Will Jack Abramoff, the greatest purveyor of sleaze to afflict American government since, well, possibly ever, cop a plea and sell his legislative-branch friends down the river? We don’t know for sure, at least not yet, but sweet jeebus the rumors are flying. Carpetbagger has a run-down of the various news outlets doing their bit to get ahead of the apparently-imminent Abramoff announcement. At this point the only major outlet that doesn’t seem to have received a leak is the Weekly World News.
Josh Marshall prints a caveat sent in by a lawyeristic friend warning that the judicial branch should shy away from prosecuting cases that could fundamentally upset the balance of power in Washington. I understand that I’m interpreting the email in a slightly slanted way, but that seems to propose a novel way to get off of committing a crime. If everybody in one party robs a bank then the DOJ has to let em go because prosecuting them will put the other party ahead. Brilliant.
Will the actual announcement come over the wire today? Watch this space.
***Update***
We don’t need no stinkin’ announcement. This story has ripened to the point that we’re calling the game for the prosecution.
ReddHedd thinks that the details of the plea deal, as reported in the NYT, suggest that Abramoff has already given quite a lot to the feds and stands to give quite a lot more.
What this means is that Jackie Boy has agreed to offer substantial cooperation, in the form of information, evidence and testimony against members of Congress, staffers and others involved in these schemes. The DoJ will hold that promise of cooperation over him and will withhold any sentencing in the matter until that cooperation has been completed. If he cooperates fully and gives meaningful evidence and testimony, the DoJ will make a favorable sentencing recommendation. If Abramoff tries to weasel out of the deal, the recommendation will not be so favorable.
…(In my experience, if he’s getting a concurrent deal, he’s brought some documentary evidence and a whole lto of information to the table. Jack’s been spilling a lot of beans.)
It’ll be an entertaining year, if you like watching a train crash into a LNG depot.
***Update 2***
I added a caveat. I remain convinced that Abramoff will set a high-water mark for organized corruption, patricularly if you take into account the more stringent laws under which he worked relative to the competition, but there’s no point saying for sure at this early stage. Let’s see how it plays out.
***Update 3***
Okay, before anybody from Florida has an aneurysm [sp] let’s be clear that I’m talking about national politics. Dysfunction at the state and local level ranges from tolerable to mind-bogglingly awful.
Mr.Ortiz
Finally, a logical explanation for the past two years.Rove: They’re on to me. Quick! Everyone start breaking laws!Bush: (spies on U.S. citizens without a warrant)Frist: (engages in insider trading)Duke: (yacht, mansion, etc.)DeLay: What do you mean “start”?
Mr.Ortiz
Ack, HTML formatting that works in the preview doesn’t actually get applied to the post. Let’s try that again:
Finally, a logical explanation for the past two years.
Rove: They’re on to me. Quick! Everyone start breaking laws!
Bush: (spies on U.S. citizens without a warrant)
Frist: (engages in insider trading)
Duke: (yacht, mansion, etc.)
DeLay: What do you mean “start”?
The Other Steve
It would not be fair for the DOJ to get involved in politics my politicizing the criminalization of politics.
Rick Moran
Why the hyperbole?
Abramoff is so far from being the biggest sleaze ever to hit Washington that you intimating so reveals a breathtaking ignorance of American history.
Ever hear of Teapot Dome? The Trusts? The Administration of Grant? How about Billy Sol Estes? Billy Sol used to have parties for dozens of Congressmen at which he supplied the most expensive hookers in DC.
Any sleazeball Congressman who is on on Abramoff’s deals should be kicked out forthwith. But if you’re just going to play partisan hack and demonstrate your ignorance of what has gone on in the past in Washington, the impact of any condemnation you make will be lost in a swirl of idiotic exaggeration.
Jim Allen
Well, if it’s a Republican train crashing into a Republican LNG depot, it might be an entertaining year after all.
Jim Allen
Ooops, sorry, partisan hackery.
