Tremors Across Washington as Lobbyist Will Aid Inquiry

[cal04]

(snip)
As a high-flying Republican lobbyist, Jack Abramoff has long been known as a mover and shaker in Washington. But when he cut a deal with federal prosecutors on Tuesday, he shook up this town as never before. Not long ago, Mr. Abramoff was perhaps Washington's most aggressive - and, at $750 an hour, most highly compensated - deal maker, a flamboyant man who moved fluidly through the nexus of money and power.


Now his decision to cooperate in a broadening corruption and bribery investigation has thrust him into the role of a corporate insider turning against the company that claimed just to be doing business as usual. Even before Mr. Abramoff left the federal courthouse on Tuesday in a trench coat and fedora, nervous lawmakers of both parties, and even the White House, began trying to distance themselves from him. Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois announced that he would donate to charity $69,000 in campaign contributions directed to him by Mr. Abramoff.

The plea bargain also had immediate ripple effects for a lawmaker who was once Mr. Abramoff's closest ally in the Republican leadership, Representative Tom DeLay of Texas. Mr. DeLay, indicted on a count of money laundering in a separate campaign-related case in Texas, is trying to regain his post as House majority leader, but Mr. Abramoff's plea complicates his prospects.


(snip)
Some Democrats saw the plea bargain as good political news. They are trying to build their 2006 midterm campaigns around what they call the Republican "culture of corruption" and say Mr. Abramoff taps into that theme. Minutes after his deal was announced, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which tries to help elect Democrats to Congress, trumpeted the news on its Web site. "Breaking News: Jack Abramoff to Plead Guilty," the headline said.
Publicly, Republicans insisted that they were not worried. "I think there may have been some nervousness, but after reading the plea agreement today and seeing that only one person was named, there's got to be a little bit of relief out there," said Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/politics/04assess.html?hp&ex=1136437200&en=bb9f07c897d6c1a7&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[NanceGreggs]

1. Pop, pop, fizz, fizz ...

"There's got to be a LITTLE bit of relief out there ..."

Yeah, very LITTLE ...

[rodeodance]

4. it will fizzle if no politicians (other than delay) get wacked!

[Frustratedlady]

2. It Will Be Interesting To See Who All Those Emails Uncover.

I am continually amazed at the scope of this man's involvement with so many groups, corporations and big names--I best not forget the sanctimonious Christian Coalition and their ilk.

I hope those emails show that these born-again innocents who are tripping over themselves to return the money they just now(?) learned was tainted, are exposed for what they really are. I'm just afraid they will punish a few and let the majority go scot free.

Just imagine what we could do with all that money that floats around Washington while we peons fight to keep our homes warm and our bellies content. They throw millions around like they were 100 bills.

[Daphne08]

3. "Mr. Hastert has raised the possibility of new ethics training

for lawmakers."

That's such a ridiculous response I cannot believe I'm even responding to that quote.

Ethics? You are either ethical or you're not.