Couric Caught On Tape: ‘Democrats Took Money From Abramoff Too, Mr. Dean’

[sabra]

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/26/couric-caught-on-tape/

Couric Caught On Tape: ‘Democrats Took Money From Abramoff Too, Mr. Dean’

On this morning’s Today Show, Katie Couric falsely claimed that Democrats took money from Jack Abramoff. Howard Dean tried to set her straight, but she stuck to the right-wing talking points:



COURIC: Hey, wait a second. Democrats took — Democrats took money from Abramoff too, Mr. Dean.

DEAN: That is absolutely false. That did not happen. Not one dime of money from Jack Abramoff went to any Democrat at any time.

Katie then cited a Center for Responsive Politics study as her evidence, but a look at CRP’s website (here and here) show that Democrats accepted no money from Abramoff.

Full transcript below:

COURIC: Hey, wait a second. Democrats took — Democrats took money from Abramoff too, Mr. Dean.

DEAN: That is absolutely false. That did not happen. Not one dime of money from Jack Abramoff went to any Democrat at any time.

COURIC: Let me just tell you — According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Abramoff and his associates gave $3 million to Republicans and $1.5 million to Democrats, including Sen. Minority Leader Harry Reid.

DEAN: Not one dime of Jack Abramoff money ever went to any Democrat. We can show you the FEC reports, we’d be very happy to do it. There’s a lot of stuff in the press that the Republican National Committee’s been spinning that this is a bipartisan scandal. It is a Republican-financed scandal. Not one dime of money from Jack Abramoff ever went to any Democrat, not one dime.

COURIC: Well, we’ll obviously have to look into that and clarify that for our viewers at a later date. Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Mr. Dean, Governor Dean, thanks so much for talking with us.

DEAN: Thanks very much.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Pathetic that Katie didn't do her homework ahead of time

[Crankie Avalon]

20. I think it was more deliberate than that...

...keep repeating the false accusation and the impression of it sets in, even if the Republican operative (in this case, Katie Couric) retracts it later (much later, if at all).

Having Howard Dean say the truth and not be contradicted would have been the most powerful image. This way, it's diluted, doubt is raised, etc. It was deliberately done (if not by her, than by the folks who tell her what to say).

[GreenPartyVoter]

23. I am sure you are right. She's a shill.

[donheld]

24. Of course it was deliberate

No question about it.

[blm]

56. You have it exactly RIGHT, Crankie - NBC is PUSHING RNC talking points

because they are on the same team working towards their global fascist agenda.

[shance]

38. Are you kidding? That was her homework.

To misinform, mislead and lie to the American public.

[liveoaktx]

41. Look at how she slanted this ala "Perception is Everything"

She has a poll about spying. Instead of, say, starting out with half the people DON'T want to be spied on, it's half the people don't mind. Then, later, she says "Poisonous partisan issue". I heard the word Poisonous used by an RNC pundit the other day so there's no doubt that adjective is being used by Republicans to smear Dems. She might as well have shown the faxes or emails she got.

[jackstraw45]

2. General Electric pays her millions to SPIN for Bushco...

GE has made BILLIONS on defense contracts since 2001....


BILLIONS.

[trudyco]

3. So is it worth emailing her or her bosses? -nt

[Armstead]

5. yes

Tbey have to start realizing that we are AT LEAST half of the country and are sick of being ignored and insulted

[LaPera]

13. Anyone have a link or phone number?

[MADem]

9. [e-mail] -- do it, NOW!!! n/t

[Javaman]

111. Done! n/t

[goclark]

4. She did her homework, Dean just set her straight

She thought she would get her spin in and it didn't work today.

She is still praying she gets the evening news slot right?

[Missy M]

6. I sure hope Couric looks into it and clarifies for her viewers...

at a later date. How much you want to bet she NEVER does!!

[AspenRose]

33. Don't hold your breath....

bitch....(Couric, not you!)

