Tuesday, January 3, 2006


Follow these two links for the officially reported contributions from Abramoff (and his wife) to political figures. Here and here. Word is that there are NO Democrats on those two lists.

And check out the chart which lists the distribution of campaign contributions from Abramoff's Indian Casino Clients.

Let's do the math
$ 843,209 to 33 members house/senate
$ 651,393 to 26 Republicans = ~$25,000 per person (9 were at or above the average)
$ 191,816 to 7 Democrats = ~$27,000 per person (4 were at or above the average)

From the Daily KOS
Out of Republican talking points as quoted by Bloomberg- hitting the streets today comes this 
Between 2001 and 2004, Abramoff joined with his former partner, Michael Scanlon, and tribal clients to give money to a third of the members of Congress, including former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, according to records of the Federal Election Commission and Internal Revenue Service. At least 171 lawmakers got $1.4 million in campaign donations from the group. Republicans took in most of the money, with 110 lawmakers getting $942,275, or 66 percent of the total.


Let's do the math using Republican talking points
1.40 million to 171
-.94 million to 110 Republicans = $8566 per person
_____________________
.45 million to 61 Democrats = $7500 per person

Also from the Daily KOS
And the LA Times reported more Abramoff donation facts: 
Abramoff, a once-powerful lobbyist who is the subject of a federal influence-peddling investigation, is considering a deal to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors, according to sources familiar with the probe. That could open the prospect that Abramoff will implicate any number of lawmakers and aides who were part of his vast network of access. [snip] 
"Washington is holding its collective breath," said one Republican lobbyist who did not want to comment for the record on a scandal affecting his profession and political allies. 
The concern is widespread because Abramoff's reach into the Capitol was so deep. According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, 210 current members of Congress have received contributions from Abramoff, his Indian tribe clients or SunCruz Casinos since 1999. 
Most received less than $10,000, but 25 lawmakers received $21,500 or more. Twenty were Republicans and five were Democrats, but none of the Democrats received money directly from Abramoff. (Emphasis mine, DBB) 
Jack's lobbying firms and some of his clients gave to Democrats as well the GOP. While those are Abramoff-connected donations, they are not the same as Jack's personal checks to candidates. 
It is only true to say that some Democrats received donations from co-workers of Abramoff and/or his clients, but that is different than an direct donation or connection to Abramoff. 
And all Democrats are auditing all their connections and purging any funds that they find to be connected to Jack by the thinnest of threads.
(Thanks to Daily KOS for this excellent compilation)

Every time but one the Republicans try to paint Abramoff as an equal opportunity lobbyist they end up "more equal." The only time Democrats were "equal" to Republicans as recipients -- and this was campaign contributions from Abramoff's clients, not Abramoff himself -- are the 3 from Louisiana (John, Landrieu, Breaux) and the one from Nevada (Reid). Incidentally, the Republican leader "enjoyed" ~$36,000 more than his Democratic collegue. Several of these folks have redirected some of these funds. Dennis Hastert is telling folks that he gave his Abramoff $$ to charity. I wonder who got it.


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