Abramoff pleads guilty

[Speed of Sound]

Another analysis by Yahoo said it could have a crippling effect on the GOP this year. What do you think?

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Abramoff Pleads Guilty, Will Cooperate



By MARK SHERMAN and CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writers 24 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist who spawned a congressional corruption scandal, pleaded guilty Tuesday to three felonies and pledged to cooperate in a criminal probe edging closer to former House Majority Leader
Tom DeLay.
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"I plead guilty, your honor," Abramoff said in flat, unemotional tones, accepting a plea bargain that said he had provided lavish trips, golf outings, meals and more to public officials "in exchange for a series of official acts."

In one case, he reported payments totaling $50,000 to the wife of a congressional aide to help block legislation for a client. The aide worked for DeLay, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

[GOP = Terrorists]

Not just Abramoff but the whole culture of corruption will bring down the GOP.

[riceowl]

good luck with that.

[Moooooo]

good luck with that.

Who needs luck... Abramoff's plea deal includes cooperating with the prosecutor.  When your facing 30 years in prison and someone offers you a deal for 9-11.  You can bet your ass you're gonna' tell all.

[Moooooo]

Hmmm...

It has the potential to hurt both.  Personally I think it will hurt the GOP much more because there is no evidence that a single Democrat ever took money directly from Abramoff.  Reid and Dorgan received money from 2nd and 3rd parties, but never once received money directly from Abramoff.  Plus, they reported it.

The effect it will have on the Democrats depends on the GOP's ability to defelect and spin the story.

[MasterJedi]

Most common people who don't follow politics won't even hear about this meaning they won't really care. I think it will only hurt the GOP a little.

[MODU]

I think it would barely hurt the GOP.  However, like I said in the other thread, Abramoff, and all those involved in criminal activity should receive fair punishment for their crimes.

[TheresNoMoney]

Abramoff never gave a dime to any Democrats:

"Between 2001 and 2004, Abramoff gave more than $127,000 to Republican candidates and committees and nothing to Democrats, federal records show. At the same time, his Indian clients were the only ones among the top 10 tribal donors in the U.S. to donate more money to Republicans than Democrats."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=arVHles5cKJc&refer=us#

[Joe Republic]

Abramoff never gave a dime to any Democrats:

"Between 2001 and 2004, Abramoff gave more than $127,000 to Republican candidates and committees and nothing to Democrats, federal records show. At the same time, his Indian clients were the only ones among the top 10 tribal donors in the U.S. to donate more money to Republicans than Democrats."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=arVHles5cKJc&refer=us#

What about Byron Dorgan, to name one?  Or doesn't it count if he eventually gave the money back?

[TheresNoMoney]

What about Byron Dorgan, to name one?  Or doesn't it count if he eventually gave the money back?

Dorgan never took a cent from Abramoff.

He received some money from one of Abramoff's Indian tribal clients, whose causes he has always supported. Dorgan never even knew Abramoff.

[MODU]

What about Byron Dorgan, to name one?  Or doesn't it count if he eventually gave the money back?

Dorgan never took a cent from Abramoff.

He received some money from one of Abramoff's Indian tribal clients, whose causes he has always supported. Dorgan never even knew Abramoff.

Hence the reason I said fair punishment.  If it is shown that Dorgan did receive funds because of Ambramoffs actions, though he never solicited the funds or used them illegally, then his punishment should be nothing more than a warning.  (I think Dorgan gave back all the funds anyways.)

[Virginian87]

This might give Jon Tester a bit of a boost.

[phk]

I hope theres more of these to bring down.

[Gabu]

Hard to tell, immediately.  People tend to care about something a lot more if it directly affects them.  This doesn't.  It's why Bush's approval rating took a dive due to high gas prices, something not exactly directly linked to Bush's policies, and then went back up in spite of some stuff actually attributable to Bush occurring later.

[Sam Spade]

Out of all the scandals and supposed scandals going on right now, this is the big one of all of them.  For example with Tom DeLay, the Ronnie Earle stuff is just a joke, this is the real deal if Abramoff has the goods.  I am curious to see what Abramoff will tell the Justice Dept., but we'll just have to wait on it.

Scandals of this sort typically only hurt badly for one election cycle, if they do at all, so its probably either 2006 or nothing.

