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DNC:What Did Abramoff Get From the Bush White House for His Campaign Cash?
For Immediate Release
January 3, 2006
Contact: Karen Finney - 202-863-8148
WHAT DID ABRAMOFF GET FROM THE BUSH WHITE HOUSE FOR HIS CAMPAIGN CASH?
Was it Bush's blocking of a Casino and a Presidential Meeting with
Tribal Leaders?
Abramoff Arranged White House Meeting With Bush And Administration
Officials For Indian Leaders. In the summer of 2001, Abramoff arranged a
meeting between Bush and top Indian leaders to discuss tax issues. Among
the attendees was one of Abramoff's top clients, Lovelin Poncho,
chairman of the Coushattas. Abramoff also invited the Coushattas and
other tribal clients to a fall 2001 dinner party attended by Interior
Secretary Gale Norton.
Abramoff Arranged White House Meeting In Exchange for Donation To
Grover Norquist's Americans For Tax Reform. A lawyer for the Saginaw
Chippewa Indian tribe in Michigan revealed that tribal leaders had
"three or four" meetings at the White House-including one with Bush and
another with Rove-after they gave a $25,000 donation to Grover
Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform at Jack Abramoff's request.
ATR later confirmed that Norquist arranged White House meetings for
Indian tribal leaders and others who were "supportive of the
president's agenda."
Bush White House Blocked Construction Of Casino By Rival Tribe Of
Abramoff Client. The Coushatta Indians of Louisiana paid Abramoff's
former law firm $1.76 million "in the last sixth months of 2001." A
month after Abramoff's firm received the payment, the Bush White House
blocked a rival tribe's attempt to construct a casino near the
Coushatta casino. "William Worfel, vice chairman of the Coushattas,
views the administration's decision as a direct benefit of the
eye-popping lobbying fees his tribe paid Mr. Abramoff." 4/3/02]
Was it a Meeting with Lobbyists on CNMI Policy?
Abramoff Lobbying Team Had "Extensive Access" to Bush
Administration Officials. According to his lobbying firm's billing
records, Jack Abramoff and his Marianas Islands lobbying team had almost
200 contacts with Bush Administration officials. The records include
meetings with Cheney policy advisers Ron Christie and Stephen Ruhlen,
Attorney General John Ashcroft at the Justice Department, White House
intergovernmental affairs chief Ruben Barrales, U.S. Trade
Representative Robert Zoellick, Deputy Interior Secretary Steven Griles
and others. While records show that many of the meetings were handled by
Abramoff's lieutenants, Abramoff personally met with Top Interior
Department officials, "whose Office of Insular Affairs oversees the
Mariana Islands and other U.S. territories."
Abramoff Cited Interior Department Connections and Bush Administration
Appointments in Letters To CNMI Officials. In two separate letters to
CNMI officals Abramoff
cited Bush Administration appointments as being friendly to the CNMI. In
a January of 2001 letter to CNMI officials Abramoff wrote, "Our standing
with the new administration promises to be solid as several friends of
the CNMI (islands) will soon be taking high-ranking positions in the
Administration, including within the Interior Department." In another
letter from October of 2001 Abramoff boasts "We have worked with WH
Office of Presidential Personnel to ensure that CNMI-relevant positions
at various agencies are not awarded to enemies of CNMI."
At Least Two Bush appointees were former Abramoff lobbyists whom had
traveled to the Marianas Islands. Patrick Pizzella, now the Assistant
Secretary for Administration and Management and Chief Information
Officer at the Department of Labor, and David Safavian, now Director of
Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget, were both
formerly employed by Abramoff's former firm. Safavian also attended a
golfing trip to Scotland with Abramoff and Representative Bob Ney
(R-OH). 1/21/05]
Abramoff Charged Marianas Islands for Getting Then-Governor Bush, to
Write Letter Supporting CNMI's Education Plan. 1997 records show that
Abramoff charged the Marianas islands for a letter written by
then-Governor George Bush praising the CNMI's "school choice
proposal." The letter dated July 18th 1997 read, "I hope you will keep
my office informed on the progress of this initiative." While this
letter was addressed to CNMI officials, an Abramoff deputy was also
CC'd on the letter.
Or was it the Influence that the Bush Administration Allowed Abramoff
to Have Over the Interior Department?
Jack Abramoff Advised Department of Interior Transition. Abramoff
advised the Interior Department during the Bush transition. Journal, 3/19/01]
Lobbying Network Involved Bush Administrator. According to The
Washington Post, "in an attempt to influence the Interior Department --
which has the final say on a tribe's gambling ambitions -- Abramoff
directed his tribal clients to give at least $225,000 to the Council of
Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, a conservative group that was
founded by Gale A. Norton before President Bush chose her to be his
Interior Secretary."
Abramoff Said He'd Get Norton To Aid Client Obtaining Gambling
License. The Coushatta Indian Tribe of Louisiana was an important
Abramoff lobbying client. Abramoff used his connections with the Bush
Interior Department, including Secretary Norton, to help the tribe renew
a gambling contract with the state of Louisiana. In e-mails obtained by
The Washington Post, Abramoff stated that "if need be, would try to get
Norton to send some 'positive signals' to Louisiana's Republican
governor about renewing the Coushattas' own gambling contract with the
state."
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee,
www.democrats.org . This communication is not authorized by any
candidate or candidate's committee.
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