[Missy M]

52. I'm glad you clarified your message. Although I can be at....

times.:hi:

[MADem]

7. Everyone who reads this thread, take TWO minutes, please

and send them an email BITCHING about this. Demand to know WHEN Katie is going to "clarify that" for us, so that we will be sure to watch. The address is [e-mail] --for those who do not think this makes a difference, it can, if ENOUGH people gripe about it. The WAPO ombudsman had to RETRACT her remarks on the same subject after WAPO got THOUSANDS of emails, shutting down their site! Her retraction got more coverage than her original false assertion, because she actually whined, childishly, about how some of the emails were mean to her--seriously!

I sent mine, do your bit, and send one too! It's certainly worth a shot across their bow....

[jeanarrett]

22. I sent one to her this morning suggesting that

maybe she needed a spinal transplant so she could actually do some research and report some news instead of what her handlers wanted her to say.

[Mutley]

37. Include this link in your email!

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

Say, Look Katie! Even average proles can get this information! Why didn't you?!?

[louis-t]

83. Ooooh, wish I'd seen that before I sent mine.

That's OK, I'll send it again.

[harlinchi]

44. Done at 11:55 a.m. n/t

[mwb970]

55. Done. (n/t)

[Cha]

63. Thanks, MADem!

You made it so easy..I signed mine.."Disgusted in New York"!

[MADem]

75. If enough people gripe, they will have to retract and correct

Especially if we threaten to send copies of the emails to their corporate advertisers...

Money talks, we learned that from the GOP!

[phylny]

73. Did it.

Edited to say that she used "some people..." as in "some people say...." I want Governor Dean and all of Democratic politicians to start holding these "journalists" feet to the fire. "Who said this? Where did you get this informaton?"

I admit that had he stopped to do this today, he wouldn't have had a chance to so rapidly and effectively lay out a Democratic plan for the future, but I'm getting sick and tired of the "innuendo" brand of reporting.

[louis-t]

82. Done

[noamnety]

86. Thanks for the email link

I used it to send this:

If Couric can't properly research information and is on air spewing lies, she needs to be fired.

I'm not a journalist, I'm not a politician. I'm an art teacher in the midwest. Yet it appears I know more about current events than Couric does. Abramoff did NOT donate money to any democrats in Congress, but she insisted he did. For her to be on air talking about the Abramoff scandal getting the most basic facts wrong shows that either she doesn't have enough interest in current events to be in this position, or she is deliberately lying about basic facts.

Either way, there is no excuse to retain her as a journalist or reporter.

[Beam Me Up]

92. Here's what I sent them:

Subject: FIRE COURIC NOW!!!

I don't want a retraction, such as the ombudsman at the Washinton Post gave when she, too, lied about Abramov donations to Democrats.

I don't want clarification with more Karl Rove spin. I want Katie Couric and any other so called "journalist" too lazy to investigate facts OFF THE AIR!

Be sure your sponsors will also hear my position. I'm one of the American people who have HAD IT with this lying, criminal REPUBLLICAN regime and the Corporate Media that enables it!

Don't wait, FIRE HER NOW!!

name
city and state

[frylock]

8. NAVY SEALS ROCK!!!!!

<eom>

[rodeodance]

anyone know her email address?

[MADem]

25. [e-mail] n/t

[rodeodance]

32. i am going to write to her--thanks mucho

[Hissyspit]

97. NAVY SEALS ROCK!! (Easier to act like a pre-teen fan...

than to do your fact-checking.)

[zbdent]

10. So, even with the evidence in her hand

she lies through her teeth . . .

WHORE, WHORE, F*CKING G*DDAMN WHORE!

[underpants]

17. CRP's own data directly refutes what she said.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=245433&mesg_id=245433

[underpants]

11. NBC video and link to other thread

#3 of 13 here
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032633/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x245010

[mattclearing]

I thought he could have explained that better.

It would have been more persuasive if he had said, "the tribes gave less money to Democrats after consulting with Jack Abramoff. It is clear to people who have done their homework that the tribes donated to Democrats in spite of Abramoff's lobbying."

I don't know if people will buy the "Dems got no money" line, because the media has already established that they got that 1.5 million, even if that's not really entirely accurate.

