Rove Linked to Multiple Major Criminal Investigations

[leveymg]

Outgoing White House Political Director Karl Rove figures in several major criminal investigations involving large payoffs to GOP figures by Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Greece, along with a variety of domestic scandals.

Here is just a short list of Rove's dealings with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and the White House tie-in with the Duke Cunningham bribery and CIA contractor cases:



Rove and Abramoff's $1.2 million shakedown of Malaysia President to arrange a 2002 meeting with Bush. Payment was given to Abramoff's law firm, Greenberg Traurig, to improve Malaysia's image after 9/11 (Houston Chronicle, Chicago Tribune): http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/21/21954/7557

it was important to the Malaysians to get a meeting with Bush, according to an Abramoff associate who attended meetings with the Malaysian ambassador and Abramoff.

Abramoff contacted presidential adviser Karl Rove on at least four occasions to help arrange a meeting, according to an eyewitness to the activities.

Finally, this former associate said, Rove's office called to tell Abramoff personally that the Malaysian leader would get an official White House invitation. In May 2002, Mahathir met with Bush in the Oval Office.

While Rove and Abramoff’s worked hard to repair Malaysia’s tainted image as a terrorist haven, Abramoff performed similar services for a U.S.-based Islamic banking group through another close friend of Karl, Grover Norquist, GOP patron of several financial and charitable organizations the FBI had been investigating for funding al-Qaeda before 9/11. See, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/10/17/122311/72



In a recent disclosure, the White House has been linked via Duke Cunningham to a murky deal involving Saudi-backed arms dealings and an $80 billion slush fund known as Yamamah (“The Dove”), which has been financing Saudi foreign intelligence operations for two decades. Cunningham arranged for two meetings with Bush by Thomas Kontogiannis, an New York organized crime figure acting as a middleman for an attempted back-room arms deal between the Greek military and General Dynamics, which manufactures the F-16. Cunningham and Kontogiannis had previously flown to Saudi Arabia aboard a private to meet with Saudi King Abdullah. (WSJ). See, http://journals.democraticunderground.com/leveymg/303

The Cunningham scandal also ties in with the MZM scandal, in which Mitchell Wade and Brent Wilkes parlayed their access to GOP Congressmen, the White House, and former CIA Director Porter Goss' #2, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, to obtain intelligence contracts. One of these projects involved the production of false intelligence reports about alleged Iraq WMD programs that were used to justify the invasion. That MZM contract was commissioned after the CIA's Counter-Proliferation Division resisted White House pressure to falsify it's Iraq WMD findings. The unit that resisted the White House included Valerie Plame, who was outed by a cabal run by Vice President Cheney and his Chief of Staff, "Scooter" Libby. Rove had a central role in the Plame outing, and is an co-conspirator in an effort to wreck CIA nuclear proliferation programs that had uncovered Saudi financial networks that were funding terrorists, global nuclear programs, and the GOP. See, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...


Abramoff continued to shake down various foreign figures using his friends in the White House. In 2004, Abramoff drew up a contract for his client, Gabon President Bongo, to pay $9 million for a meeting with President Bush. That meeting actually took place several months later, an Administration spokesman claims, arranged through “normal diplomatic channels” (NYT): http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1110-04.htm

In addition, Rove worked with Abramoff on a desired tax break for fraud-wracked Tyco Int'l, which soon went bankrupt after being looted by its owners and top management, leading to the Administration to withdraw its nomination of Tyco’s former General Counsel as Number 2 spot in the Justice Department: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...



In 2003, Rove put Abramoff's long-time confidential Assistant, Susan Ralston, on the White House payroll. Ralston later resigned, admitting she continued to receive gifts from Jack: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...



Ralston wasn’t the only go-between in Abramoff’s dealings with Rove. Abramoff used Christian Coalition Prez Ralph Reed as a go-between with Rove in a successful effort to block appointment of an Interior Dept Official. Reed was also intimately involved with dirty dealings out of Tom Delay’s office and another corrupt Republican lobbyist, Mike Scanlon, and convicted Republican Congressman Bob Ney (Roll Call): http://www.liquidtodd.com/news/newsandviews/index.html



All in all, between 2001 and 2004, there were 485 lobbying-related contacts between the Rove’s and Abramoff's staffs, and 13 direct meetings at the White House with Jack: http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/29/abramoff-meetings /

Yes, Mr. Rove expects to be very busy in the period before the 2008 elections. But, probably will be spending far too much time meeting with grand juries and his attorneys to be particularly effective in GOP campaigns.

