Greed, part two (2/28/2006)

Throughout U. S. history, both major parties have been corrupt; but the current, outrageous national scandals center on Republicans and involve lies, bribery, enormous greed, and cover-up. Elected and appointed officials at the very top levels of government have been for sale.

Lobbyist Jack Abramoff has admitted to bribing as many as 60 members of Congress, besides their staffs and other officials. And he’s spilling the beans. That has Republicans in the White House, Congress and GOP organizations running for cover and proclaiming their innocence. Abramoff raised at least $100,000 for President Bush’s reelection campaign, which got him invited to the Bush ranch in 2003. He has strong connections to key Bush advisor Karl Rove; in fact, Abramoff’s personal assistant, Susan Ralston, is now Rove’s assistant. Abramoff has had extensive dealings with various executive officials. One of them, former procurement chief David Safavian, has been arrested for lying about federal land use deals to benefit Abramoff. Ohio Congressman Robert Ney is in trouble for taking lavish trips, paid for by Abramoff, and then sponsoring legislation to benefit him. Also mired in this swamp of money and greed are former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed (who is running for lieutenant governor in Georgia) and James Dobson, head of the right-wing organization Focus on the Family. Both Reed and Dobson used their Christian connections to help Abramoff rip off Indian tribes. These so-called men of God urged congregations in Texas and Louisiana to fight against immoral gambling while, at the same time, they were being paid millions from Mississippi casinos. Reverend Louis Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition and Grover Norquist, who heads Americans for Tax Reform, also have been implicated in the Abramoff scandal.

President Bush claims he doesn’t know Abramoff and can’t remember ever meeting him. Bush refuses to release dozens of photos with Abramoff, saying he poses for pictures with many people as part of the normal meet-and-greet. But, Abramoff says he has had several personal meetings with Bush.

The GOP’s lame excuse is that the Abramoff scandal is bipartisan. And unfortunately, the media have been bamboozled into reporting it that way. But the truth is that not one Democrat, not one single Democrat, took money from Abramoff. Every person named in the Abramoff scandal, every person under investigation and every person indicted is a Republican. Republicans are now dumping the money they personally received from Abramoff; for example, Bush and House Speaker Dennis Hastert have now “donated” their Abramoff money to charity.

And we can’t forget the investigation of Senate leader Bill Frist’s insider trading and former House majority leader Tom Delay’s trial for money laundering and conspiracy. By the way, Delay’s former communications director, Michael Scanlon, is Abramoff’s lobbying partner. Newly-elected House leader John Boehner claims he is for reform, but he is well known for passing out tobacco company checks on the House floor!

A cabal of greedy officials has put our government on sale. We need and want strong, moral leadership. We can get it. 2006 is an election year. Voters, take back our country at the polls!

- Judith Kohler

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