Look, is Reid dirty or what?

[Catch22Dem]

Newsmax, Drudge, Freepers, etc... they're all saying it, but is there a shred of truth to it? I can't keep up with all the threads and that's the one question I'd like an actual answer to.

Disregard, lots of info here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2346990&mesg_id=2346990

[DrGonzoLives]

1. Consider the sources

Reid's dirtiness, if any, probably would be coming from the mining industry lobby.

[bullimiami]

8. standard operating procedure. blame others, say everyone does it,

confuse the argument.

BUT.

I also dont care. I hate corrupt politicians. All that are guilty, let them fry.

[papau]

12. Dorgan and Reid received Indian Tribe money - not ABRAMOFF money

Dorgan has returned the money so there is no possible "stain".

I do not believe Reid will return anything as he laughs at the idea of a quid pro quo being proved. Unless those emails have a smoking gun we do not know about, the only heads to fall will be GOP heads.

Meanwhile the hundreds of thousand directly to Bush from ABRAMOFF would seem to deserve some checking.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. As much as I like him I don't care

Far more repukes are going down - far more.

We may lose a few Dems but the damage to the repukes is bound to be LOTS worse.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. No.

[sniffa]

4. no idea... and neither do they

[Catch22Dem]

5. Disregard my post....

Here's a long discussion: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2346990&mesg_id=2346990

[LA lady]

6. Someone posted this from ThinkProgress

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
Senate Democratic Leader
CONTRIBUTIONS — REID RECEIVED $66,000 FROM ABRAMOFF’S CLIENTS: “Reid ultimately received more than $66,000 in Abramoff-related donations from 2001 to 2004.”

COUSHATTA CAMPAIGN — ENSIGN AND REID LOBBIED ON BEHALF OF ABRAMOFF CLIENT: One of Abramoff’s tribal clients, the Coushattas, “opposed a plan by the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians to open a casino at a non-reservation site, expected at the time to be outside Shreveport, La., not far from a casino owned by the Coushattas.” Ensign and Reid sent a letter to Norton on behalf of the Coushatta tribe on March 5, 2002. “The next day, the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana issued a $5,000 check to Reid’s tax-exempt political group, the Searchlight Leadership Fund. A second Abramoff tribe also sent $5,000 to Reid’s group.”


http://www.thinkprogress.org/abramoff#reid

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. It isn't illegal to receive contributions.

Receiving contributions from an Abramoff client isn't "dirty" unless there was a quid pro quo. It's likely that Abramoff's clients gave a lot of politicians "clean" money -- the issue is more what Abramoff himself did, not what his clients did.

[MrMonk]

16. If Reid accepted a large amount of money connected to Abramoff

he should be called to account for it. Doesn't mean that he is guilty of any wrongdoing. Republicans and Democrats should both be called to account and given a chance to speak for themselves.

[Botany]

7. a list of all who Abramoff gave his personal money to

http://www.newsmeat.com/washington_political_donations/Jack_Abramoff.php

[LiberalFighter]

20. Joe Scarborough received at least $1000 from Abramoff

[MadHound]

9. I guess we'll have to wait and see

If he is, then Reid deserves to go down like the rest, if not, then there is nothing to worry about. But we shouldn't be giving anybody a pass simply due to their political affiliation.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

10. NBC nightly news had his picture next to Delay's picture tonight

when they discussed people involved in the Abramoff scandal. I just don't buy it. To my recollection, a recent article stated that Senator Reid received a small contribution, but there were no favors exchanged.

[Warpy]

13. Reid took money from an Abramoff client

and voted the client's way. If they can turn that into a quid pro quo, they're going to be able to take him down.

If they can prove a quid pro quo, good riddance.

Bribery is an ugly business, no matter which party is guilty. If Reid is destroyed, they're going to have to destroy a score or more GOPers with him.

[AndyTiedye]

14. It Doesn't Matter If Reid is Clean or Dirty...

...the press will swiftboat him anyway, and there is nothing he or us can do about it.

[Clyde_dubyaD40]

15. This may not be popular but if Reid did it wrong then

he needs to be prosecuted as much as any repug. I like Reid and I hope it is wrong but I would rather save lying and hypocrisy for the right wing.

[Emit]

17. Here's another take on Reid's involvement

Pretty much is as posted in #6:

Sen. Harry Reid: Nevada Democrat, Senate Minority Leader. Sent a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton in March 2002 to urge her to reject a casino of the Jena band of Choctaw that would have competed with an Abramoff client. The next day, the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana issued a $5,000 check to Reid's tax-exempt political group, the Searchlight Leadership Fund. A second Abramoff tribe also sent $5,000 to Reid's group. Reid ultimately received more than $66,000 in Abramoff-related donations from 2001 to 2004. Abramoff also hired as a lobbyist a former Reid legislative aide, Edward Ayoob. Ayoob held a fundraising reception for Reid at the offices of Abramoff's firm, Greenberg Traurig.

http://www.alternet.org/story/29827/

They will make a really big deal out of this, no matter if his involvement was big or little. They will likely use it to divert attention from their folks. Personally, as a Nevada resident, I hope Reid is clean. If he's not, he should receive the same criticism/punishment as anyone else. He's often described here as a DINO. It wasn't until recently, when he started standing up against Bush & Co. this past year, that he has impressed some Dems around here. He's good ole' boy Nevada, like most politicians from these parts are. And is in tight with Ensign at times. I just don't know what to think, but I will be following this.

[formernaderite]

19. None of us are naieve....lobbyists lobby with money and favors

for one thing only. I hope they catch all the repubs...but that still doesn't mean I'm naieve enough to believe everyone who received money didn't know what it was for.

[Sgent]

18. Let's not forget

that Reid would have naturally been in favor of restricting Indian gaming rights as much as possible -- remember what state he represents, and that his casino's are helped restricting gaming.

Most likely, it was more of a confluence of interests than any type of quid pro quo -- although if there is evidence of the latter, hang 'em.

[Emit]

21. Good point...

Here's a similar analysis:

* Reid and Ensign raised a legitimate point in their letter: Although some congressional letters to Norton complained about the vice of gambling, Reid's letter raised a legitimate issue. The Jena tribe wanted to build a casino on land in Vinton, La., that wasn't tribal property. And under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, casinos can only operate on land owned by a tribe on or before July 25, 1990. The land targeted by the Jena tribe wasn't owned on July 25, 1990, and wasn't even part of an Indian reservation, the letter says.

"In conclusion, the Jena Band Compact establishes a dangerous precedent for location of tribal casinos virtually anywhere in any state where gaming is legal," Reid and Ensign wrote.

It's not the first time Reid has taken that stance, either. When U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., inserted language into an Interior Department bill in 2001 that would allow the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians to build a Nevada-style casino on 9.5 acres of non-reservation land near San Francisco, Reid was one of the voices in dissent.

More:

http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2005/12/02/local_news/news02.txt