AP: Senate Leader (Reid) Took Free Boxing Tickets

[truthpusher]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/05/29/D8HTJL7O1.html

Senate Leader Took Free Boxing Tickets

May 29 2:16 PM US/Eastern

By JOHN SOLOMON
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON

(snip)

Reid, D-Nev., took the free seats for Las Vegas fights between 2003 and 2005 as he was pressing legislation to increase government oversight of the sport, including the creation of a federal boxing commission that Nevada's agency feared might usurp its authority.

(snip)

Two senators who joined Reid for fights with the complimentary tickets took markedly differently steps.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., insisted on paying $1,400 for the tickets he shared with Reid for a 2004 championship fight. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., accepted free tickets to another fight with Reid but already had recused himself from Reid's federal boxing legislation because his father was an executive for a Las Vegas hotel that hosts fights.

In an interview Thursday in his Capitol office, Reid broadly defended his decisions to accept the tickets and to take several actions benefiting disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's clients and partners as they donated to him.

"I'm not Goodie two shoes. I just feel these events are nothing I did wrong," Reid said.

(snip)

link: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/05/29/D8HTJL7O1.html

---------------------------------

this photo was also added by AP....with caption...



Mon May 29, 10:16 AM ET

In this frame from video, provided by HBO, Sen. Minority Leader, Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., left, and Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., second from left, sit near ringside at the Oscar De La Hoya-Bernard Hopkins championship boxing match in Las Vegas in September 2004. Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission while McCain insisted on paying $1,400 to reimburse for the tickets he shared with Reid. (AP Photo/HBO)

[movonne]

1. What a bunch of crap...

[EFerrari]

2. At least one bunch, maybe two. n/t

[Webster Green]

3. BushCo Inc./Corporate media will really run with this one....

I suspect we'll hear about little else for the next week or two.

Reid and Jefferson/Democratic culture of corruption...blah...blah...blah...

[acmejack]

4. They are digging hard.

They will come up with a few more ridiculous instances of democratic "malfeasance" and loudly trumpet them through their pet media and make sure every knows those dirty democrats are the ones who brought corruption to DC.

[Bucky]

5. You gotta hand it to those Republican oppo researchers. They're good.

This is quality scour and slash gumshoe work. Someone, or probably several people, spent many many work hours running down this story, developing contacts in the Associated Press, and then feeding this piece to the AP. I'm not impressed by the level of corruption here... $1400 is a "favor", however it's doled out, but a ringside seat at a boxing match is not something I would ever consider a $1400 favor.

Still, the Pug gumshoes did their homework and managed to turn up something, even if it's a yawner. What I wanna know is, when do we fire back. Where the heck are OUR gumshoes? Where's our oppo team and why aren't they sending out their press releases?

[Ian David]

16. I propose a new Democratic 501Corporation dedicated to opposition research

I'm thinking we should pool our resources to do things like hire private investigators, purchase cellphone records, invade the privacy, and smear the GOP smear-mongers.

I'm talking about everything from dumpster-diving to sending hidden cameras into events to setting up our own sting operations to "decoy" operations like the check-a-mate service.
http://www.intertraceinvestigations.com/Decoy-Ops.htm

I'm talking no-hold-barred, anything the law will allow kinds of things-- so long as it's the truth.

I'm sick of those dirtbags claiming the moral high ground.

We can't rely on Larry Flynt to do this for us again.
http://www.salon.com/news/1999/03/26newsb.html

We have to do this ourselves.

I say we pool our resources and use everything at our disposal.

I'll pledge to match up to $1,000 with my own money to take down the right Christo-fascist Repuke by any legal means. Santorum... Musgrave... Sensenbrenner... Romney... Dobson... Mehlman... O'Reilly... Falwell...

[stevedeshazer]

6. Righties, is that ALL you've got?

BFD.

[librechik]

30. givem a break, they've only been looking since Delay was indicted

since it's a bipartisan scandal they must have come up with more than Jefferson and a couple of boxing tickets. Right?

:rofl:

[stevedeshazer]

33. Right.

What's next? William Jefferson knew Kevin Bacon, who acted in Apollo 13 with My Dog Skip, who had a freezer just like William Jefferson (they LOVE saying that because it's the first two names of Clinton) which is sort of like the Jefferson's on TeeVee which I saw Kevin Bacon on which obviously proves my point. They're related.