[Smash255]

Out of all the scandals and supposed scandals going on right now, this is the big one of all of them.  For example with Tom DeLay, the Ronnie Earle stuff is just a joke, this is the real deal if Abramoff has the goods.  I am curious to see what Abramoff will tell the Justice Dept., but we'll just have to wait on it.

Scandals of this sort typically only hurt badly for one election cycle, if they do at all, so its probably either 2006 or nothing.

I wouldn't say the Ronnie Earle stuff is a joke by any means, however this will probably be far more damaging to Delay.  Needless to say no matter what happens with the Earle case, this case will pretty much make it 100% certaiin that Delay won't be back as Majority leader. 

As far as this scandal goes I think it could hurt the GOP past 06, depends on how deep this scandal gets & what happens with some other GOP scandals (CIA leak for example). the "corrupt" label could be attached to the GOP & it may take longer than just 06 to get over, especially if criminal chargers are brought against Congressman (and with courts and what not) that we have a long drawn out couple year long stretch of this being in the news.

[Democratic Hawk]

At a guess, it will mildly hurt the GOP in that it could claim a few scalps

Whether it ushers in a Democratic controlled Congress is an entirely different matter. The Democrats need a "winning" strategy and visionary agenda of their own and not rely on GOP failings

Dave

[Blue Rectangle]

At a guess, it will mildly hurt the GOP in that it could claim a few scalps

Whether it ushers in a Democratic controlled Congress is an entirely different matter. The Democrats need a "winning" strategy and visionary agenda of their own and not rely on GOP failings

Dave

^^^^^

It will probably lead to some anti-incumbent feelings, but no strong partisan trends.  Incumbents will be helped, however, by more immediate issues, such as the growing economy and by improved conditions and resulting troop reductions in Iraq.

Without a countering plan by the Democrats, 2006 will be close to a wash.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

This "trial" might be a sham designed to avoid undercovering the Republican culture of corruption.

[MODU]

Is this "culture of corruption" kinda like Clintons money scam involving chinese businesman or Algores Budhist monk money laundering scandal?

Do you mean:





hahaha

[Gabu]

Personaly I don't believe he broke any laws anyway.

He pled guilty.  That's generally akin to saying, "yep, I did it, and there's probably nothing I can possibly do to make it look like I didn't".  If he didn't do anything wrong, you'd think he would have at least attempted to prove his innocence.

[RBH]

The scandal affects just as many Demolibs such as Harry Reid. Abramjew gave money to a lot of senators on both sides. Personaly I don't believe he broke any laws anyway.

What the hell inspired that little nickname?

[MODU]

The scandal affects just as many Demolibs such as Harry Reid. Abramjew gave money to a lot of senators on both sides. Personaly I don't believe he broke any laws anyway.

What the hell inspired that little nickname?

This is Hawkeye for you.  Take his comments with a grain of salt.

[Sam Spade]

Out of all the scandals and supposed scandals going on right now, this is the big one of all of them.  For example with Tom DeLay, the Ronnie Earle stuff is just a joke, this is the real deal if Abramoff has the goods.  I am curious to see what Abramoff will tell the Justice Dept., but we'll just have to wait on it.

Scandals of this sort typically only hurt badly for one election cycle, if they do at all, so its probably either 2006 or nothing.

I wouldn't say the Ronnie Earle stuff is a joke by any means, however this will probably be far more damaging to Delay.  Needless to say no matter what happens with the Earle case, this case will pretty much make it 100% certaiin that Delay won't be back as Majority leader. 

Clearly you do not know the case at all, but I agree that DeLay will probably not be back as Majority Leader.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

The public has a shorter memory here than you are giving it credit for.  If criminal charges are brought against certain Congressmen in this case, they will either resign or probably be defeated in 2006.  By 2008, no one will remember who they are or what they did, especially since it'll be a Prez election.  The CIA leak investigation will have zero effect on 2006 midterm elections or Senate and House elections, unless it balloons to include the Presidency or it starts involving Senators and House members.

The GOP tried to attach the "corrupt" label on House Democrats for years during the late 1980s and early 1990s.  Only during one election did it work, in 1994, in combination with a number of other things, but after that it went away because the GOP became much more interested in pushing its governing agenda.

Which brings me to another point.  The more successful Democrats are in 2006, the less likely that the "corrupt" angle has long-term impact. 

Personally, I'm just waiting to see who Abramoff will have the goods on, and I don't think it'll be as long as some do.  He was already talking with the Justice Dept. for a fairly good time already.