This is mind-numbing:
The lobbyist Jack Abramoff asked for $9 million in 2003 from the president of a West African nation to arrange a meeting with President Bush and directed his fees to a Maryland company now under federal scrutiny, according to newly disclosed documents.
The African leader, President Omar Bongo of Gabon, met with President Bush in the Oval Office on May 26, 2004, 10 months after Mr. Abramoff made the offer. There has been no evidence in the public record that Mr. Abramoff had any role in organizing the meeting or that he received any money or had a signed contract with Gabon.
White House and State Department officials described Mr. Bush’s meeting with President Bongo, whose government is regularly accused by the United States of human rights abuses, as routine. The officials said they knew of no involvement by Mr. Abramoff in the arrangements. Officials at Gabon’s embassy in Washington did not respond to written questions.
“This went through normal staffing channels,” said Trent Duffy, a White House spokesman, who said the meeting was “part of the president’s outreach to the continent of Africa.”
A document from Mr. Abramoff’s files that was released last week by a Senate committee shows that in the summer of 2003 he pushed to sign President Bongo as a client, even offering to travel to Gabon immediately after an August golfing vacation to Scotland “with the congressmen and senators I take there each year.”
I won’t say much, because I have a feeling that Tim is probably better equipped and more excited to write about this.
Shygetz
I’m excited to hear Tim write about this, too.
Maybe we should start a pact. On every other election, we will all vote for Democratic legislators and a Republican executive, and for the in-between elections we will all vote for Republican legislators and a Democratic executive. What do you think?
Steve
I bet this visit was arranged not by Abramoff, but by former Ambassador to Gabon Joe Wilson. He’s guilty of everything else, apparently (in a way I previously thought was reserved for the Clintons) so why not this?
Paddy O'Shea
I would hope the New York Times or someone like them will soon be contacting Mr. Bongo and asking if indeed he shelled out the $9 million to gain access to the President of the United States. And a Xerox of the canceled check would make a great graphic for the story.
As a world class human rights pariah it would certainly be worth the money to the Bongo man. After all, in the eyes of many being seen chatting with the inhabitant of so august an office would mean he isn’t so bad a fellow after all, right?. And think of the propaganda value back home in Gabon! Pictures of Omar and George everywhere. Even in the prisons where his victims are kept.
Be a real shame to think he got all that for free …
StupidityRules
I’m guessing it was more like President Bush reaching out and finding his hand in President Bongo’s pocket.
Hopefully President Bongo was allowed to stay in the Lincoln bedroom and allowed to bring home some White House soaps…
ATS
Did the $9m go to a “not torture” school in the West Bank, affiliated with the Israeli sniper school Abramoff funded with Indian money?
The “not torture” school could fly US soldiers over to learn how to not torture arabs (which, according to John McCain*, is what the Israelis are doing).
ATS
* on the Jon Stewart school. Now THAT is comedy!
Vladi G
I just think it would be awesome to vote for a President named Bongo.
Jorge
Vladi G wrote: I just think it would be awesome to vote for a President named Bongo.
If I was a wittier person I could find a Regan joke in here.
Faux News
I wonder…is it President Oingo Boingo? I was wondering what happened to him after the 1980’s were over.
neil
It’d be interesting to see where that money went (and if it went), but I rather doubt that Bush had any awareness of it. But it would sure be a shame if people viewing an oversimplified version of the issue took that for granted. A real shame.
Steve S
Most likely scenario…
Jack got the money.
Jack calls up his former secretary, now working for Karl Rove… *wink* *wink*… Do me a favor, will ya hun? I’ll buy you a new fur coat.
Bingo! Bongo! Oingo!
Steve
Well, I do assume that Bush had no idea about the money, yeah. Abramoff’s job was basically to run a giant slush fund for Republican candidates. He uses his access to lawmakers and the White House to solicit big money from folks like this (and from the Indian tribes, etc), then the money gets funneled to help get various Republicans elected. It’s hardly Bush pulling the strings, and the whole point of having someone like Abramoff is that no one has to ask any questions.
It’s not like Bush personally sits there and plans out his schedule, anyway. But when a guy as important to the GOP as Abramoff calls up the White House and requests a personal meeting with the President for one of his clients, I’m sure it’s understood that this client has done something pretty special in return. It’s not in anyone’s interests to ask what that something special is.
Demdude
I have actually been to Gabon about fifteen years ago. It’s a relatively rich country. (They have oil.)
He was President at that time. He wins every election since he is the only person on the ballot. I think what really helped his side was when he took public executions off of TV. He was a kinder gentler “President”!
Helena Montana
But did he sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom?