To John’s post below, I would just add that this story illustrates why the Abramoff scandals scare GOP insiders more than anything else right now. Remember these two things: practically every Republican in DC connects to Jack Abramoff, and practically everything he did was in some way illegal.
It shouldn’t surprise anybody that the Abramoff scandal reaches deep into the White House. Where did Karl Rove’s chief of staff, Susan Ralston, work before she joined Karl Rove’s staff? As Jack Abramoff’s secretary, of course. Anybody who thinks that she left her rolodex at her former job can kindly go sit in the corner. So we already knew that the White House was joined at the hip with Captain Sleaze. We’ve heard about another White House official, David Safavian, who faces jail time for obstructing one or another of the many Abramoff investigations. You had to know that it was only a matter of time before this or that shady Abramoff deal embarrassed the White House.
Keep an eye out as the pieces of this story start to fill in the larger picture.
One last point. As the Abramoff scandal starts to pick up steam in earnest, who will be the first to accuse Abramoff’s critics of anti-semitism? You know that it’s only a matter of time.
***Update***
Carpetbagger has more.
Brad R.
One last point. As the Abramoff scandal starts to pick up steam in earnest, who will be the first to accuse Abramoff’s critics of anti-semitism?
David Horowitz. Of course, he accuses everyone of being an anti-Semite, so I’m not sure if he counts.
Lines
I think I heard some cries of Joooooo! from the Protein Wasteland
Otto Man
Good call on the tried and true you-hate-Jews defense. If that fails, they’ll probably accuse critics of being communists since they hate the role that donations and bribes played in all this.
Steve S
I’m still curious if this attack is linked to this investigation… or maybe it’s just something else entirely.
desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051109/NEWS09/511090343/1056
DJAnyReason
Abramoff critics are all a bunch of anti-semites!!!
uhh, so I guess the answer is me ;)
Bob Davis
DJAnyReason:
That’s not fair, you got here before me. But I have you beat anyway, I claimed that his critics are all antisemites to my friends last week. LAST WEEK! And I know whereof I speak – His critics have been heard to say, “Abramoff is a corrupt and evil man connecting all the dots of the corrupt and evil republican cabal ruining this country. And he supports Jews too! He even supports Israel.” OK, so I said that last week. See – I’m the first.
Al Maviva
Safavian isn’t exactly a WH official. He was, until recently, a second tier appointee floating around between a couple of the agencies – OMB and GPO, I believe. WH officials are more like Rove, the cabinet members, and the raft of appointed staff who trundle into the WH and Old Executive Office Building each day. It’s probably fair to call him an Administration representative, but that’s as far as I’d stretch.
serena1313
Safavian moved from Office Management & Budget last year to become the bush administration’s top procurement official. He was in charge of billions of dollars. Safavian had his fingers into all sorts of illegal and/or unethical dealings which tie into Abramoff’s shenanigans. Everything from trips to Scotland, property dealings, and helping keep the Mariana Islands free from US labour & immigration laws. (count Abramoff & DeLay in that as well).
Abramoff has 6 counts of federal fraud and conspiracy indictments against him. Another four counts charged against him: breaking state big game laws, illegally hunting on private property without permission, hunting without a license and using someone else’s license. Separate charges include allegations of his role in purchasing a fleet of gambling boats, defrauding 2 lenders of $160 million…the list just goes on and on … he is also entangled in the Indian tribe rip-offs, golfing trips to Scotland, funneling & laundering money — tens maybe hundreds of millions of dollars… etc.
The list of names that have been either indicted and/or under investigation is more than lengthy… What this may potentially do is unravel the whole corrupt mess — the players are so interwoven and inter-related it would befuddle even Sherlock Holmes…
It is gravely serious and unfortunate that our government has gotten as corrupt as it is. It will take a lot of courage and even more power to open it up. Iam not sure if that will be possible; on the other hand it might be.
It needs to be done if we are ever to get back on track again. This did not just happen under bush although it has escalated exponentially under bush’s tenure.
serena1313
PS
Regarding comments of anti-Semitism: If a Jew is criticized or if Israel is criticized playing the anti-Semitic card does not fly. No one is perfect … Accusations of being anti-Semitic is a way to shut down discourse. There is no need for that when criticism or whatever is said is legitimate. There is a big difference between the two.