WP: Senate Panel: Lobbyist Abramoff, Partner Pocketed $6.5M From Tribe

[DeepModem Mom]

Senate Panel: Former Lobbyist, Partner Pocketed $6.5M From Tribe
By James V. Grimaldi and Susan Schmidt
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 22, 2005; 11:44 AM


A former Republican lobbyist and his partner pocketed $6.5 million of the $7.7 million in consulting fees they received from a Mississippi Indian tribe in 2001 while congratulating themselves on their "gimme five" relationship, according to e-mails released today by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

The hearing is the third held by the committee examining the practices of Jack Abramoff, formerly one of the most prominent Republican lobbyists in Washington, and his partner Michael Scanlon, a public relations consultant and former spokesman for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). Abramoff also is at the center of a Justice Department investigation into the tens of millions of dollars in lobbying fees he and Scanlon received from tribes around the country.

"Today's hearing is about more than contempt," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who called on the Justice Department to investigate materials released today for possible mail and wire fraud. "It is simply and sadly a tale of betrayal."

Records examined by the committee also showed that a charitable foundation created by Abramoff directed 80 percent of its funds to an all-boys Jewish academy established by Abramoff. The Capital Athletic Foundation -- which had received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Indian tribes -- also paid a monthly stipend to a high school friend of Abramoff's living in the Israeli West Bank, and made loan payments on his jeep, according to the committee's investigation. The friend was conducting sniper workshops for members of the Israeli Defense Force, records show.

McCain said that Abramoff had directed the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to hire Scanlon for consulting work, but never revealed to the tribe that they had a secret partnership, which they called "gimme five," according to the e-mails released today. Whenever Scanlon pitched his services to a client, Abramoff would remind him of their extra profits. On Aug. 16, 2001, Abramoff wrote to Scanlon, "Don't forget the gimme five aspects." On Oct. 17, 2001, Abramoff wrote, "So there is more gimme five coming on all these as well, right?"...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/22/AR2005062200921.html

[kysrsoze]

1. Let's see if he squeals on DeLay to stay out of jail.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Sorry, self delete. n/t

[rainbow4321]

3. Abramoff:"I'm just surprised I am not under 'dead, disgraced or in jail,'"

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8ASQ2AG1.html

Jack Abramoff and a lobbying partner used tax-exempt groups and phony invoices to bilk tribal clients out of millions of dollars, using a scheme they called "gimme five" to divert proceeds to themselves and their pet causes, newly released documents show.

The documents portray Abramoff as continually seeking more money from casino-rich tribes, yet taking a lighthearted view of his activities.

"I'm just surprised I am not under 'dead, disgraced or in jail,' " Abramoff joked to a colleague in an e-mail exchange about an alumni directory put together by his former employer, the Preston Gates lobbying firm.

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He's already a disgrace...hopefully the feds can fulfill the jail part of it...sooner rather than later.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/13/national/13indians.html?ex=1119585600&en=481387163a48523a&ei=5070&oref=login


In one message dated Feb. 11, 2002, the day of the court ruling against the Tiguas, Mr. Abramoff wrote to Mr. Scanlon: "I wish those moronic Tiguas were smarter in their political contributions. I'd love us to get our mitts on that moolah!! Oh well, stupid folks get wiped out."

[Orion The Hunter]

4. RE: The Hammer Falls

Is that jail cell in Texas ready for DeLay yet?

[RamboLiberal]

5. McCain calls for fraud probe of GOP lobbyist

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8319340/

Jack Abramoff and a lobbying partner used tax-exempt groups and phony invoices to bilk tribal clients out of millions of dollars, using a scheme they called “gimme five” to divert proceeds to themselves and their pet causes, newly released documents show.

At a hearing Wednesday on Abramoff’s activities, Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman John McCain urged the Justice Department to take a close look at Abramoff’s tribal billings and his movement of the money, suggesting the lobbyist may have committed mail and wire fraud.

“Today’s hearing is about more than contempt, even more than greed. It is simply and sadly a tale of betrayal,” said McCain, R-Ariz.

Correspondence between Abramoff and others, released by the committee, outlines a plan Abramoff and lobbying partner Michael Scanlon referred to as “gimme five” and used to maximize tribal payments while skimming off a share of the proceeds for themselves.

BTW, I hope you caught Nightline on this last night - it was great. Someone besides Nightline needs to publish the vile and racist crap about the American Indians Abramoff and his cronies had in their memos. They were things like troglodytes, morons, etc.

[Robbien]

6. McCain urging a review doesn't mean anything does it?

Just because he says the Justice Department should take a look at it means nothing unless he files a formal written request. Right?

[rainbow4321]

9. And he is not going after his fellow repukes..

Back in April he said that he is going after the lobbyists only, NOT the lawmakers involved..he is leaving that to the so-called Ethics Committee. So his "investigation" is a worthless sham if he is not going to at least speak out about the involved REPUKE lawmakers.

What is he going to do, not mention the lawmakers' names when the whole mess is before the Indian Affairs committee?? The repukes will tell him when he is about to cross the line and he will put his tail between his legs, scurrying off like a good little chimp cronie.


http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0428indian-casinos28.html

Sen. John McCain on Wednesday said that his Senate Indian Affairs Committee's investigation into disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings with Native American gaming tribes will not delve into the conduct of lawmakers who may be linked with those activities.

