Thu
Feb 9 2006
06:30 pm
Reid - Abramoff connection?
By: R. Neal

If all of this is true, Reid should at the very least step down as Senate Minority leader. It doesn't matter whether it's Rs or Ds doing it, political favors for cash that involve even the appearance of impropriety should not be tolerated in Congress or for any other elected officials. I don't understand why this is such a difficult concept. Maybe I'm just naive.

Topics:
Joe Jackson's picture

Pretty well debunked at

Submitted by Joe Jackson (not verified) on Thu, 2006/02/09 - 8:23pm.
Pretty well debunked at media matters.
R. Neal's picture

Went and looked. Can't find

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2006/02/09 - 8:28pm.
Went and looked. Can't find it. Gotta link?
KO's picture

This is just Drudge carrying Delay's water

Submitted by KO on Thu, 2006/02/09 - 9:21pm.

My understanding is that Reid wrote letters on behalf of Nevada tribes, i.e., his constituents.  This is substantively different, in my view, from the Ohio Republican Representative (Ney?) advocating on behalf of tribes that aren't located in his state, much less his district, in exchange for $$$ from Abramoff.

I believe when all the dust settles the Abramoff issue will be owned by the Republicans.  There can be no question but that Abramoff was a conservative and advertised himself as having access to Republican leaders.  The Republicans were in power, too, which made his "goods" more valuable.  Let's face it--access to Democratic leaders isn't worth a whole lot these days.

www.herstonlaw.com

www.myspace.com/skinnyskier

R. Neal's picture

<i>The Republicans were in

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2006/02/09 - 9:31pm.

<i>The Republicans were in power, too, which made his "goods" more valuable.  Let's face it--access to Democratic leaders isn't worth a whole lot these days.</i>

That's a good point, but if that's our argument we've got a long row to hoe. As for "protecting Nevada gaming interests was business as usual" (as asserted in his defense at the second link), if I were a politician I'm thinking that's the last can of worms I'd want to open up for the public and the press to dig around in.

I'm just saying that Democrats need to be the party of liberty and justice for all. We can't abdicate the "justice" part if one of our own gets caught with his/her hand in the cookie jar. Otherwise, we lower ourselves to the other side's way of thinking, and give them even more talking points which we seem impotent to counter.

Or something.

(And there appear to be some thoroughly researched and somewhat disturbing facts between the lines of the the right-wing spin in this article.)

KO's picture

Abramoff is a criminal.  He

Submitted by KO on Thu, 2006/02/09 - 10:05pm.

Abramoff is a criminal.  He has already pleaded guilty to federal crimes.  Abramoff is cooperating with prosecutors and naming names.  The Ohio representative (I think his name is Ney) is under investigation for commiting criminal acts.

I have yet to hear anyone allege anything inappropriate--much less criminal--about a senator from Nevada writing a letter or making a call to on behalf of Nevada constituents.  I hope a senator from Nevada tries to help Nevada residents.  That's one of his or her functions.  Don't we expect the same of Tennessee politicians?  In fact, isn't that Jimmy Duncan's claim to fame?  I don't think there is anything remotely unseemly about that.  If they won't do that, they have no business being there. 

I have not heard anyone advocate a double standard (except the Republicans who are so, so desperate to make this a bipartisan scandal).  If a politician is a criminal, then he or she needs to face the music, no matter their political party.  I have yet to hear anyone advocate anything different.

www.herstonlaw.com

www.myspace.com/skinnyskier

SayUncle's picture

I couldn't find the MM link

Submitted by SayUncle on Thu, 2006/02/09 - 11:15pm.

I couldn't find the MM link either (and likely wouldn't believe that bunch of hacks  anyway) but I'm guessing it's probably the Howard Dean non-defense, defense of denying the Democrats took money while admitting Democrats took money. 

Update: Nope.  Found it.  It's the 'well, that was his position anyway' defense.

--- SayUncle Can't we all just get a long gun?

SayUncle's picture

Actually, upon a reread of

Submitted by SayUncle on Thu, 2006/02/09 - 11:42pm.

Actually, upon a reread of the article, I see no indication that Reid was complicit in any of Abramoff's confessed crimes.  He took money from a tribe represented by Abramoff as did 160+ other congressmonkeys.  Unless the transfer of funds was of questionable legality, I say no harm no foul.  Even if the funds transfers were questionable, I'm less inclined to care. Campaign finance laws (like tax, gun and some environmental laws) are so arbitrary that their violation doesn't have much of an impact on the appearance of impropriety anymore.

BTW, up is down, black is white and Coke is Pepsi.  SKB is slamming Democrats and I'm defending them.  But then, I always liked Reid until he got all Howard Dean on us.  Of course, I liked Howard Dean until he got all Howard Dean on us. 

--- SayUncle Can't we all just get a long gun?

richard's picture

Excellent comments

Submitted by richard (not verified) on Fri, 2006/02/10 - 4:29am.
The very idea that Reid should resign due to these highly dubious charges made in a painfully sloppy and misleading article redefines the concept of absurdity. If Reid should resign, then so should half the Republican party in Congress.

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