[trogdor]

49. Yep.

But they'll cling to it like their mother's teat. It just becomes another stick in their bag of clubs, like "but Clinton...".

[longship]

7. Reid is a former Golden Gloves boxer.

FYI.

[stepnw1f]

10. Is He? (nt)

[longship]

22. Yup (Citation)

Best citation I could find quickly.

[stepnw1f]

27. That's Pretty Cool

didn't know that

[grasswire]

8. yep, they're going to take us all down

The Republican National Committee has been gathering opposition research for years. Now is an extremely strategic time for them to start taking down some of ours.

[Lost-in-FL]

29. Think about it... they have control of the NSA

and can search whatever they want on whoever they want.

[stepnw1f]

9. Why is this LBN?

Seriously?

[truthpusher]

13. It just hit the news...it's an AP story....

...it is important to know what the righties are slinging...seriously

[stepnw1f]

14. I Don't Think It's LBN Worthy

I really don't...

[Demeter]

19. Complain to the Media, Then

They're the one publishing it.

[stepnw1f]

21. No.. I'll Instead Tell the Person that Posted it

that this is garbage and shouldn't be considered as Late Breaking News. Don't like it... too bad.

[seasat]

11. Where's the quid pro quo?

Reid cosponsored the first version in 2004. The only objection that he had to the 2005 version was that HBO and the networks need to be included too and not the state boxing commissions. That provision was added and the bill passed the Senate with unanimous support. If Reid had tried to kill the bill, this might be interpreted as a influence peddling but Reid did not kill the bill and voted for it along with everyone else.

[Tarheel_Dem]

12. wow...those NSA wiretaps are really....

paying dividends now, huh? :eyes:

[Ian David]

15. Harry Reid is being persecuted because he's a Christian. n/t

[KittyWampus]

35. A Mormon At That! LOL!

[Judi Lynn]

17. I would pay the price of a ticket to AVOID going to the fight.

It really makes it look as if someone's really hard up for a good time to spend your evening watching two poor people bludgeon each other.

[rppper]

18. there was some recent news about box seats being given to .....

....government officials, by nascar, here in daytona beach for the daytona 500 and the pepsi 400...went as high as some state officials and a lot of county and local officials.....most claimed there was no wrong doing because the tickets were valued at $50.00..all well and good except....ever been to a to nascar event? nextel/winston tower and box seats go from $750.00 to $1500.00 an event.........

$1400.00 ringside seats huh....thats the best they can do? a pair of ringside seats that McCain paid for?....ok, reid must not have paid johnny boy back or something.....good try repukes, now please police your own dirty soldiers.......

[truthisfreedom]

20. why should the good Senator have to pay out of his own pocket to research

a sport he is trying to more fully regulate?

the free tickets were nothing but a free tour of the business, if you ask me, and if Reid was INCREASING the regulation of the sport, and didn't back down on that position, he certianly did nothing wrong (he wasn't unduly influenced by "receiving gifts.")

[depakid]

24. It's the appearance of impropriety

And Harry Reid KNOWS THAT, because he's a former prosecutor.

In fact, any law student could have told you that. Its on the ethics exam.

Silver lining: Maybe we can get one of the most ineffectual minority leaders in history to step aside. I had hoped for a graceful way out- a health problem maybe- like one that came up last summer- but the bottom line is that the Dems need a credible, proficient leader, and Senator Reid hasn't been getting the job done.

[truthisfreedom]

25. ahh, so it may backfire on the 'pubs after all. well, yay to that.

8^)

[sandnsea]

40. You're doing it again

We're having this exact same discussion on the swifties, and you're turning right around and doing it to Harry Reid. Attacking the Democrat instead of realizing this is just another smear campaign. When they succeed at convincing everybody "they're all the same", then you'll come back and complain that the Dems didn't fight back.

[depakid]

42. Ethics are ethics

and I don't really care who's involved- want to create a contrast with the "culture of corruption" on the far right- ya gotta keep your nose looking clean.

and btw: this has nothing to do with the thread about Kerry.

[sandnsea]

48. It has to do with weak-kneed grassroots

Who quiver every time a shot is fired and jump on the Repub bandwagon because they're afraid to stand up for their own party. Just like they did in August 2004.