"The responsibilities of my committee are to investigate allegations that have been brought to us which are fairly well substantiated as rip-offs of tribes," said committee Chairman McCain, R-Ariz.

"That's the responsibility of the Indian Affairs Committee. And that's the limits of the Indian Affairs Committee. If there are questions about the ethical behavior of others, we have a (Senate) Committee on Ethics. That's their responsibility."

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, took several trips abroad, including one on which he golfed at the famed St. Andrews course in Scotland. Ohio GOP Rep. Bob Ney also accepted a golfing trip to St. Andrews. Also, several representatives, including Republican J.D. Hayworth of Arizona, failed to report some of the fund-raising assistance arranged in their behalf by Abramoff.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Thanks for posting this link, RL -- and you're right, those e-mails...

if we had a decent, working press, would be all over not only print, but TV, news.

[drduffy]

8. focus on the big fish

Abramoff is actually 'small' fish (even were he to bring DeLay down). The 'real' powers behind the bush dictatorship remain elusive but sliming around. These are the elitists, the oligarchs, the scum of the earth.

[LightningFlash]

19. It's disgusting....

Do their damn job and investigate plus convict these assholes.

[0007]

10. Ralph Reed is even on the take......

"One example, cited by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D), ranking Democrat on the committee, was $10,000 of the Choctaw's money sent to former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed for his campaign as chairman of the Georgia Republican Party."

[maddezmom]

11. Reed's fellow players had link to casino

~snip~
A review of documents from the Senate investigation and interviews with three dozen people involved in the matter suggest Reed played an integral role in at least the first half of the alleged scheme.

Reed, a longtime gambling opponent, apparently mounted a radio campaign in 2001 that prompted Texans to inundate their legislators with anti-casino telephone calls. He organized pastors in 2002 to provide what he called "cover" for the Texas attorney general, who had filed a lawsuit to close the Tiguas' casino. Reed once wrote an e-mail to Abramoff suggesting they "budget for an ataboy" for the attorney general.

As the Tigua campaign unfolded, Abramoff and Reed exchanged e-mails that paint an unvarnished picture of their work together.

"I wish those moronic Tiguas were smarter in their political contributions," Abramoff wrote to Reed in a 2002 message that since has been widely circulated. "I'd love us to get our mitts on that moolah!! Oh well, stupid folks get wiped out."

"Got it," Reed replied.

~snip~
http://www.oxfordpress.com/sports/content/shared/news/stories/RALPH_REED_0619_COX.html

[0007]

12. Don't 'ya just love it? Thanks for the link.

:hi:

[RamboLiberal]

13. He called American Indian clients "f'ing morons, monkeys, troglodyte"

Saw this last night on Nightline - this needs to get out that this guy is a 1st class ahole in his own right. And where the hell is the outrage - especially from DeLay and the Repukes!

(In a private memo, he called one Native American client a "fucking moron." He has also used the terms "troglodytes" and "monkeys.")

http://slate.msn.com/id/2117520/

This 2nd link really has the juicy stuff.

''They are plain stupid. . . . Morons.'' Ultimately, the lower life forms would pay Abramoff and Scanlon $14 million -- just a fraction of the $66 million the two men's businesses would take in from six different Indian tribes over the next three years. (Abramoff would offer his lobbying services to tribes at relatively modest rates, but then tell them that they couldn't afford not to hire Scanlon, who charged astronomical amounts for his P.R. services and then subcontracted much of the work at budget rates; he also supposedly kicked back millions to Abramoff.)
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''These mofos are the stupidest idiots in the land for sure.'' In another e-mail message he wrote, ''we need to get some $ from those monkeys!!!!''

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Writing to Ralph Reed on Feb. 11, 2002, he declared: ''I wish those moronic Tiguas were smarter in their political contributions. I'd love us to get our mitts on that moolah!! Oh well, stupid folks get wiped out.''

http://www.icogitate.com/~icogitate/TheSelfAbsorptionOfJackAbramhoff.html

[RadiDem]

14. Typical

[maddezmom]

15. disgusting

:puke: I hope they go straight to jail and live their last days there....f'ing morans.

[Moderator]

16. kick

[ckramer]

17. How a Lobbyist and a Former Tom DeLay Aide Ripped Off Clients and

Padded Their Pockets

Lobbyist Jack Abramoff laundered money from a Mississippi tribal client, using it to set up bogus Christian anti-gambling groups and fund other right-wing projects, including gear for a "sniper school" in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, The Washington Post reports in today's editions.

E-mails and testimony before Senate Indian Affairs Committee show an incredible trail of lies, fraud and deceit by Abramoff and Michael Scanlon, public relations executive and former spokesman for scandal-ridden House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.).

Abramoff, under investigation by the Justice Department, directed the Indians to donate to tax-exempt groups that the lobbyist later used for his own purposes. One project involved Abramoff's effort to arrange for military equipment, including night-vision goggles and a "jeep," for the sniper training conducted by a high school friend, Post reporters Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi reported.

Aaron Stetter, who worked for Scanlon, told the committee Scanlon and Abramoff manufactured opposition to casinos proposed by rival tribes by establishing phony Christian phone banks. Callers would identied themselves as members of groups the Christian Research Network or Global Christian Outreach Network and urged voters to contact their representatives.

link

[edbermac]

18. Franken is talking about this now with Melanie Sloan

And discussing how Ralph Reed has made 4 mil off of all this...