Calif. Rep. Rohrabacher Defends Abramoff

[Kadie]

Calif. Rep. Rohrabacher Defends Abramoff
By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer

Monday, January 9, 2006


(01-09) 14:45 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --


Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., came to the defense of disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff on Monday, saying he's a good person who's been unjustly criticized.


"They're portraying Jack as a monster. I see him more as a good person who's done bad things and has to be punished for doing bad things," Rohrabacher, a longtime friend of Abramoff, said in a phone interview.


"I think that he obviously has done some things that are wrong and illegal and he's going to have to pay the price for it," Rohrabacher said. "I think that a lot of other things that have been characterized as corruption on the part of Abramoff are actually standard operating procedures for lobbying in Washington, D.C. — arranging trips and things like that.


"So I think that he's received a lot of unjust criticism."

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/01/09/national/w144541S70.DTL

[bluestateguy]

1. He just made his opponents TV ads

If he/she is smart enough to use them.

[merbex]

2. Please tell me he has an opponent

There should no Repug running un challenged this year

[xxqqqzme]

5. Yes, whorbacher - my rep blech

has an opponent - Jim Brandt - Vietnam vet Marine pilot - has his own small software company - worked for him in '04, will for him this year as well.

Add: I'm emailing this to his campaign manager right now!

whorbacher got a trip 2 Saipan from jackoff.

[AlCzervik]

9. so far my sleeze bag rep Lungren is keeping his big yap shut

i'm hoping he comes out in support of Delay so i can see him soundly thrashed next november. I'm seriously thinking of going to his next "town hall" meeting with some questions, written down of course.

[Semi_subversive]

14. I'm wondering who we can run against the scumbag

We need someone with more name recognition than Gabe Castillo, even though he was the bettter candidate.

[bluestateguy]

6. It's some lawyer from Newport Beach

Sandy Cohen. But he's got baggage. A corrupt father in law and this kid lives with him who has been in and out of trouble with the law for years.

[arbusto_baboso]

3. Rohrabacher isn't just a GOPig....

he's a full fledged bat-shit crazy loon, Zell Miller-style. He's the biggest embarassment to California besides the Governator.

[Ksec]

4. Thats great. Hope they all do this.

Really, I do. I couldnt ask for a better statement on where that party stands.

[jsamuel]

7. sure, but the flag burners must be PUT TO DEATH!!!

:eyes:

[Toots]

8. Things characterized as corruption are actually standard operating procedu

He could not have made the case better that there is a "culture of corruption" if he had been paid money to do so..

[Merrick]

10. That's our Dana!

my rep too... for now.

[Bluebear]

12. What a big goon he is. nt

[Sydnie]

11. This is kinda like writting your own obit, isn't it?

Didn't he just say what he hopes someone says about him when he gets indicted?

Didn't he get the memo to deny that you know the guy? Or is he hoping that if he makes nice nice about Jack in the press that he will skip ole Dana's verse when singing this sorted song?

It boggles the mind.

[Selatius]

13. Rohrabacher is right on one point only:

"I think that a lot of other things that have been characterized as corruption on the part of Abramoff are actually standard operating procedures for lobbying in Washington, D.C. — arranging trips and things like that."

I say the SCOTUS should reverse its decision in the 1970s making special interest money protected free speech. Futhermore, I'd like to see a publicly subsidized election system with strident control on advertising and an outright ban on all special interest money. Such activity should be considered bribery and punishable with prison time and hefty fines.

Otherwise, I say let Abramoff weather the attacks by himself. He knows what he did. He dug his own hole, and he should lay in it.

[bigtree]

15. Abramoff’s mother contributed money to Rohrabacher’s 1996 campaign.

and, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission, since the 1997-98 election cycle brother and his wife Robert and Renee Abramoff have contributed a total of $8,000 to GOP candidates, including $1,000 to Rohrabacher in 1997.

http://www.capitaleye.org/inside.asp?ID=196

[chat_noir]

16. Dana Rohrabacher, the credit reference

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) is a longtime Abramoff friend. Abramoff reportedly listed Rohrabacher as a personal reference in his bid to borrow $60 million to purchase the SunCruz casinos in Florida in 2000 — the deal that triggered last week’s indictment.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/51_16/news/10310-1.html


Boulis owned the SunCruz business which offered ‘cruises to nowhere’, taking passengers into international waters out of reach of the Florida state gambling laws. Florida state made several attempts to shut the business down, finally succeeding in 1999 when federal prosecutors charged Boulis with violating shipping laws over the ship’s registration. Boulis agreed to pay a $1 million fine, sell the business, and never work in the gaming industry. He then sold the business to Kidan and Abramoff, who were to pay $23 million immediately. Boulis alleged that the $23 million payment was never made. Boulis also alleged that Kidan had links to organized crime. Kidan had hired Anthony Moscatiello as a business advisor despite a previous indictment as an associate of the Gambino crime family led by Mafia crime boss John Gotti. In February 2001, Boulis was shot to death five months later in what police called “a gang style hit”. A suit brought by Boulis’ estate alleges that Adam Kidan made three payments of $10,000 to Moscatiello immediately prior to the murder.

The casinos were subsequently auctioned off to new management in a bankruptcy action brought by Foothill Capital. Foothill settled with Abramoff for an undisclosed sum and continue litigation against Kidan.

Press accounts have suggested that Abramoff used his political connections to gain support for the deal in Washington.


http://www.juiceenewsdaily.com/index.php/2006/01/04/who-is-jack-abramoff/