[HuffleClaw]

23. ok, he took free tickets. so what?

geeze, what a complete non-story. "as he was pressing legislation to increase government oversight of the sport, including the creation of a federal boxing commission that Nevada's agency feared might usurp its authority." if he'd been lobbying FOR them i'd be unimpressed, but he was doing the opposite.

[Placebo]

26. What's the big freakin' deal?

How come when democrats do the smallest thing it becomes big news?

Reminds me of THE CHRIS MATTHEWS SHOW on Sunday where like 20 minutes were devoted to Bill & Hillary's marriage and about 3 minutes to Bush & Blair's press conference.

[JohnnyLib]

28. watch for the link

to the Clintons and/or ol' Jimmy Carter. It's got to be there somewhere. Probably Rush will point that out tomorrow.

[texanshatingbush]

31. Nobody ever gives me free tickets, they always expect me to pay for them

what am I doing wrong?

[wellst0nev0ter]

32. Un-Bribery

ah, just go read John Aravosis' take on this non-story. I can't really improve upon it.

[depakid]

34. Mr. Aravosis knows nothing about ethics

and proceeds to prove it in his blog....:eyes:

Of well, I guess we need defenders out there even if they aren't any smarter or more insightful than Republicans.

[KittyWampus]

36. strange how determined you are to see Reid smeared by this nonsense

and Aravosis explains the complete lack of ethical conflict of this non-story concerning unbribery in very simple terms.

[depakid]

37. I'm not determined to see anything- other than objective ethics

And as a citizen- I expect it on both sides of the aisle.

Taking a set of free tickets (or any other gift) from ANY party where you have an active and influential role in the outcome of a proceeding they are involved in is a breach of ethics. Period. And as a former prosecutor- Reid knows better. Hell, apparently- even McCain knew better.

And another point that's been raised in this thread- and repeated by Aravosis:

"...you mean Harry Reid accepted tickets from a state agency that he had no intent on helping - an agency, in fact, that Reid was actually working to undercut (in the agency's view)."

Gee- now how do we know that? Because Aravosis said so? Because Reid and his aids say so?

How do we know that there weren't even worse proposals for the agency on the table?

WE DON'T. Which is why Aravosis and other apologists who make that argument are either being disingenuous- or don't understand basic priciples of ethics- which, btw- transcend any explicit Senate (or god forbid House) rules that might be in place.

Among other things- they involve the concept known as "avoiding the appearance of impropriety."

Aravosis's next argument is even more ridiculous- and he sounds just like a Republican- he goes and points his finger at the other side and says- see? They're doing it too- and they're even worse.

Sorry- while it may be true- that's no defense.

[chat_noir]

38. State of Professional Boxing Hearing

depakid, try doing some research before spouting off:


snip

I understand that today’s hearing will focus on the problems facing professional boxing, the
success of federal regulations in solving those problems, and legislative proposals to improve the
professional boxing industry which include the creation of a federal regulatory entity to oversee
the sport.

The rules governing professional boxing and the enforcement of those rules vary widely among
states. Organized regulatory athletic commissions and associations such as the N.B.A., N.F.L.
and P.G.A. play an integral role in almost every sport except boxing.

Since professional boxing is not successfully regulated by a private entity and there is no
prospect for meaningful self-regulation, I am hopeful that the legislation that I previously
introduced with Senator McCain, the National Boxing Commission Act of 2001, is a step in the
right direction in creating a central regulatory entity that can closely monitor the activities and
controversies of this sport.

The National Boxing Commission would prescribe and enforce uniform regulations for
professional boxing in order to protect the health and safety of boxers and to ensure fairness in
the sport. Among other things, the Commission would maintain a national computerized registry
for the collection of specific information on professional boxers and boxing personnel, certify for
each boxing match the participating boxer’s medical history, and review plans submitted by all
state athletic commissions for uniformity.

http://commerce.senate.gov/pdf/reid020503.pdf#search='Harry%20Reid%20Nevada%20boxing'

[depakid]

45. Once again- it's the appearance

of impropriety. That's what's taught in ethics classes.

It's not whether the gift or the junket actually influenced the vote (though one really never knows- and we routinely hear denials from Republicans)- it's what it looks like. It's the effect it has on public perception and the integrity of the procedure.

This is probably going to end up being a tempest in a teapot- but the point remains- it should never have even come up- and wouldn't have, but for a lack of foresight and judgment.

and lo and behold- look who's spouting off about it now- my "favorite" paper:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/29/AR2006052900913.html

"Reid took the free seats for Las Vegas fights between 2003 and 2005 as he was pressing legislation to increase government oversight of the sport, including the creation of a federal boxing commission that Nevada's agency feared might usurp its authority."

