ensure that CNMI-relevant positions at various agencies are not awarded to enemies of CNMI." [AP, 5/6/05]
At least two Bush appointees were former Abramoff lobbyists who had traveled to the Marianas Islands. Patrick Pizzella, now the now the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management and Chief Information Officer at the Department of Labor, and David Safavian, now Director of Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget, were both formerly employed by Abramoff's former firm of Preston, Gates, Ellis. Pizzella led a "think tank trip" with conservative activists to the Marianas Islands in 1997. Safavian also traveled to the Marianas Island in 1997 for Preston, Gates and also attended a golfing trip to Scotland with Abramoff and Representative Bob Ney (R-OH). [AP, 5/6/05; PGC Memo, 5/6/97, 5/20/97; Washington Post, 1/21/05]
Complete with sources. Beautiful. Forget the "stench of scandal" going to DeLay. The stench reaches all the way to the Oval Office.
I think we need to make sure that at least DailyKos readers are aware of Howard Dean's statements on this matter. THIS NEEDS VISIBILITY.
UPDATE: A simply priceless quote from Ralph Reed on this whole business from indianz.com:
http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/007253.asp
Christian Republican activist Ralph Reed doesn't think his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff will hurt his campaign for Georgia's lieutenant governor.
Reed says he is morally opposed to gambling. But the money he received actually came from the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, a gaming tribe. "How was I supposed to know, if his own law firm didn't know?" Reed told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "[Abramoff] deceived his law firm, he deceived his clients and he deceived me.
Reed also organized efforts against the Jena Band of Choctaws, who are seeking a casino in Louisiana, and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama, who are looking to expand their gaming operation. The Coushattas opposed both efforts.
Rats jumping ship!