[underpants]

19. Getting "K Street Project" in there too

that was my only criticism of Dr.Dean

[smartvoter]

12. And there you have it. The entire country now thinks Dems are

just as bad, based on false information.

How do you combat lies when the press goes along with them?

[zbdent]

14. Yeah, I'm sure Katie Whoric will issue a clarification

to her viewers "on a later date"

:sarcasm: :eyes:

[drbtg1]

67. Well, she will, because she has an excuse

At first, Couric said Abramoff gave money to Dems, which Dean refuted. Then she claimed Abramoff AND his associates gave 1.5 million to Dems. Unfortunately, Dr. Dean didn't deal with the "associates" aspect (which Couric will label clients like the Indian casinos as associates)and we certainly can't rely on NBC News to actually research the alledged associates' donation timeline. Hence, we have Miss Cleoed the Couric spin for tomorrow

[Justitia]

15. So glad the doc hit her back hard & repetitively on that!

She will NEVER correct her stmts. She is stupid, evil or both.

[Canuckistanian]

16. It's just like Whack-A-Mole, isn't it?

Even after it been proven false 100 times in the media, they still keep it up.

Dean should have responded with a call for factual proof. Which Democrats? Which Abramoff associates?
Are they really associates? And why would Abramoff, a die-hard GOP partisan want to benefit a Democrat in any way?

I have a feeling that Katie will find herself corrected on this one.

[tsuki]

18. If she did not research that before she went on the air, she is a

total airhead. My first term paper at University, the prof told me, "This isn't High School. We research our facts and footnote."

She's worth six million a year?

[liveoaktx]

35. She had, no doubt, RNC talking points in front of her

I can't stand her. She's another example of someone pretending to be a journalist but actually only a shill for the government.

[Synnical]

21. This was today?

Cripes - that's just un-believable.

[tridim]

26. It's not "Mr. Dean" Bitch.. It's "Dr. Dean"

Fuck you very much Couric.

[MADem]

30. He will also answer to Governor

Shit, if he were answering to "President" we'd all be better off....

[Cha]

64. That's another thing I wrote

in my email to today.."..and katie couric called him "Mr Dean"..like I said she needs to do her homework".

[skypilot]

27. Now that Dan Rather, Ted Koppel, Peter Jennings and...

...Bill Moyers are gone it's really frightening to look around and see what's left on the journalist landscape. The thought of Couric getting a slot on the evening news is beyond depressing. To think that this is what we are left with...

[chelsea0011]

28. Why does the media keep getting this wrong? As I hear on radio,

there are three types of donations. 1. Directly from Abramoff. Democrats have received no money 2.Organizations set up by Abramoff to funnel money for favors. Again, Democrats received no money and 3. Money given to tribes who then gave money to Democrats. Democrats only receive money here and there is no quid quo pro here. Democrats have no idea if any money was kicked back to Democrats. For all they know this was just run-of-the-mill donations from their constituents.

[annabanana]

49. because they are PAID to "get it wrong"

Anyone harboring any illusions about how 'independent' our vaunted media are should be pretty much out of steam about now..

[AngryAmish]

29. We must crush her

Will she ever get tired of parroting for the scum?

[young_at_heart]

31. I hope CBS changes their mind about her......I will stop watching

if she is the anchor. Bob Schieffer is great....he would never question Howard Dean in such a demeaning way!

[LaPera]

34. Then you get fucks like Limbaugh saying, see if a "liberal" like Couric

says it, you know it must be true, folks!

Limbaugh pulls that shit all the time... Saying shit like that right-wing rag, the NY Times is liberal (bullshit). Then Limbaugh will quote the right-wing NYT whenever he needs to as proof and then says... "See even the 'Liberal' NY Times says so folks".

Couric a liberal, what a fucking joke...her politics is ALL about money. While still tring to pretend she's a cheerleader...A cheerleader only & ALWAYS for the right-wing who pays her salary!!!

General Electric--- That's includes Chris Mattrews and all the rest on NBC CNBC & MSNBC!!!! (Save perhaps, Olbermann).

[bullwinkle428]

79. Then the neocon sheeple totally eat that crap up!

I see this crap CONSTANTLY on other message boards frequented by freeper-types...

