Miller: Abramoff Money Halted Sweat Shop Legislation
POSTED: 7:50 am PST January 4, 2006
UPDATED: 8:09 am PST January 4, 2006
UNDATED -- East Bay Congressman George Miller just couldn't understand why his legislation to end sex and textile sweat shops in the Northern Mariana Islands -- a U.S. protectorate in the Pacific -- was being blocked in the House of Representatives. Now, he has his answer.
Miller had run into a roadblock allegedly thrown up by lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
"There is no question that Jack Abramoff is no run-of-the-mill lobbyist," Miller said on Mornings on 2. "The Mariana Islands were one of Abramoff's clients…The garment industry there was importing young men from China and elsewhere work in sweat shops…There's a sex trade…labor camps."
"I was trying to get legislation passed in the House," Miller added. "It passed out of committee in the Senate and had bi-partisan support. I just couldn't get it to the floor of the House of Representatives."
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