[wellst0nev0ter]

52. Appearance?

Accepting invitations from government entities has always been legal for legislators, and even if Harry Reid did in fact plan to undercut new rules governing boxing, he would be doing it in ostensibly for the interest of the state industry for which he was elected to defend. But the fact that the tickets didn't seem to influence his voting makes this story even more remarkable. Instead you are hell-bent in breathing life to a stillborn rightwing talking point.

[Cha]

50. Hi cryingshame, do you

have a link for that? I would just like to read it, thanks!

[Orsino]

46. So what became of Reid's attempts to legislate boxing...

...after he was "un-bribed"? Did anythng come of it?

[wellst0nev0ter]

51. He Screwed Over The Nevada Boxing Commission With New Rules

That's what came out of his unbribery.

[Orsino]

53. Anyone have specifics on the new rules? n/t

[wordpix2]

39. Reid should not have taken these tix but compared to the 'pukes' scandal

this is next-to-nothing

[sandnsea]

41. Can my city buy a hotel room for my senator?

Let's say we need him to come here and look at some environmental situation. Can we buy him a hotel room and pay for his meals? How is a senator supposed to pay for all the things in his state he needs to investigate if state and local govts don't pick up some of the tab? I think you don't understand that Harry Reid has money, he could afford the tickets if he wanted to go to the fight. The state wanted him to go, so they paid his way. That's the only reasonable way for a senator to be able to do his job.

[depakid]

43. Oh please- you're really bending over backwards

Harry got Vegas style comped- and he knew damn well that he shouldn't have- especially if he was going to be sitting with John McCain! :crazy:

Now, it's coming back to haunt him. All very foreseeable.

[sandnsea]

47. No I'm not

The Aquarium wants some sort of federal funding for a special project, should they buy Wyden a ticket to go in and see what they're talking about?? It's all the same thing. Harry Reid can well afford a boxing ticket, he doesn't need to have it comped. He's on business, they pay. You're the one salivating to bury a Dem, whether he deserves it or not. Democrats choosing to buy into the right wing spin and attack Democrats instead of Republicans, same shit, new day.

[E-Z-B]

44. Senators and Congressmen better rethink this strategy of trying to nail

Reid. Afterall, how many of them have accepted free sporting event tickets? I bet you won't find a single person who hasn't.

[Gormy Cuss]

54. The AP story is artful misdirection

Josh Marshall has the full dope over at TalkingPointsMemo
The 'free' tickets are comps specifically set aside for politicians and dignitaries and can not be sold, therefore Reid couldn't buy them or reimburse them for the cost. The McCain incident was one where he insisted on paying and the commission turned over his check to Catholic Charities because McCain wouldn't take it back and it was illegal for the NAC to cash it.

The Ap writer should get this week's Nedra Pickler Award for shoddy journalism.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[wellst0nev0ter]

55. OMG! Now We Find Out That Paying For Credentials Is Illegal

Confirmed: Against the Law for Reid To Pay for Credential
By Paul Kiel - May 31, 2006, 3:46 PM
OK, so we've nailed this down. It would have been against state law for Harry Reid to have reimbursed the Nevada Athletic Commission for credentials.

Clearly, this is pretty far down in the weeds. But the AP actually got a pretty significant fact wrong. So let me run through the details.

Bob Arum, the boxing promoter who gave the credentials to Reid and Sen. John McCain, made that claim to The Las Vegas Review Journal. But I wanted to check up on that, so I called Keith Kizer, the Executive Director of the Nevada Athletic Commission. Kizer should know - he is a lawyer and former Chief Deputy Attorney General for the state of Nevada.

"It would be illegal," Kizer said, explaining that it fell under a state law prohibiting agencies or individuals for charging access to government property. The credentials provide access to the commission's area near the ring. "It would be like charging someone for access to a senator's office," Kizer added with no apparent sense of irony.

He went on to explain that credentials are given out to governmental officials and others in order to observe the commission's activity. Sometimes the credentials are provided in addition to tickets - sometimes officials sit in the commission's area.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000788.php

Is it too much to ask the media to do basic research? And is it too much to ask our fellow DUers to stop parroting right-wing attack points?