[mattclearing]

36. My letter to the Today Show:

Greetings,

I just wanted to let you know that I was really insulted by the way that Katie Couric attacked Howard Dean with Republican talking points, and was impressed by the way he handled it.

I understand that Katie is supposed to ask hard questions, but accusing Dean and Democrats of "not standing for anything" is straight out of the RNC spin manual, as is her assertion that Democrats got "Abramoff-related money" another Republican talking point that doesn't actually bear out evidence...Democrats got money from Abramoff's clients, but it seems that it was in spite of Abramoff's insistence that those donations go to Republicans. Abramoff tried to steer money away from Democrats.

I'm inclined to think that NBC News' allegiances to its parent corporation are showing. Jack Welch and GE clearly support Republicans.

Like I said, I understand the need to ask hard questions. But Katie seemed angry and partisan when she accused Dean and Democrats of not standing for anything, and disappointed by Dean's quick and ready response, and she was flustered by his hard denial of Democratic wrongdoing in the case of Abramoff.

NBC should really give Democrats a chance. I know that the shareholders think they favor Republicans, but the Republicans are terrible stewards of the economy, and eventually the shareholders will realize that American business interests thrive when fiscal discipline and sensible diplomacy, clear differences between the last administration and the current one, are the hallmarks of the party in power.

To summarize: Try to get Katie to let up on the Fox News. Her biases are showing.

Thanks,

<Me>

[FarLeftRage]

39. nbc = neoconazi broadcasting corpoRATion

katie's mind turned to mush, year's ago... no surprise there.

[insane_cratic_gal]

40. First off Center for Responsive Politics has

Open secrets.org in big red letters? WHY?

ALso she didn't read the FAQ about the chart. All they did was go an grab information off the chart without verify that the money came from Indian Tribes NOT Jackoff

http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff_faq.asp

This is where the RW is spinning the info from.

Was Mr. Abramoff responsible for the tribes making all of the contributions now listed?


We have no way to determine whether Mr. Abramoff or his associates suggested or directed that each campaign contribution listed be made. There are simply limits to the conclusions one can draw based on lobbying reports and reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. While Mr. Abramoff has apparently acknowledged directing tribes to make specific contributions, which is generally legal, it is entirely possible that Mr. Abramoff had nothing to do with the making of tribal contributions to certain recipients. For now, Mr. Abramoff, the contributing tribes and the individual recipients of the contributions are in the best position to explain the circumstances under which the contributions were given and received. Of course, we expect more information to come out as the Department of Justice investigation continues.

Now I'm sure Howard has the records and she could of easily verified this: Break the chart down. All she had to do was look at this

http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff_donor.asp


Nothing is given to DEMS from Jack and His wife. Not a single cent. That is where Howard is correct, but the RW is playing with Words. Did Indian Tribes give money to Dems. YES.. From Jack? NO. But they are mushing it all together to try and spread the cooties.

[annabanana]

51. too stupid to read a chart... how does she dress herself?. . n/t

[Nordmadr]

42. Please, why does the media not care about facts anymore? N/T

[LaPera]

45. They take republican spin machines as facts, then people accept them as

facts, right-wing owned media reports & repeats it over and over as facts...(No media for the left to go to, as they desperately try to show the truth)...Then the robots who listen & watch repeat it and believe it as truth, as they nod their heads to each other and say, yep...I heard it too, right there on Fox and CNN, it has to be true.

Simplistic? YES! Effective? Also YES!

This is well planned shit by Rove and the right-wing think tanks -- they are masters at it...All they have to do is lie, make up things, since they own the media, they know, the rich, well paid talking heads will repeat anything they are told, as facts...No need to check it out, it takes too much time and the CEO's frown on us having our own opinions anyway.

[Tsiyu]

43. Cute little Katie with the Gorgeous Gams

Isn't she precious? Doesn't she just make you all happy in the morning and GLAD to be a Republican!

Study this woman very carefully. Her demeanor, her lies, her inane babble when millions suffer? She is yet another paid spokeswoman for the ** administration. I have no pity for her, but I wonder how many viewers just think she's STUPID.