Mr Furious
That post at Marshall’s place has my stomach churning…
demimondian
I hate to give aid and comfort to the enemies of the nation…but Rick’s right.
Whenever people complain about how bad Congress is these days, particularly in the context of the current War on the Class of ’74, I have to shake my head. Yeah, Abramov is sleaze — and, yes, Rick, Republican sleaze — but he’s got nothing on the historical lords of sleaze. The credit for that? The (allegedly failed) reforms of the Class of ’74.
No, they didn’t fix everything. They did, however, make things much better.
DougJ
Come on, nobody outside the Beltway cares about this kind of Inside Baseball stuff. DeLay barely knew Abramoff. Can you see “The Hammer” hanging out with an Ortodox Jew? They’re criminalizing politics here. And for the party of Tammany Hall to try to make corruption an issue just makes me laugh. On Main St, I’ll tell you, the War On Christmas has a lot more traction than this kind of inside the beltway chitter chat.
Blue Neponset
I think that condemnation is a bit too harsh. I agree that Tim’s hyperbole is a bit much, but that doesn’t make him a partisan hack or ignorant of US history.
Tim F.
Have patience Rick, the story is yet young.
Teapot Dome implicated one cabinet member, Albert Fall, in one shady land deal. In that sense we already have our Teapot Dome in the person of David Safavian. I’ve done some reading about the Grant Administration and while no pikers themselves, I have yet to be convinced that the Abramoff saga will fail to compete. The same goes for Billy Sol Estes, whose sleaze empire threatened to bring down Lyndon Johnson but didn’t. No anklebiter he, but I don’t see his ’empire’ reaching anywhere near as extensively as Abramoff’s. Expensive hookers are about as common in DC, then and probably now, as hors d’ouvres. More of an ante than an actual bet. Estes does have two mysterious deaths to his name to Abramoff’s one, so in honor of the dead we’ll call him a serious competitor to the sleaze throne.
The Harding administration should count as another band of determined miscreants, but also look more like gifted amateurs next to Abramoff’s operation.
I wouldn’t be quick to take umbrage before the story has played itself out. The degree to which Abramoff perverted the Executive branch, K street and practically the entire House leadership truly takes one’s breath away.
DougJ
Rick is right. What about Teapot Dome? Why aren’t we hearing more aobut that? And how about Filegate, Travelgate, Socksgate? All were much worse than anything Jack Abramoff did.
I’m glad you’re here, Rick, to set these lefties straight. I’m sorry you’ve had trouble finding work since “Honey I Shrunk the Kids”, but you’ll bounce back.
Tim F.
If you do something before it’s illegal or in violation of ethics guidelines then you didn’t break the law.
We’ve had some remarkably, mind-alteringly sleazy governments in our time. The fascinating thing about this story is that, thanks at least in part to the class of ’74, it’s all prosecutable.
Krista
Not so. Turns out that Abramoff is Bat Boy’s real father, and was involved in all of this shady dealing in order to raise the money necessary for Bat Boy’s rather expensive care, feeding and publicity.
Steve
Why don’t we ever hear the good news about Teapot Dome?
TallDave
I remain convinced that Abramoff will set a high-water mark for organized corruption
Oh, the adorable naivete of that.
I live in Chicago. We get worse than this as often as breakfast. One week it’s mobbed-up fence-building, next week it’s a hired truck scandal. Ghost payrolls/voters are as common as graves. And if you think it changes who’s in charge, check whether Dems are still running the Windy City after 50+ years of it. Hell, our mayor is still a Daley.
Still, it’s nice to see a few of the worse bums get tossed out. Keeps the others nervous, and that’s as close to honest as they get. I hope Abramoff turns on everyone he helped.
Doug
The described condition of Chicago is an example of why I think the LH e-mail at Talking Points Memo isn’t right. The LH memo suggests that at a certain point the crime is too big for criminal prosecutions because such prosecutions would shift the political balance of power.
