« Dems-2008: John Edwards Netroots Outreach | Main | NJ-Gov: Bret Schundler Website Scandal »
Friday, June 03, 2005
Bush Backs Down
Posted by Bob BrighamEven the Washington Times reports:
A conservative Catholic magazine and think tank that advertised a "White House briefing" in exchange for a hefty contribution was forced to cancel the event yesterday after the White House suddenly backed out of the deal.
Hmmmmm. Pay to play?
Four months after he took the oath of office in 2001, President George W. Bush was the attraction, and the White House the venue, for a fundraiser organized by the alleged perpetrator of the largest billing fraud in the history of corporate lobbying. In May 2001, Jack Abramoff's lobbying client book was worth $4.1 million in annual billing for the Greenberg Traurig law firm. He was a friend of Bush advisor Karl Rove. He was a Bush "Pioneer," delivering at least $100,000 in bundled contributions to the 2000 campaign. He had just concluded his work on the Bush Transition Team as an advisor to the Department of the Interior. He had sent his personal assistant Susan Ralston to the White House to work as Rove's personal assistant. He was a close friend, advisor, and high-dollar fundraiser for the most powerful man in Congress, Tom DeLay. Abramoff was so closely tied to the Bush Administration that he could, and did, charge two of his clients $25,000 for a White House lunch date and a meeting with the President. From the same two clients he took to the White House in May 2001, Abramoff also obtained $2.5 million in contributions for a non-profit foundation he and his wife operated.
Game. Set. Match. Busted.
Posted at 12:45 AM in 2006 Elections | Technorati