[Trillo]

1. The timing of the resignation with the prior week's stock market

retracement and banking issues, told me that Rove's resignation was major smoke (where there's smoke there's usually fire).

Thanks for the info.

[Gonnuts]

76. Gee,

... you mean that whole "wanting to spend more time with his family" thing was total bullshit?

Well, I just wish they'd start the indicting sooner then later. I know this whole justice thing grinds slowly, but these bastards have been playing in the garden for far too long. I'd like to see some justice before I die.

As this excellent piece documents there has been enough evidence of high crimes swirling around rove for a long time, it certainly seems rove could of been taken down some time ago.

I don't know, maybe I'm just impatient.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

78. Welcome to DU! ,Gonnuts.....

I think I can safely say, if you're looking for a group that is also impatient for some justice, you've found one here.

Welcome!



Edited to add: Kick, Recommended And Bookmarked, too.

[roguevalley]

93. I think he's off to make a ton of quick money for legal bills. Also, I think

he left so that when it hits, it won't splatter too much on Bush. THis is going to be most excellent. I wonder what the king will do. Declare martial law?

[L. Coyote]

101. Timing: White House admitted RNC e-mails are missing RE USA firings

This blew a big story out of the water completely. Evidence has been destroyed!!

They just keep digging a deeper hole, a legal Hell hole.

[blm]

2. GREAT WORK!!! I hope DU puts this on main page to light a fire

under those with media access.

Maybe some working for campaigns will stop whining about how they're perceived and will SMARTEN UP and use DU to fight and expose the Bushes for a change.

[glitch]

4. Wouldn't that be great? K & R nt

[blm]

7. heheh...yep ... but don't hold your breath old buddy.

;)

[calimary]

70. Excellent compilation!

Bookmarked.

This will be helpful to many of us.

[mod mom]

3. WOW! Excellent job, Your news on rove is music to my ears. rec'd

[ProSense]

5. Awesome! n/t

[fooj]

6. Excellent post...

Follow the money...

http://www.texaskaos.com

Remember, the greatest conspiracy is that there is no conspiracy.

It is always about money. And a quick gestalt view of the scandal will make it easier to see.

So let's follow a couple money trails, and why Carole Lam would have been fired:

Trail 1
Defense Funds ->
Rep. Duke Cunningham ->
Brent Wilkes ->
Wilkes Corporation ->
Perfect Wave Technologies ->
Texans for a Republican Majority ->
Tom DeLay ->
Republican National Committee ->
Abramoff's 60
(including Texas candidates, this trail was exposed because they stupidly sent the check for the same exact amount back and forth. Nice.)

Trail 2 (loopy style!)

Defense Funds ->
Rep. Duke Cunningham ->
Brent Wilkes ->
Wilkes Corporation ->
Perfect Wave Technologies ->
Alexander Strategy Group ->
Christine DeLay ->
Rep. Duke Cunningham ->
Navy Contract (Defense Funds ->
Rep. Duke Cunningham ->
Brent Wilkes ->
Wilkes Corporation ->
Perfect Wave Technologies ->
Alexander Strategy Group ->
Christine DeLay ->
Rep. Duke Cunningham ->
Navy Contract (Defense Funds) ->
(repeat force feedback loop till exposed, side feed over flow to RNC)
(This trail was exposed because of antics in Trail 1)

A trail less traveled will also include MZM Inc.

At the end of the day, bad. But while we go after Fredo, the fact that defense funds in a time of war were cleverly laundered into the campaign coffers of Republican candidates is the true story.

So as long Alberto maintains himself as the center of the controversy, I am with President Bush, he is doing his job. Because can you imagine the wrath of the American people if they found out we are short on money for the war because the Republicans have been filtering said defense funds to get themselves re-elected to, well, filter yet more defense funds?

That is why Carol Lam was fired, with the others to add cover, because this is one the worst scandals in American political history, double whammyed by the fact it was done in the time of war.

Google the above for your references, it is all out there, plain as day, but we couldn't see the forest because of the trees.
<snip>

IN PLAIN SIGHT!

Edit to add: BTW- Cunningham was SUDDENLY transferred to another jail last week. Let's not forget that creepy, wierd court situation in California a few days ago re: Wilkes, Foggo...