C'mon! I know I used to look at her and think "this woman is on TV, highly paid and she doesn't know Jack Shit? Somebody needs to take her aside and give her some pointers on how to appear intelligent and familiar with current events. What an embarassment she is to journalists."

Now, I realize she is just a mouthpiece for the administration and that most modern day journalists seek to emulate her style rather than improve it. I haven't watched that crap in years.

CUT OFF THE CABLE AND STOP WATCHING CUTE WITTLE KATIE WITH THE GORGEOUS GAMS! HER VACUOUS PRATTLING IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH!

[MADem]

46. She looks pretty rough, lately, as though she got a bad facelift or

something. She does not look a thing like she did a few years ago. The hair color is different, and doesn't look real at all, and her face is, well, FUCKED UP.

For the life of me I cannot understand why vanity prevents some idiotic people from having real faces. I like a few wrinkles on a person--makes me think they have a bit of seasoning....

Send Today an email of complaint!

[mopinko]

47. my e-mail-katie couric needs to do her homework

and that is the kindest possible spin i can find for her ridiculous statement, in her interview with howard dean, that "democrats took money from jack abramoff"! democrats not only did not take a dime from abromoff, whose entire purpose in life, beyond lining his pockets, was to cut democrats out of power entirely, but his "clients" (really his victims) decreased their historic support for democratic legislators. and there was never any quid pro quo alleged or imagined regarding those contributions. only the decent representation they expected when they exercised their right to participate in the american political process, and contributed to honest democratic candidates. i trust that she will 'look into that and clarify that for our viewers at a later date ' unless, of course, she is paid to do otherwise.
yours
m***

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[iconoclastNYC]

50. Have you ever seen anyone stand up to Ken Mehlman like that?

Interesting how that works.

[CottonBear]

53. I just sent her an e-mail. n/t

[confludemocrat]

54. stopped watching Today 3 yrs ago, don't know how you'se can do it!

She makes me sick to my stomach anyway but add her shilling in her self-righteous tone in the service to right wing spin and I think my head would explode.

[Shortyfuse]

57. Bribery is the issue

Taking money form Ab. for campaign is not the issue and is ;not illegal. Taking money and letting it sway your vote on issues is a criminal act. Mr. Delay

[madfloridian]

58. Full video: outstanding.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8004316/

Scroll to the Dean interview.

[PVK]

106. He sure set her straight, didn't he? Bravo, Dr. Dean!

Partner and I sent our e-mails to MSNBC asking for a full public apology and retraction.

[Gregorian]

59. We have to get the grade school menalities out of the media.

They are not teaching journalism in the universities any more.

We need to raise the level of discourse in America. The lazy and ignorant have no place in politics nor media.

Stop paying the bomb manufacturing companies, and start hiring qualified professors and teachers to create a better society.

It's that simple.

Edit- Oh yeah. They are playing on our ignorance. That is how they're getting away with it. O'Rielly knows he can out "debate" anyone. With a firehose of lies, it takes a political/historical genius to beat him back.

[ima_sinnic]

60. my e-mail: Katie Couric is WRONG . . .

I am TIRED of shills for the Republican Party's line of drivel.
NOT ONE Democrat was a recipient of money from Abramoff. Only the REPUBLICAN PARTY includes unethical, amoral, greedy pigs who take bribes. The Republican Party knows only to smear, distort, obfuscate, and lie. It has no other agenda than fattening the wallets of its members at taxpayer expense. We The People, who EMPLOY the "president" and all representatives and senators, will no longer stand for this crap. It is only too easy to switch off of your channel and go on the Internet and into the foreign press for the truth, so get a clue and either report the truth or go down the tubes. And if Katie Couric is such a bimbo that she can't research a story beforehand -- fire her, she is incompetent and not to be trusted. After all, Dan Rather was hounded off the air after being set up with a fake document, on the grounds that he didn't research it, so why not her?
Disgusted ex-viewer,

[LondonReign2]

61. May I suggest this e-mail?

So Katie Couric wrongly said that Democrats had taken money from Jack Abramoff. So the question is, is Katie incompetent or an intentional liar?

