printer friendly version
Online Chat: Abramoff 'close friend' of DeLay
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff is a "close friend" of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), the authors of a new book said on a Washington Post chat yesterday.
Lou Dubose & Jan Reid, authors of "The Hammer," made two references to the scandal involving Abramoff and public relations consultant Michael Scanlon. Both men were close associates of DeLay.
"A huge blooming scandal involving DeLay associates, Jack Abramoff and Mike Scanlon, billing six Indian tribes, to this point $66 million, with more to come. The services they rendered for these fees are being called in question by Senate Indian Affairs, in an investigation led by Sen. John McCain. A federal grand jury in Washington, DC, is looking at the same billing, and following much of the money to shell businesses, pass through entities, and Republican political campaigns. There is a certain element of guilt by association involved here, but it's also established that the two lobbyists promised their clients access to the DeLay network," the authors said.
When asked later on about the scandal, they added: "Jack Abramoff was a member of DeLay's informal "kitchen cabinet," a major fundraiser, and a friend who shared DeLay's ideology. DeLay introduced Abramoff in Saipan as his close friend. In a speech to College Republicans said Tom DeLay is who we all want to be when we grow up. The association goes back many years and will likely end badly."
DeLay has distanced himself from the pair, saying that anyone trading on his name should "stop."
Get the Story:
Online Chat Transcript: Book: The Hammer
(The Washington Post 10/20)
Username:
indianz@indianz.com, Password:
indianz
Related Stories:
Christian Coalition still after Poarch Creeks
(10/19)
Congressman denies knowing of tribe's backing
(10/18)
Opinion: Lobbyist scandal
goes all the way to Bush (10/15)
Congressman's anti-gaming push backed by tribe
(10/15)
Tigua Tribe mum on Washington
lobbyists (10/12)
House Resources asked
to investigate lobbyists (10/8)
Another
tribe considers lawsuit against lobbyists (10/7)
DeLay rebuked yet again for flaunting influence
(10/7)
Coushatta Tribe to sue lobbyists
for $32M (10/4)
Lobbyist scandal reaches
to top levels of GOP (10/4)
Choctaw
Tribe's lobbying documents kept secret (10/4)
Documents detail lobbyists' role in tribal
elections (10/4)
Salon: Tom DeLay allowed
tribes to be 'slickered' (10/4)
Pueblo
leader says lobbyists' high fees not worth it (10/1)
Texas AG asked to investigate Abramoff, Scanlon
(10/1)
DeLay rebuked for trading
influence on House floor (10/1)
DeLay
rebuked for trading influence on House floor (10/1)
Ex-tribal lobbyists slammed in Senate hearing
(9/30)
Abramoff mum at hearing while
Scanlon a no-show (9/30)
Column:
Lobbyists lurked in 'cesspool of greed' (9/30)
Washington lobbyists called before Senate panel
(9/29)
Editorial: Send lobbyist hogs to
the slaughterhouse (9/29)
Tigua Tribe
outraged over being played as 'moronic' (9/28)
Tribes told to donate to lobbyists' foundation
(9/28)
Editorial: Actions of tribal
lobbyists 'loathsome' (9/28)
Lobbyists
worked for, against 'moronic' Tiguas (9/27)
Group opposing Poarch Creeks tied to tribal
lobbyists (09/16)
Coushattas used
lobbyists to spy on tribes, critics (09/13)
Bush strategist now knows source of tribal
funds (09/01)
Bush strategist claims no
knowledge of funds (8/31)
Bush-GOP
strategist admits taking tribal money (8/30)
Senate hearing on tribal lobbying probe set
(8/26)
Coushatta member threatened over
recall effort (08/09)
Coushatta Tribe's
lobbying records subpoenaed (07/23)
Hearing on high lobbying fees expected in
September (07/16)
GOP strategist denies
secretly taking tribal money (7/15)
Tribal money secretly funneled to GOP
strategist (06/25)
Busy Indian Affairs
Committee hits snag on big issues (06/17)
Indian Affairs Committee activity this week
(6/15)
Saginaw Chippewa leader who paid
lobbyists ousted (06/04)
Indian Country
awaits outcome of lobbying probe (05/18)
Tribal chairman says $120K fee to Abramoff worth
it (05/18)
Republican governors
report biggest donor in 2002 (05/04)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe wonders where $14M
went (04/20)
McCain demands documents
from lobbyist, PR exec (04/12)
Coushatta treasurer accuses NIGC of lax
oversight (04/12)
Choctaw chief
Martin defends embattled GOP lobbyist (04/09)
McCain pushing Choctaw tribe to cooperate with
probe (4/8)
Coushatta leaders used
tribal money to pay lobbyists (4/8)
Coushatta Tribe paid $32M to lobbyist Jack
Abramoff (4/6)
McCain aggressive in
pursuing lobbyist records (4/5)
McCain demands documents for tribal lobbyist's
work (3/30)
Embattled lobbyist signs
deal with another firm (03/25)
Embattled tribal lobbyist gave to Conn.
Congressman (03/10)
Saginaw Chippewa
Tribe hires new lobbying firm (3/9)
McCain begins investigation into high tribal
fees (3/4)
Pueblo governor says $1M
fee to PR firm not worth it (3/3)
McCain calls for investigation into tribal
spending (2/27)
Four tribes spent
$45M on lobbying and PR firms (2/23)
GOP lobbyist scores big with tribes
(04/03)
Embattled tribe gets has
new lobbyist (12/13)
Copyright © 2000-2004 Indianz.Com
