WP/AP: Abramoff Recipients Glance

[PhilipShore]

Washington Post
The Associated Press
January 11, 2006

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/11/AR2006011101448.html

-- After lobbyist Jack Abramoff's guilty plea to federal charges in a congressional influence-peddling investigation, dozens of lawmakers said they will donate any Abramoff-related contributions. Among those who have specified which organizations or causes will get the money:

[zanne]

1. I thought no Dems received money from Abramoff...

According to Howard Dean, no Dems were mixed up with him. So what's this?

[newscott]

2. An attempt to smear Democrats with the same brush.

The Democrats on this list did not accept laundered money from Abramoff front groups. They did accept money from Abramoff clients.

[stonedpika]

3. Seems like everyone is rotten in DC, DC needs an ENEMA

[wryter2000]

8. This is a Republican scandal, through and through

Don't fall for their spin.

Welcome to DU :hi:

[newyawker99]

9. Hi stonedpika!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Ian David]

4. They never got money from Abramoff, but did from some of his clients

For example, Democrats on the Indian Affairs Committee had a legitimate reason to get money from Native American tribes-- and probably would have even if Abramoff had never been born.

They're returning tribal money, not Abramoff money, to avoid the image of impropriety even though they have done nothing wrong.

Key to Abramoff's strategy all along has been something called The K Street Project which specifically seeks to not give money to Democrats. Sort of a lobbying-money-boycott.

[wryter2000]

7. "Abramoff-related contributions"

Anyone or organization who did business with Abramoff is considered "Abramoff-related." So, any contribution is considered "Abramoff-related." Does that mean that if XYZ Charity also gave money to the local food bank, the local food bank is "Abramoff-related"?

BS :mad:

[Ian David]

5. Some interesting choices in their donations...

Jim DeMint, R-S.C., $2,750, a South Carolina anti-gambling hot line.
(Take THAT, Abramoff!)

_Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., $18,500, Wayside Christian Mission.
(Doesn't the GOP already give faith-based charities enough money?)


What is "The UNITE Foundation"?
_Hal Rogers, R-Ky., $32,000, UNITE Foundation.

_John Sweeney, R-N.Y., $2,000, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
(Don't they fund stemcell research?)


_Lane Evans, D-Ill., $2,000, Community Caring Conference.

_Jim Bunning, R-Ky., $1,000, St. Elizabeth Medical Center inpatient hospice program.
(Hospice care? As in "right to die" and "death with dignity" care?)

President Bush: $6,000 from Abramoff, his wife and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan for the Bush-Cheney 2004 re-election campaign is being donated to the American Heart Association.
(Does The American Heart Association support stemcell research?)

[Ian David]

6. The UNITE Foundation

Rogers to give away $32,000 from Abramoff's casino clients
By John Cheves
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

FRANKFORT - U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers said last night he will give away $32,000 in campaign donations he had accepted from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's Indian casino clients.

The money should not be allowed to become a problem, said Rogers, a Republican who represents Southeast Kentucky's 5th Congressional District. It will go to the UNITE Foundation, a non-profit group he helped organize in his district to fight drug trafficking and treat addiction.

"Although these contributions were lawfully made and properly reported, out of an abundance of caution, so as to avoid any appearance of impropriety, I am donating these funds to the UNITE Foundation," Rogers said after a query from the Herald-Leader.

<snip>

Only one Kentucky politician took a donation directly from Abramoff: U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, a Republican, who accepted $1,000 in 2003. Bunning's office did not return a call yesterday.

The rest of the money came from Indian tribes in Louisiana, Mississippi, Michigan and California who lobbied Congress on gambling issues. Their desires for Kentucky lawmakers are unknown. None of the politicians would respond to questions about the tribes yesterday, and none of the tribal governments returned calls.

More:
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/13544442.htm

I think we need to watch their "charitable" donations as closely as we watch their lobbyist gifts.

Nothing here:
http://www.charitywatch.org/


Nothing here:
http://www.give.org/reports/index.asp

Nothing here:
http://www.guidestar.org/

Nothing here:
http://www.charities.org/memberdir/index.cfm?Startrow=1&fa=srchRslt&keyword=UNITE+Foundation&x=0&y=0


And nothing with The IRS:
http://apps.irs.gov/portal/site/pub78/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.72f1796ad102792acd9e6be24937a759/?javax.portlet.tpst=289c57ca6035546c47564fe84937a759_ws_MX&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token
http://apps.irs.gov/portal/site/pub78/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.72f1796ad102792acd9e6be24937a759/?javax.portlet.tpst=289c57ca6035546c47564fe84937a759_ws_MX&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token

See new thread:
U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers and The UNITE Foundation (Uh-oh!)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2362757