U.S. Newswire: DNC: Republicans Play Blame Game with American Indians

[PhilipShore]

U.S. Newswire (press release)
1/31/2006

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=60263

DNC: Republicans Play Blame Game with American Indians

To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Damien LaVera of the Democratic National Committee Staff, 202-863-8148

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Democratic National Committee:

The effort by Washington Republicans to portray the elaborate pay-to-play scheme orchestrated by Republican super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his cronies as a bipartisan affair is clearly failing. Despite all their efforts, the Washington Post reported this weekend that, by a 46 percent to 27 percent margin, the American people see Democrats as more likely to stand up to lobbyists and special-interest groups than Republicans. (Washington Post, 1/30/06)

Now, with their effort to muddy the waters failing, Republicans in Washington have apparently resorted to blaming the American Indian tribes exploited by Jack Abramoff and his colleagues. According to a report in today's USA Today, Republicans in Congress are working on legislation that would restrict the tribes' ability to fully participate in the political process. (USA Today, 01/31/06)

"The effort to punish American Indians for Jack Abramoff's sins is an outrageous example of the Republican Party's politics of distortion and distraction," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. "Apparently, party leaders will do anything to deflect attention from the Republican culture of corruption, even blame the very tribes that Abramoff exploited to fund his pay-to-play scheme.

"American Indians are not the villains here. Jack Abramoff financed the worst corruption scheme in a generation by bilking tribes that were unfamiliar with the ways of Washington out of millions of dollars. Now, by trying to restrict their ability to participate in the political process, Republicans in Congress are attacking the tribes once again. Instead of punishing American Indians for the sins of others, Republicans in Congress should join Democrats in fighting to provide the American people the honest leadership and open government they deserve."

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://www.usnewswire.com/

[NVMojo]

1. I've said it here before, there are usually very filthy rich developers

making the majority of the profit on an existing casino deal or one that is in the works and they advise the tribes on who to pay for lobbying, etc. and in some cases, those rich non-Indian developers pay the tab, using the tribe as a pass through. The freaking DOJ needs to do their damn jobs....