One day after former Republican mega-lobbyist and major Bush fundraiser Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to three federal crimes, the White House gave back merely $6,000 in donations made by Abramoff to the President's re-election campaign, but kept the more than $100,000 that Abramoff personally and directly raised for Bush-Cheney '04. Given what we now know, Abramoff's shady business practices and influence peddling calls into question what meetings he set up or organized for his clients with Administration officials.
Based on news reports alone, it's clear Abramoff's network reached deep into the White House and was used to reap significant fees from his clients. Specifically, Abramoff charged multi-million dollar fees to arrange meetings with Bush as well as access to senior White House officials for his clients.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called on the Bush White House to come clean regarding the extent of the contact between Abramoff and senior White House officials:
"Because President Bush has yet to return the more than $100,000 in money Jack Abramoff personally raised for him, and given reports of his extensive dealings with senior White House officials, the Administration has a responsibility to disclose their contacts and detail their relationship with this admitted felon.
"As a Bush Pioneer, Abramoff bragged about the influence he held at the White House, as did his former lobbying partner who claimed that Abramoff had direct access to the President. Abramoff also arranged meetings with the President and members of the Bush Administration for his clients, who later received favorable treatment.
"Until he was charged with committing three federal crimes, Abramoff used his Republican contacts, including his ties to the White House, to create an extensive pay-to-play system where political money was exchanged for policy outcomes. To begin to clear the growing ethical cloud over the White House, President Bush must disclose his Administration's contacts and detail their relationship with this admitted felon. The American people deserve the truth."
Bush Meets Abramoff
Abramoff Charged Marianas Islands for Getting Then-Governor Bush to Write Letter Supporting CNMI's Education Plan. In 1997, records show that Abramoff charged his client, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), for a letter written by then-Governor George Bush, praising the CNMI's "school choice proposal." The letter dated July 18th 1997 read, "'I hope you will keep my office informed on the progress of this initiative,' besides being addressed to CNMI officials, an Abramoff deputy was also CC'd on the letter from Bush." (AP, 5/6/05)
Abramoff Fundraises For Bush
Jack Abramoff Was A Bush/Cheney '04 Pioneer; Boasted How Easy It Was To Be A Pioneer. Abramoff raised over $100,000 for the Bush/Cheney re-election campaign, and was designated a "Pioneer" for his fundraising efforts. A 2003 article profiled Abramoff"s work: "'Everyone in town is trying to be a Pioneer or Ranger,' said Jack Abramoff, a top Republican lobbyist here, using the campaign's terms for the most elite levels of money collectors. "But the only way to do it is to have contacts outside of D.C., which fortunately I do. So far I've raised about $120,000, and I haven't even really started making calls." (International Herald Tribune, 7/22/03)
Abramoff Was A Republican Insider And Who Had Strong Pull With Bush White House. Abramoff's lobbying partner boasted that he is a phone call away from the President. "Jack has a relationship with the President," Abramoff's former spokesman and fellow lobbyist Michael Scanlon once said. "He doesn't have a bat phone or anything, but if he wanted an appointment, he would have one." Scanlon has since pleaded guilty to conspiring to bribe a congressman and other public officials. (New Times Broward-Palm Beach, 2/22/01; Washington Post, 11/29/05)
Abramoff's Pay-To-Play Program For White House Meetings Abramoff Arranged A White House Meeting With Bush And Administration Officials For Indian Leaders. In the summer of 2001, Abramoff arranged a meeting between Bush and top Indian leaders to discuss tax issues. Among the attendees was one of Abramoff's biggest clients, Lovelin Poncho, chairman of the Coushattas. Abramoff also invited the Coushattas and other tribal clients to a fall 2001 dinner party attended by Interior Secretary Gale Norton. (National Journal, 4/20/02)
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 $1.76 million "in the last sixth months of 2001." A month after Abramoff"s law firm 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)
...And Access to Bush Officials
Abramoff Lobbying Team Had "Extensive Access" To Bush Administration Officials. According to his lobbying firm's billing records, Jack Abramoff and his Marianas Islands (CNMI or Commonwealth of Northern Mariana 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 John 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 met 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 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)
Abramoff Advised Bush Interior Department Transition While Representing Indian Tribes. Abramoff advised the Interior Department during the Bush transition in 2001. Aside from the Department of Homeland Security, which regulates coastline gaming, and the Department of Treasury, which regulates illegal financial transactions, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (within the Interior Department) is one of the few means the Federal Government has to regulate the gaming industry, specifically the Native American gaming industry. (Wall Street Journal, 3/19/01; www.doi.gov ) At Least Two Bush Appointees Were Former Abramoff Lobbyists Who Had Traveled To The Marianas Islands; One Was Indicted For Lying About Relationship With Abramoff. Patrick Pizzella now the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management and Chief Information Officer at the Department of Labor, and David Safavian, former Director of Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget, were both formerly employed by Abramoff's former firm. Safavian also attended a golfing trip to Scotland with Abramoff and Representative Bob Ney (R-OH). Safavian "was indicted on Oct. 5 on charges of lying and obstructing investigations into" the golf trip. "Safavian was charged in a five-count indictment of making false statements to Senate and GSA investigators looking into his relationship with Abramoff." (AP, 5/6/05; Washington Post, 1/21/05; Reuters, 1/4/06) Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee,
http://www.democrats.org . This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=58947 Note: This is a press release, not copyrighted material.
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