Either she hasn't bothered to find out the truth, or she is intentionally lying.

Which is it? Utter incompetent, or intentional liar?

EDITED TO ADD: Either way, why does an utter incompetent and/or intentional liar work for your company?

Yours Truly,
xxxxxxx

[CBHagman]

62. They did this on MSNBC and in the Washington Post, too.

I'm not into conspiracy theories, but I do have a great deal of scorn for the laziness, short attention spans, and partisanship of many in the media. If George W. Bush told the bunch of them to jump off the George Washington Bridge, we'd be picking Couric and Matthews and Brewer out of the Hudson by nightfall.

[Bridget Burke]

65. LA Cucaracha knows the truth!

www.lacucaracha.com/

[Cell Whitman]

66. This is becoming a bigger story than Abrahmoff himself.

amazing.

[KansDem]

68. "Well, we’ll obviously have to look into that..."

"...and clarify that for our viewers at a later date."

CNN-speak for "I'm getting my ass handed to me here and need to bail!" Yeah, right, sure Katie--you "look into that" and get back with us at a later date! :eyes:

I suggest we all here at DU send her regular daily emails asking if she's "look into this" and will be "clarifying that" for us soon.

[zbdent]

69. Actually, I think the case could be made that

like Dan Rather, she should apologize and step down.

Unlike Dan Rather, she reported lies as fact; she had the evidence in her hands, and lied to perpetuate a smear. In both cases, Rather and Whoric, the homework was badly done (or not done at all).

[zbdent]

70. My e-mail to [e-mail]

'Katie Couric decided that journalistic integrity did not count for anything, but perpetuating a Right-Wing smear was paramount.

In a case worse than what happened with Dan Rather, Katie Couric claimed that she had a report that said that Democrats had received money from Jack Abramoff. The report she cited actually pointed out that NO MONEY FROM ABRAMOFF WENT TO DEMOCRATS.

The "Rube Goldberg" method of tying Democrats to Abramoff is a Republican smokescreen used to try to deflect their guilt onto the Democrats.

This is similar to going to an auto dealership and buying a car. The auto dealer's son is caught trading a car for cocaine. Then you get hauled in for being an accomplice to the son's illegal cocaine deal.

Maybe Katie Couric should do the "Dan Rather" and apologize, and resign . . .'

[Orion The Hunter]

72. Today show - get your act together!

Here is my e-mail to the Today show:

[e-mail]

I am writing in response to the interview on the Today show between Katie Couric and Dr. Howard Dean. I specifically want to highlight a quote from Katie Couric:

<<COURIC: Let me just tell you — According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Abramoff and his associates gave $3 million to Republicans and $1.5 million to Democrats, including Sen. Minority Leader Harry Reid.>>

Can you folks at the Today show, rather than just spew right-wing sound bites, actually try doing some of your own fact checking? I mean, the FEC reports are the ones submitted and verified by the Federal government for contributions, and as Dr. Dean correctly noted, NOT ONE DIME went from Jack ABramoff to any Democratic representative. If Katie Couric has facts to the contrary, then she should actually raise them (which to date, no one else has been able to do so since there are none to dispute the FEC reports). If she wants to call herself a journalist, then she needs to get off her duff and do some actual research before making such factually inaccurate statements.

[zbdent]

108. Got the standard "form-letter" reply

"We here at the Today show get hundreds of e-mails every day . . . " then "advertisements" for other crap on their show . . .

[Supersedeas]

71. calling out RNC spin - way to go Deano

[Kurovski]

74. Hmmm...

COURIC: Well, we’ll obviously have to look into that and clarify that for our viewers at a later date.

You and your staff better step it up, missy.

I say DUers keep watch on the show to see when exactly they "clarify" it.

And let's email them until they rectify the matter. (if ever) It will most likely just be the Republican line without Dean there to answer to it. :grr:

Any regular Katie watchers out there?

[0007]

76. This women is indeed more dangerous than most FAUX news

spinners. Why? Cause she has a bigger audience.

