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Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Who's Jack Abramoff Gonna Take With Him?



Everyone must know by now that I love logic problems and puzzles. So I'm right there as Roger is trying to nail down the identities of the Abramoff Dozen:
U.S. News has learned that the conduct of at least a dozen representatives and senators is now being scrutinized by a small army of federal prosecutors and FBI agents. According to sources familiar with the inquiry, a federal task force, which includes investigators from the Interior Department -- which has authority to regulate Indian reservations -- is examining the relationships between lawmakers and Scanlon and Abramoff.
We've all heard the rumor that the list includes DeLay, Doolittle, Nay and Burns. Roger also sites an article in the OC Weekly referring to the Abramoff 6, which includes Dana Rohrabacher, Dave Vitter and Tom Feeny (sorry no Doolittle).

Since the US News article goes out of its way to say "a dozen representatives and senators," my personal hopes are pinned on Cornyn, who as Texas AG at the time was said to have had his response to flaming fundies demanding the shutdown of Indian casinos "choreographed" by Ralph Reed, who was taking money (through Abramoff) from the competition. (Cornyn did, in fact, eventually shut down the casinos.)

So help Roger out, cast your votes. As Howard Dean says, 2006 is looking mighty good for Democrats.

And for those who find this all too confusing, check out emptywheel's fine post on the K Street Project. It's a good reminder as to why all those rumors of Democrats being involved are just so much smoke and mirrors. That "power corrupts" thing? It's crap. While there have certainly been corrupt Democrats in the past, for the GOP it's a reason to get up in the morning.

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