The problem is that if the corrupt are deft enough in their distribution of money, the political process becomes unable to heal itself — like Chicago. I think this is a “let justice be done, though the heavens may fall” situation.
Krista
Sadly, I think you’re right on this one. There are probably some honest politicians/public figures, but I think a large majority of them are corrupted by the culture of entitlement. (And some of them were just corrupt in the first place, and figured politics would be a good place for them.) For a lot of people, the only thing keeping them from misdeeds is the fear of getting caught.
Rick Moran
Grant’s entire Bureau of Indian Affairs was awash in corrpution. Everything from the awarding of contracts for trading posts to the naming of Indian agents was bought and paid for by the highest bidder.
In addition, there were so many stock jobbers running around the White House that one could have called the Executive Mansion Wall Street South.
And Congress? Until about 50 years ago (someone correct me if I’m wrong but I think the rule was passed in 1958) it was perfectly legal for lobbyists to roam the floor of the House and Senate, plying their charges with whiskey, women, and cold hard cash.
And the turn of the century Congressmen were routinely bought by the Trusts and machines. Read some of the debates regarding the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1912 and the progressives hope that direct elections would make honest men out of Senators.
The point is simple; anything Abramoff spills will only prove he’s a piker compared to the professional corrupters of 100 + years ago.
The Other Steve
This Abramhoff matter doesn’t sound much different from the likes of Billie Sol Estes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Sol_Estes
I’m not interested in comparisons, but from that WashPo article detailing everything Abramhoff has done and allegedly done… It’s high sleaze.
I’m familiar with sleazy types, and usually the only way they get someone from govt to talk to them is by tricking them. But this Abramhoff seemed to have their home phone numbers.
I’m quite honestly surprised anybody in Govt was willing to even take his phone calls.
ATS
Rick Moran says the blog is “lost in a swirl of idiotic exaggeration.” My my, what a lyrical turn the boy has!
As for judging the severity of TAM, forgive us if we find the “business as usual” defense a little unpersuasive when the Contract with America promised the precise opposite. After all, they drove Jim Wright from the Garden on grounds that, by comparison, seem trivial indeed.
It is not unlike the Televangelists who thundered against the sins they were busily committing.
Today’s GOP has become the Pharisee at the front of the temple. Moran can look that up in the Good book, if the Gideons left one in his cathouse drawer.
Blue Neponset
What is wrong with that? Actions have consequenses and I think political corruption has a direct affect on the political balance of our country. As it should.
docG
Rick Moran’s comments – a somewhat obtuse version of the standard “Well Clinton did it, too” defense of current Republican sleaze. Something like a heated argument over whether someone finished 15th or 16th in an ugly contest. Ugly is ugly, sleaze is sleaze.
Mike S
It amazes me that so many Republicans still latch onto the “we aren’t as bad as the worst” defence. Reagan would be so proud. Instead of a “beacon on a hill” it’s “more light than a black hole.”
Lines
It seems that there are numerous people that believe all is known about the Abramoff scandals. I think that there is a “tip of the iceberg” moment coming, and the plea agreement may be Jack’s way of attempting to keep much of his dealings under cover.
The man seems to be a modern day mobster, plying special interest groups for “protection” money and killing those that get in the way. The only thing missing is the family angle.
But like Al Capone, they knew he was one of the most ruthless criminals of their day, yet they had to catch him on a tax evasion charge. Minor pissings compared to what he had actually done.
I don’t think we’ll ever know the depths of the criminal acts that the Abramoff crew committed. I would like to think it will all be brought to light, but somehow I doubt it will ever happen.
Paddy O'Shea
Rick “Nuthouse” Moran is bringing up U.S. Grant? Teapot Dome? Billy Sol Estes?
Man oh man, if one of internet’s foremost Bushie apologists and rightwing fantasists has been reduced to citing ancient history as a way of explaining away this 2 ton elephant turd in the nation’s swimming pool, then this truly is the scandal of our dreams.