[boobooday]

77. Democrats: Guilty until proven innocent (much later with no fanfare)

Republicans: Pure as the driven snow, unless they are caught with the weapon, at the crime scene.

Then it's Clinton's fault.

Not that the Dems are without sin, but the starting position is always from the GOP POV.

The media's desperate attempts to protect the GOP on this story really make me :puke:

[greiner3]

78. And SHE'S in line for an anchor position? n/t

[immoderate]

80. Here is the data she is using...

From the Center for Responsive Politics, supposedly a bipartisan group.
http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff.asp

Here is a detailed look at Abramoff's lobbying, and political contributions from Abramoff, the tribes that hired him, and SunCruz Casinos, since 1999.

1/12/06 UPDATE: In our efforts to refine this list, we have further researched lobbying data and removed contributions from Indian tribes made before Mr. Abramoff's registration as a lobbyist for the contributor. Also, this list now includes contributions made by Michael Scanlon, an Abramoff associate who has also pleaded guilty to federal crimes. For more information about this data, our methodology and this refinement, see the answers to frequently asked questions.

Display: Contribution Summary

Cycle       Total                Dems         Repubs        Abramoff   Indian Tribes  SunCruz Casinos 
                                                                Only            Only           Only 
2000          $393,763        $73,000        $319,763        $56,513        $309,500        $17,500
2002        $1,804,220       $427,730      $1,376,490        $81,740      $1,625,480        $25,500 
2004        $1,499,438       $622,603        $876,835        $68,000      $1,347,588             $0 
2006            $2,500             $0          $2,500             $0          $2,500             $0 
Grand Total $3,699,921     $1,123,333      $2,575,588       $206,253      $3,285,068        $43,000 

*Data for the current election cycle were released electronically by the Federal Election Commission on October 31, 2005. Figures include contributions to federal candidates, PACs and party committees.

I'm not familiar with the source. I think the inclusion of PACs in this data could explain the discrepancies.

On edit: The answer is in the details. No Dems got money from Abramoff, they are reporting tribal donations.

--IMM

[NYC Liberal]

81. She's NOT a Dem supporter, I don't know WHY the hell people think

she is. I posted another example before and got piled on.

Anyway, I watched this this morning and it was disgusting. Couric should do some basic fact-checking before conducting that kind of an interview. No excuses.

:puke:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

84. My auto mechanic said the other day that she goes to the left and I set

him straight. She goes after anyone who opposes Bushco with her strident voice, trying to sink her fangs into them. I then gave him the spiel about her working for GE which is part of the military complex, and what else would you expect her to do...... He quieted down real fast.

[liberalla]

85. Most important line right here, and we MUST make sure she

KEEPS her promise!

COURIC: Well, we’ll obviously have to look into that and clarify that for our viewers at a later date.


Pssst! Viewers awaiting CLARIFICATION, Katie!

...good name for a letter writing campaign, huh?

[senseandsensibility]

87. Katie's stupid lazy ill-informed and WAAAY overpaid

just like all the rest of them. Not exactly a news flash. It's not even a matter of doing her homework. Miss Couric has assistants for that. She's not interested, and she knows who's paying her.

[chat_noir]

88. my email

Why doesn't she just pull out her old cheerleader uniform, and put a big red R(epbulican) on it.

Not subtle, but just a bit more over the top than her interview with Howard Dean this morning.

[sagesnow]

89. Done. Hope the NSA

didn't intercept my email.

[Cocoa]

90. I hope Dean made her sigh

like he did with Wolf. :-)

[Raster]

91. Clarify it at a later date? Sure you will, you lying cow!

[AX10]

93. Well, GE (global defense contractor) does pay her salary of...

TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS!

:argh:

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

94. This is just so plain pathetic and revolting!! We started asking this

weeks or months ago and had it figured out here at DU before Howard Dean confirmed it on Late Edition a few weeks back.

I sent emails to the media back then.

How can these idiots be either THAT stupid, THAT lazy, THAT cowed, or THAT corrupt and under the influence of the GOP???

How??? How??? How???

