Most Americans (76%) want Bush to release links to Abramoff [View All]

[ProSense]

Most Want Bush to Disclose Links to Lobbyist

By Richard Morin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, January 28, 2006; Page A04

A strong bipartisan majority of the public believes that President Bush should disclose contacts between disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and White House staff members despite administration assertions that media requests for details about those contacts amount to a "fishing expedition," according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The survey found that three in four -- 76 percent -- of Americans said Bush should release lists of all meetings between aides and Abramoff; 18 percent disagreed. Two in three Republicans joined with eight in 10 Democrats and political independents in favoring disclosure, according to the poll.

Jack Abramoff, right, is shown with Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton in a 2002 photo released by the Interior Department late yesterday in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Also pictured are two Abramoff clients, Choctaw Chief Phillip Martin, left, and tribal counsel C. Bryant Rogers. (By Tami A. Heilemann)

At a news conference Thursday, the president declined to discuss those meetings but said federal investigators are "welcome" to look into them. Last week, White House press secretary Scott McClellan, asked by reporters to explain Abramoff's contacts with the Bush administration, said, "We're not going to engage in a fishing expedition."

Earlier this month, Abramoff pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy and fraud charges. A plea agreement said Abramoff bribed public officials, including a member of Congress.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/27/AR2006012700335.html?nav=rss_politics/administration