Here's the Washington Post's latest response in the flap over Deborah Howell's claim that Democrats took money from Jack Abramoff. The short version is that Howell and the Post are sticking to their guns on whether Abramoff directed money to Democrats, but Howell has amplified her remarks such that, in two short weeks, we've travelled from a comment asserting that "Abramoff made substantial contributions to both major parties" to a comment asserting that "Abramoff convinced a number of casino-rich Indian tribes that had been historically Democratic donors to expand their political giving and to make most of their contributions to the GOP".
Read the full response below the fold...
The Post stands by its reporting that Jack Abramoff directed campaign money to some Democrats.
Abramoff was one of Washington's most prominent Republican lobbyists and his political pedigree and alliances were overwhelmingly conservative and Republican. No Democrats are among the half-dozen lawmakers who The Post's sources say are under scrutiny by the Justice Department. Abramoff convinced a number of casino-rich Indian tribes that had been historically Democratic donors to expand their political giving and to make most of their contributions to the GOP. *
However, as reported in several Post stories since 2004, Abramoff also built links with the other party, as most lobbyists do. He hired a few Democrats onto his lobbying staff. He turned over his sports stadium boxes to some Democrats to use for fundraising events. Representatives of tribes including the Saginaw Chippewas, the Tiguas of El Paso and the Agua Caliente Band testified in Congress that Abramoff told them how much to give to specific lawmakers and party committees. The lists he sent to the Indian tribes included some Democrats and Democratic party groups, according to copies of the lists obtained by The Post and according to tribal members familiar with Abramoff's operation. More than a dozen Democrats, including Sens. Byron Dorgan (N.D.) and Max Baucus (Mont.) have returned donations from Abramoff clients and associates, citing the scandal.
-- Papers Show Tribe Paid to Try to Sway Bill, Nov. 18, 2004
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
-- Tribal Money Linked to GOP Fundraising; Skybox Events Were Not Always Reported to FEC, Dec. 26, 2004
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
-- Casino Bid Prompted High-Stakes Lobbying, March 13, 2005
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
-- Democrats Also Got Tribal Donations; Abramoff Issue's Fallout May Extend Beyond the GOP, June 3, 2005
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
-- Abramoff Witness Frustrates Panel, Nov. 18, 2005
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
-- Dorgan Tangled in Abramoff Web, Dec. 5, 2005
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
* emphasis mine
