Not Everyone's Dropping Abramoff's Money

[jasmeel]

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - While dozens of lawmakers are dumping contributions from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his clients, others including Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid smell no taint and plan to keep the money.

Still other officials and lawmakers, from Republican
President Bush to Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel (news, bio, voting record) of New York, are splitting the difference. They say only some of the money linked to Abramoff is tarnished.

As recently as Wednesday, Rangel refused to return any of the money he received from Abramoff-linked clients or firms. On Thursday, his spokesman said the congressman would give up $2,000 from a law firm where Abramoff once worked — donating it to the Boys Choir of Harlem — but would keep the rest, some $47,000.

"He has no problems with his contributions from native American tribes and he's not returning any of that," said spokesman Emile Milne. "It would be ridiculous for us to assume that these tribes would be forced or directed by Abramoff to help congressman Rangel."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060105/ap_on_go_co/keeping_the_money

Ah yes, it's a bipartisan scandal.

[Skittles]

1. it is not a crime to accept campaign contrtibutions

understand?

It's the influence-peddling that is the crime.

[jasmeel]

2. I guess the asshat AP reporter wasnt told to convey that.

:eyes:

[Skittles]

3. it's the infamous "liberal media" up to their old tricks

:)

[Kurovski]

5. We have to say that over and over again.

The dipshit right-wingnuts calling in on C-SPAN this morning were repeating "The Dems took money, too!" bullshit so many times I wanted to reach into the television, into the phone lines, and scream until their fricking idiot ears bled.

A woman appearing on the call-in stated that there is a difference between a donation and a bribe, but stupid is as stupid fucking does, and the bushbot brigade just kept up with the crapola.

[neuvocat]

4. Where does the AP gets its sources for that?

Hey AP, how about giving us the links show where Rangel had some of Abramoff's money. C'mon now, show us some love of truth.

[woodsprite]

6. There was a blurb on the front of our paper today saying

that Carper would not be returning $4,000 donated to him from the tribes involved with the Abramoff scandal. Then it went on to quote Carper as saying there is a big difference between accepting campaign contributions from the tribes or accepting them from Abramoff. Of course, if a reader just read the headline, that wasn't what a they would think.

[Canuckistanian]

7. "only some of the money ...is tarnished" LOL!

Yeah, right, the money given by those nun clients of Abramoff is OK, but the rest is filthy lucre!

[jsamuel]

8. Dems are taking a lesson out of Bush's book and NOT ADMITTING THEY ARE

WRONG, because they aren't. Good job. Giving back the money now makes you look guilty, and you aren't.

[damntexdem]

9. Since they've seen how much they're going to be burned ...

by the Abramoff scandal, the GOP has been busy noting Dems who received money from clients of Abramoff, including donations made before the donors became Abramoff clients.

[aquart]

10. They never let facts get in the way before. Or truth.

Live by the spin, die by the spin.