So, I was watching the movie trailer for the upcoming film Casino Jack and the United States of Money and there was Bob:
To the jump...
This was back in happier days for Mr. Abramoff and his good pal Robert Ehrlich--the current lobbyist, former Congressman and former Governor of Maryland. This was back in the day when these two had a close working relationship to elect the first Republican Governor in Maryland since Spiro Agnew. Ehrlich became Governor of Maryland in 2002 when Abramoff was at the height of his power as a lobbyist and Republican fundraiser. This photo could have been shot at one of the many, many fundraisers Abramoff held for Ehrlich or attended to support Ehrlich over the years. When he was in Congress, Ehrlich often helped Jack and Bob's staff spent time in Jack's skyboxes and restaurants. Good times.
These two Maryland Republicans were tight, so tight that one of Abramoff's young business partners grifters, Edward Miller, joined Ehrlich's Administration (read more about Miller here). Oddly, each time Abramoff wrote a check to Ehrlich his protege got a promotion. By the time the corrupt Ehrlich Administration was shown the door, Miller was Ehrlich's Deputy Chief of Staff and this was despite the fact there were reports of Miller talking to the Feds about his role in the Abramoff scandal since 2005. Naturally, Miller joined Ehrlich's team of lobbyists when they both cashed in on their time in public office. And now they want to spin through the revolving door once again
And waiting in the wings is a whole lot of fun that connects Jack, Ed and Bob to Michael Steele and other scandals about airports, minority contracts and big dollar GOP donors. (For more about this emerging scandal follow justdafacts here at Dkos)
So as Ehrlich throws his hat in the ring for a rematch with Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley watch out for the slime spinning off of it. This Abramoff photo is the least of it.
OTOH, I'm sure this photo of Bob and Jack is just more good news for conservatives everywhere.
Cheers
dengre
(Cross posted at Balloon Juice)