Abramoff Gets Almost 6 Years in Prison MIAMI - Disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a former business partner were sentenced Wednesday to five years and 10 months in prison for fraud related to their 2000 purchase of the SunCruz Casinos gambling fleet. The sentences were the minimum under their plea agreement in the case. Abramoff and Adam Kidan, who both pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud, won't start their sentences immediately so they can continue cooperating in a Washington corruption investigation and a Florida probe into the murder of former SunCruz owner Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lobbyist...oOjRFys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--
I'm surprised that Florida handed down a conviction. I expected them to hold off until the feds were ready to indict.
The party affiliation that dare not speak its name: AP reports out Abramoff sentence without ever mentioning that Abramoff is a Republican. Actually, without ever using the word 'Republican' in the story. At least not in this version at the ABC website. -- Josh Marshall
Been said before, but why is massive bribery and corruption permeating the highest levels of the Republican party and Congress and the resulting felonies not a bigger story in the "liberal" media?
It's amazing you guys keep trying to portray the media as if its not liberal. I assume none of you have worked in the business because it becomes quite obvious when you work with the people in the business. As for this story, it was the main story on CNN.com for a while. What type of coverage would suit you guys? In the interest of trying to see this from your vantage point, is there a blog or website dedicated to showing the "conservative" leanings of the media? I'd be interested to see what you guys think is bias because it seems any time a story isn't given a 100% liberal approach it's proof that the media isn't liberal. If you guys visit a site that tries to show this type of bias I'd like to visit it.
I am a liberal, and the media in no way is partial to my way of thinking. The media has acted counter to liberal strategies time and time again. Regardless of what individual members of the media's politics are there are factors which override that. Being first with a story, making sure you cover the same story as other outlets, pack mentality, money, getting a story that will gain traction, and is a winner in public interest. All of those factors come before political leanings one way or the other.
From Josh -- A lot of people talk about Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) being crooked or unethical. But considering the veritable lion's den of corruption, self-dealing and criminal conduct his office turns out to have been, I think the truth may turn out to be that he was something more like a paragon of virtue. It's just hard to figure out how else he could have worked day in and day out with so many of his key staffers and lieutenants being confessed felons without DeLay ever having gone over to the dark side, as his lawyers suggest. As DeLay's lawyer Richard Cullen told a conference call of reporters today, "Tom DeLay was [not] aware of the wrongs that Mr. Rudy was committing. As long as people are telling the truth, Mr. DeLay has no fear about this investigation." So run down the list. Key DeLay-wired lobbyist Jack Abramoff -- convicted felon. Michael Scanlon, former DeLay aide and spokesman -- convicted felon. Tony Rudy, former DeLay deputy chief of staff -- convicted felon. Ed Buckham, former DeLay Chief of Staff and pastor -- implicated in Rudy's plea, up front costs for lobby shop funded by Abramoff clients, helped funnel Russian oil-KGB money to DeLay, Inc. Spokesman, Deputy Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff. A few aides here and a few aides there, and pretty soon you've got a whole org chart. When you put it all in perspective and stop seeing through the distorted prism of the liberal media, you start to understand DeLay was a veritable Gandhi-with-the-virgins or the one good man in Sodom when it came to ethics. -- Josh Marshall
TX-22: The Tragedy of Tom DeLay by georgia10 Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 09:29:01 AM PDT Tom DeLay's resignation cannot absolve the Republican Party of its sins. The "Hammer," who chipped away at the integrity and effectiveness of Congress until there was nothing left, listened to his party rather than his ego and has finally acknowledged that he was one of many albatrosses hanging on the neck of the struggling GOP. His resignation does not save this party. What is done cannot be undone. Not as long as this Republican Party maintains its majority status. The stench of Tom DeLay's corruption still wafts through the halls of Congress. His political philosophy--that fair is foul and foul is fair--thrives on, as vibrant as ever in the deeds of the Majority. That such a man will no longer serve in Congress is cause to rejoice. But the tragic truth remains. From this man and his cabal was spawned a system of corruption which survives his political demise. DeLay leaves, yet he leaves a Congress full of Tom DeLay Republicans behind. It is a Congress so steeped in corruption that it cannot, by the exodus of one man, turn back to its purpose of serving the people rather than serving itself. The tragedy of Tom DeLay is not then his political demise, but the demise of the American system of governance. For with or without Tom DeLay, that GOP theory that everything must be sacrificed in the quest for power lives on. Party over principle. It is the legacy of Tom DeLay, the legacy of this Republican Congress. It is a hideous stain upon our democracy that cannot be rubbed out, not with the resignation of one man, not with superficial ethics "reform". Only a Democratic majority in November can provide the catharsis necessary to cleanse Capitol Hill of its culture of corruption. http://www.dailykos.com/
i havent read this whole thread so i apologize if this info has already been posted, but this abramoff guy had his hands' everywhere. he even took part in helping perpetuate a brutal civil war in angola: see http://mediachannel.org/blog/node/3283 he also helped support the mobutu regime in the congo, i dont think deke would appreciate that: see William Reno. Warlord Politics and African States. Lynne Rienner Publishers: 1999.
With media giants like Chris Matthews on the case, this era of corruption will end soon... just read what he and Delay said after the show... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harry-shearer/found-object-delay-on-ha_b_18506.html
Thanks for the transcript. I saw the video @ crooks and liars, but couldn't make out some of the dialogue!
Why won't republicans allow an investigation of a known felon? ------------------ House tables new Abramoff investigation resolution House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has introduced a privilege resolution calling for an investigation into Congresspersons associated with ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff. In the resolution, Pelosi cited reports of a "far-reaching criminal enterprise operating out of the Republican leader's office" as cause for a Congressional investigation. The resolution is similar to one introduced by Pelosi on March 30, 2006, this time sporting even stronger language. Representatives tabled the resolution, 216-193. Just four defecting Republicans broke the party-line vote. Republicans immediately moved again to table the resolution, effectively dismissing the issue without debate. Pelosi then demanded a recorded vote. http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/House_tables_new_Abramoff_investigation_resolution_0405.html