DougJ
Rick, what about the whole imitation whig scandal of 1680 wherein the British Whig party, the ancestors of today’s Democrats, were found to be using fake powdered whigs from India. That was much, much bigger than any of the scandals mentioned so dar.
skip
I confess I missed it when Warren G. Harding stole money from people whose land had been stolen (Native Americans) to build a sniper school for people busy stealing native land.
It us a creative concept that (apparently) warranted emulating in the West Bank. And by the time the ADL is through playing it with the US press, it will be a heroic story optioned to Steven Spielberg in Hollywood.
DougJ
Warren G was one of the most corrupt Democrats ever, no? Next to Bill Clinton, of course.
Rick Moran
ATS:
Being an atheist is great. It means that when idiot generalizers like you lump people like me in with the fundemantalist Republicans, I can make you appear to be the brainless twit that you are.
And I never said a word about “everybody does it.” I was taking Tim to task for his hyperventilating comments about this being the worst scandal in history. It isn’t even close.
BumperStickerist
My Bold Prediction:
Republicans involved in this will exceed Democrats at a 3:1 clip
However, of the top ten beneficiaries of Abramoff’s largesse, seven will be Democrats.
.
Rick Moran
Pattycakes:
When you learn your ABC’s and then learn how to read, come back and show me where I’m apologizing for anybody in any comment that I’ve made on this post.
All you’re doing is jerking your knee (along with other, smaller body parts) and commenting willy nilly about things totally unrelated to anything I’ve said here. Please don’t reveal your ignorance about history so blatantly. People could mistake you for being a Democrat.
Paddy O'Shea
Moran, what a pompous ass.
The Other Steve
Uhh, yeah… right.
As if Republicans or rightwing nuts have any moral standing on a non-hyperbolization platform.
The Other Steve
I just gotta add. There are times when defending the indefensible makes you look like a maroon.
Rick Moran should take a page from TallDave, and recognize this for what it is and stop defending it.
Mike S
Leave Ricky alone. He’s still hyperventalating about Ward Churchill.
DougJ
Here’s my favorite part of the Abramoff scandal. About a “freedom figher summit” that Abramoff organized:
From the Weekly Standard.
And before you answer, Rick, yes we’re all aware of the many cannibals who were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal.
Ancient Purple
And Patrick Fitzgerald is going to indict Joe Wilson any moment now…
demimondian
All right, Moran: how bad is the Abramov mess? As Tim points out, a lot of previous abuse wasn’t illegal when it happened, and was, a fortiori, less serious. You can’t be brought down for an ethical lapse which isn’t a violation.
For my part, DougJ, I still prefer the description that Pat Robertson offered for Mobutu Seze Seku.
demimondian
By the way, Tim — mind-alteringly sleazy governments is pure poetry.
Faux News
Billy Sol used to have parties for dozens of Congressmen at which he supplied the most expensive hookers in DC
Rick, you say this as if it is a bad thing. Why there was a hetero “Swingers Party” at an Orlando hotel which quite upset the Soccer parents who were also at the same hotel:
link
Perry Como
It’s kind of sickening to watch all of these Liberals wallow in the politics of personal destruction. Abramoff fell for all the glitz and glamour of DC and probably stepped a little bit over the line. We should be sad that he may have corrupted some otherwise upstanding officials in his minor excesses. The very few Republicans that were involved were probably minor players and were oblivious that anything illegal may be going on. The Democrats are the ones that will really stink when everything comes out in the open. I wouldn’t be surprised if some Dems were actually funding Abramoff, trying to set up some type of sting operation on the Republicans.
chef
“I wouldn’t be surprised if some Dems were actually funding Abramoff, trying to set up some type of sting operation on the Republicans.”
If you wouldn’t be surprised about this, one hesitates to imagine the things you wouldn’t be surprised about.