[Raster]

96. DING! DING! DING! The answer is... THAT CORRUPT!

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

99. Gong!! Wrong answer, actually addressing a different question.

The question was a HOW, not a multiple choice.

And it was rhetorical, but hope it made you feel good to post!

[Raster]

112. Rhetorical? perhaps. Nonetheless, you made it multiple choice

"How can these idiots be either...

"...hope it made you feel good to post!" A bit on the patronizing side, eh? Did that make you feel good to post?

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

113. The question was: HOW can they be A or B or C or D, not WHICH one

is it of A or B or C or D.

IOW, whatever the reason (A or B or C or D) how can they be so terrible? (rhetorical question)

As for hoping it felt good to post, that wasn't meant to be patronizing, but reflected what I saw as a post that didn't respond to what I had written. So I thought it must have been satisfying to post it.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

95. Email sent to Couric via [e-mail]

Subject: How can it be true that the media, Katie Couric, is less

Body:

informed than the grassroots Blogosphere?

You all have yet to figure out what we and Howard Dean have known for at the least weeks.

Why do you all continue to buy wholesale whatever the administration, GOP Congress claims to be true?

Don't you all get it yet?

How many lies do they have to be caught in, how much corruption has to be associated with them before the media gets it?

Every single thing that comes from the administration and GOP ought to be thoroughly researched.

And not by reading more of their spin, but by digging into the facts as many of us in the blogosphere do.

It is just common sense when people lie, ie there were WMD, nobody in the WH was involved in Plamegate, no wiretaps are done without warrants etc etc, the list is endless.

What could be more logical?

If one takes the word of those who have lied repeatedly, then one may not be interested in the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Please hurry as we wait for you to "clarify that for our viewers at a later date!"

[threadkillaz]

98. deleted

deleted.

[AX10]

101. My goodness, Kookie Couric and LYING Lauer got old in just 7 years.

Also, I hope to see MANY of GE's programs cut.

[helderheid]

102. welcome to DU!

:hi:

[AX10]

103. I don't know if I'd ever fly ANY plane with a GE engine.

They are known for their safety problems. ;-)

[helderheid]

100. ANYONE IN NEW YORK - BE A PART OF THE TODAY SHOW'S CROWD

Show up with signs with your messages - keep them hidden until the camera pans on you and then WHAMMO!

[AX10]

104. WHAMMO!

:kick:

[helderheid]

105. W is for Wiretap - Alito is bad for the Constitution - NBC isn't telling

the truth - 2004 was DIEBOLDED

Oh, I could go on and on...

:)

[KakistocracyHater]

107. It's way past time that ALL Dems that go on shows need a laptop

& fact check their 'interviewers' right then & there, show them screenshots of the evidence, a picture's worth more than hearsay. Enough's enough, the Dems need to quit this stupidity & go with the killer instinct-isn't America itself worth it? While I'm at it, every single Dem needs to be sent one of those 'it's open season on Democrats' t-shirts so they can hold it up for naive viewers to see.

[LiberalAndProud]

109. It's a WEASEL.

I had to read it three times before I caught "and his associates" (and I was looking for it.)



my e-mail

Katie Couric has been quoted as saying, “According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Abramoff and his associates gave $3 million to Republicans and $1.5 million to Democrats, including Sen. Minority Leader Harry Reid.”

I find it hard to believe that Ms. Couric intended to mislead her viewers. Please have her clarify, to which degree of association with Abramoff, did she have to count to get to the $1.5 million contributed to Democrats. Also, please point out that NO money passed from Jack Abramoff’s hands into the hands of ANY Democrat.

DEMOCRATS USED TO WATCH YOUR SHOW FOR NEWS!!!

I.am.sick.and.tired of being LIED to.

[durablend]

110. I don't suppose she did any overnight fact checking?

Anyone?

:rofl:

[spanone]

114. This needs to be the democratic mantra over & over & over & over & over &

When the Katie Courics are saying this on a regular basis, & she's not the first I've heard say this, we need to repeat the answer a thousand damned times. Why do WE have to defend ourselves against the constant fucking lies.