National Review editor says Abramoff is a Republican scandal, period

[kpete]

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

National Review editor says Abramoff is a Republican scandal, period
by John in DC - 1/10/2006 12:50:00 PM


A rather amazingly honestly editorial from the National Review:
The Abramoff Scandal (R., Beltway)
It’s the Republicans, stupid.

...The GOP now craves such bipartisan cover in the Jack Abramoff scandal. Republicans trumpet every Democratic connection to Abramoff in the hope that something resonates. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.), took more than $60,000 from Abramoff clients! North Dakota Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan used Abramoff's skybox! It is true that any Washington influence peddler is going to spread cash and favors as widely as possible, and 210 members of Congress have received Abramoff-connected dollars. But this is, in its essence, a Republican scandal, and any attempt to portray it otherwise is a misdirection.

Abramoff is a Republican who worked closely with two of the country's most prominent conservative activists, Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed. Top aides to the most important Republican in Congress, Tom DeLay (R., Tex.) were party to his sleazy schemes. The only people referred to directly in Abramoff's recent plea agreement are a Republican congressmen and two former Republican congressional aides. The GOP members can make a case that the scandal reflects more the way Washington works than the unique perfidy of their party, but even this is self-defeating, since Republicans run Washington.

Republicans must take the scandal seriously and work to clean up in its wake.
Wow. Wow. And wow. Quote this widely any time a Republican or a journalist claims this is a bipartisan story.

http://www.americablog.org/

http://www.nationalreview.com/lowry/lowry200601100816.asp

[justabob]

1. Wow is right. Good for them nt

[FrankLee]

2. Contrary to my intuition

There actually ARE a FEW Republicans that, every now and then, demonstrate that they do have principles (even if they don't always express them).

[malaise]

3. Send it to Wolfie at CNN n/t

[chat_noir]

4. Kickback Mountain

Credit: Corey Anderson at American Idol

[alfredo]

6. Better yet: Separated at birth

[ThoughtCriminal]

5. Notice the use of the word "Clients" in GOP talking points

So there are Democrats who got donations from the same tribes that Abramoff scammed. It's a bit like a criminal who steals from a person, spends the money on illegal activities and when caught proclaims "Hey the same guy I stole from gave money to charity - So aren't they just as guilty as I am?!"

[wryter2000]

7. Kick

Amazing. Book marking and recommending.

[LostinVA]

8. Liberal rag...

[RazzleDazzle]

9. Please post the americablog permalink

dammit