Why stop there?
The Democrats funding Enron.
The Democrats funding Lewis Libby.
The Democrats funding Hurricane Katrina
The Democrats funding Avian Flu
Ah, the malevolent Democrats, who are at once are too studid to:
1) believe the Mushroom Cloud, the balloon truck, the aluminum tubes, and the ties to AlQ.
But smart enough to:
2) rule the MSM and sieze the Ivy League faculties.
Geek, Esq.
Comparisons to Teapot Dome are, like, a totally BAD thing for the Republicans, dude.
DougJ
Chef, you left out the Democrats funding Al Qaeda.
skip
“The very few Republicans that were involved were probably minor players and were oblivious that anything illegal may be going on.”
Yeah, and just how long have you been the Emperor of Ice Cream?.
I was in the Guards in Georgetown on Sunday night and got the distinct impression there will be some real high-level temp opportunities for a guy like you real soon. It seems the Rohrbacher and Ney staffs are going on extended Vacation soon, after John gives them direction to Club Fed in Petersburg.
ATS
Mr Rick Moran deplores “hyperventilating comments about this being the worst scandal in history. It isn’t even close.”
Well that certainly takes care of that. Casino Jack will be back in business in a week. Case closed.
Perry Como
Do you have any cites for those theories? I’d suspected as much about Enron, but the others wouldn’t surprise me. The Democrats are just that dirty.
ppGaz
God, that is the funniest thing I ever read on the blog.
Fucking Grant. That’s relevance taken to a new level.
You da man, Rick!
Cordially,
(p)rick
Paul Wartenberg
If I may, here’s a scorecard of relatively current GOP scandals.
Wayne Madsen Report Scorecard
For fairness, can anyone find a scorecard of relatively current Democrat scandals under investigation/indictment?
Faux News
The Democrats probably funded the Swinger party at the Orlando Hotel as well…
demimondian
Actually, it had. If the only comparable example in US history was the most corrupt bureau of the most corrupt administration in US history — by the way, what is it about Radical Republicans and their association with corruption? Just asking… — then this gives us a great scale against which to measure the current administration.
Mike S
More like Bone Headed prediction.
PotVsKtl
Those aren’t Abramoff’s recipients, they’re the recipients of contributions from groups related in some way to Abramoff.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=arVHles5cKJc&refer=us#
coolcajun
Perry Como is one crazy mofo. I haven’t heard a whopper like that in a while.
demimondian
coolcajun, Perry’s just telling it like it is. Abramov is hero, whose been railroaded into confessing to crimes because of the threats that have been made against him. The left-wing media has been portraying him as the villain, and the prosecutors as the heros, but the truth is that the prosecutors have been engaging in a multi-year witch hunt.
It’s not like his actions have caused any real harm — Cunningham was dirty from the start, and Ney is a corrupt, theiving bastard. All he did was try to use their greed to make America a better place, and look what he got for it!
Pooh
Man, so many hooks, so few fish here…
Pooh
Perry, you forgot that the Dems paid for the Viking Sex Boat and the Lesbo Panther Cheerleaders.
demimondian
On a day where the lead thread on the front page is about tin-foil deflector beanies, I expect the fish to hang out there.
Pooh
Makes me long for my poker days….here fishy fishy fishy…
DougJ
I know there’s still a lot of anger at firedoglake over here but this is quite interesting.
demimondian
Poker? What is this game? Can you teach it to me?
Pooh
I could, but it will cost you ;)
(I ‘supplemented’ my law school living by facilitating merit-based transfers. Alternatively, I arbitraged the faith-based initiative of chasing that third Jack…)
Lynn Hayes
The Abramoff scandal is fascinating to me, and I was curious to see what made him tick. I posted an astrological profile if you’re interested at http://astrodynamics.blogspot.com/2006/01/jack-abramoff-begins-to-sing.html.
demimondian
Wanna bet? ;)