“The film was to be a manifesto for Abramoff; a Rambo-like morality tale and a grand indictment of communism — his Reagan Doctrine parable in action-packed Technicolor. And in the process of conceiving of and making it, Abramoff helped groom an African despot, rose to high levels in the K Street food chain, and got to play international spy.” Salon‘s James Verini discloses the sordid tale of Red Scorpion and GOP bagman Jack Abramoff’s brief flirtation with the movie biz.
Category: Campaign Finance
Rolling up the Bagman.
“What they’re looking for is how many names can they give — and by names I mean members of Congress or other prominent people — and what kind of message do they want to send.” Republican lobbyist and Boss DeLay flunky “Casino Jack” Abramoff is indicted for conspiracy and wire fraud, paving the way for further inquiries into congressional criminality. Let’s hope the prosecutors are able to sidestep the GOP powers-that-be and ascertain just how deep this rabbit hole goes…
Feeding at the Trough.
“The number of registered lobbyists in Washington has more than doubled since 2000 to more than 34,750 while the amount that lobbyists charge their new clients has increased by as much as 100 percent.” One thing you can say about Dubya’s tenure in the White House — It’s been gold rush days for corporate lobbyists. Among the cats getting fat in the GOP influence-peddling industry of late are Casino Jack Abramoff and DeLay flunky Michael Scanlon, who, as it turns out, had a special “gimme five” relationship they used to scam their clients and fraudulently line their pockets. Give ’em five-to-ten. Update: Tim Noah has more.
First Blood.
In a civil case brought by ousted Texas Dems, a judge finds Bill Ceverha, treasurer of Tom DeLay’s TRMPAC, in violation of state election laws by not reporting over $680,000 in campaign contributions. This case doesn’t specifically involve Boss DeLay (although the related criminal proceedings well might), but it may bring public focus back to the Hammer, now that the nuclear standoff has been temporarily defused.
Ladi, Dadi, We like to Lobby.
Speaking of “corporate lobbyists with close ties to House leaders,” there’s apparently a lot of them. So many, in fact, that in order to avoid an ethics meltdown that could ravage both parties (particularly, of course, the party in power), the House GOP is now looking to tighten up lobbying restrictions. “The officials stressed that the proposed rule changes and amnesty would not alter plans for…an investigation of reports that lobbyists paid for overseas travel by DeLay in violation of House rules.”
Jack of All Trades.
As DeLay-connected Republican lobbyist “Casino Jack” Abramoff attempts some modicum of damage control in both Time and the Sunday NYT Magazine, the WP delves into the details of another federal investigation involving Abramoff, casino ships, and likely bank fraud.
Shields Down.
“A House Republican leadership aide said that the automatic-dismissal rule is ‘the rule that is most commonly believed to be designed to protect Tom DeLay’ and that it was ‘impossible to win the communications battle’ on it.” Sensing that the (lack of) ethics issue was causing them real damage, and perhaps perturbed by the recent revelations involving Casino Jack’s credit card and gift-giving streak, the House GOP plan to rescind the recent rule change passed in January to protect Boss DeLay from any real ethics inquiry. Looks like palling around with Dubya yesterday didn’t change the Hammer’s fortunes much. Update: Hastert officially announces the rules changes.
An Interminable DeLay.
“[I]f DeLay goes, there will be people in Washington congratulating themselves on having been part of a system that, once again, ‘worked,’ fumigating itself of an intruder who went too far and didn’t accept the rules. Nonsense. The system isn’t working by a long shot. If the system had worked, DeLay would have been exposed long ago — first by the media, which would have done far more to reveal the ethical and procedural corruption of his regime, and second by moderate Republicans, who could have made a difference if they’d had the nerve, en bloc, to stand up and say something.” The American Prospect‘s Michael Tomasky explains the sad structural reasons why Boss DeLay has managed to stick around for so long.
English Cheddar.
Another Smoking Gun? Casino Jack‘s credit card (and that of another prominent DeLay-connected lobbyist, Edwin A. Buckham), apparently paid for Boss DeLay’s recent boondoggles to Britain, contradicting what the Hammer has earlier said about them being covered by non-profit organizations. The situation being what it is, this likely won’t knock DeLay out by any means, despite its obvious and flagrant illegality…but it will add fuel to the fire? Inquiring minds want to know…
Creeping Tom.
Meanwhile on the House side, Boss DeLay has responded to his recent problems by continuing to act like an inveterate jackass, including calling in the NRA as armed backup and badmouthing Justice Anthony Kennedy to anyone who’ll listen on right-wing talk radio. Yet, instead of taking the Hammer to the woodshed, Dubya consigliere Karl Rove has taken Delay to his breast, calling him “a good man, a close ally of this administration.” Well, ok, then, Karl, but don’t complain when further inquiries into DeLay’s corruption redound upon the White House, then.