Here's another great link (one of leveymg's finest) for reference:

Saudi Slush Fund Scandal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[blm]

9. I agree - Saudi Slush Fund thread should be reposted, too. It is THAT important.

And we just have to hope that other Dems stop playing political horserace games long enough to start CARING about what is REALLY driving these operations - the FASCIST AGENDA for perpetual war and perpetual profits.

[AntiFascist]

21. Big K&R...

I was wondering how Abramoff was tied into the Al Yamamah scandal.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

46. thank you Fooj !! nt

[malaise]

8. This is a brilliant post

Bookmarked
K & R

[Ghost in the Machine]

10. heh!

[jazzjunkysue]

23. Where's her left hand? n/t.

[Ghost in the Machine]

28. In his pants?

Her right hand is in his, shaking it...

[usregimechange]

11. k n r

[porphyrian]

12. With all that sleeze in one post, I feel dirty. - n/t

[SpiralHawk]

13. Move along. Nothing to see here.

Big BushCo loves you. Move along.

(Surreptitious K & R from sneaky olde SH)

[Cooley Hurd]

14. Rove the Consigliere...

It's a crime family, not unlike the Sopranos or the Corleones, and Rove was Tom Hagen/Silvio Dante.

[blm]

16. Mob bosses only WISH they had 1% of the action that BFEE has had for decades.

Action and protection from a media they spent years buying control of every time another media outlet became available or was forced into becoming available.

[bobthedrummer]

105. .

[defendandprotect]

27. Speaking of "Consigliere's" -- Bush gave James Baker an office in the White House - !!!!

You want to keep your crime family close around you -- !!!!

[BearSquirrel2]

99. Tom Hagen ...

I disagree, Tom Hagen had scruples.

[yardwork]

15. k&r

Thank you to all the DUers for their research, compilation of info, and graphics! You provide an enormous public service.

[Bitwit1234]

17. Some where there is a reference to a Saudi deal call "The Dove"

Didn't rove make reference to something about a Dove when he was leaving. Can anybody remember what that was about...could it be a slip of the tongue

[tekisui]

19. He said he was gonna go "shoot some doves"

[Catherine Vincent]

18. Of course he is!

But you won't hear anything about that on cable tv. In fact, Delay was just won CNN yammering about Democrats and how awful we are. No questions on his criminal activities, no siree.

p.s. Thanks for this post!

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

20. I guess he'll soon be joining Kenny Boy in Paraguay.

No extradition + Blackwater mercs to guard the compound = Disappeared nazi haven heaven.

[hootinholler]

22. YAMAMAH?!?! Ya Mamma?

You can't make this stuff up.

Mark, as always, great article!

-Hoot

[me b zola]

81. Yamamah must be Bagdaddi's cousin

[L. Coyote]

24. # 60! Just back from the wilderness. Did I miss somerthing???

[jazzjunkysue]

25. "485 lobbying-related contacts between the Rove’s and Abramoff's staffs"

and it all went to sell access to the war president for $$ to feed the GOP re-elections.

Early on in the protests, I remember a woman held a sign that said "How many bodies per gallon?"

It's really, "How many bodies per vote."

Freedom isn't free. Neither are elections.

I'd love to see someone re-draw that poster of Delay and insert Karl. I bet there isn't one person on that poster who didn't get divine intervention from B* through Rove.

Yep. Democrats are just like republicans.

[defendandprotect]

26. BEAUTIFUL TO BEHOLD -- !!!! Thank you -- !!! Now ... . ..

IF it would actually go somewhere -- !!!!

I wonder ........

IF Conyers is picking up any of this info as leads re his own investigations?

IF the Republicans actually think that EVERYONE is as corrupt as they are, including their own AGs . . . which seems to have kinda tripped them up.

IF they were simply counting on being smarter than their own AGs . . . ???

[leveymg]

29. Hey, House staffers read the same newspapers and blogs I do.

They know. But, they and their bosses are severely limited in what they think they can do or say publicly about it.

In fact, if I were on Conyers or Leahy's staff, I would get fired for posting this. Not because the leadership wants to cover it up, but because they can't get too far ahead of what the rest of Congress is willing to risk to do something about it, which ain't much.

But, there's reason to hope that there is more coming. And, none of it's good for the BushCo and the GOP.

If I'm wrong about that, they'll try run out the clock, and praying BushCo will just go away in 2009.

I think that was tried before. Like during Iran-Contra and the S&L scandals. "See no evil, hear no evil . . .", you know the rest.

I don't think they're going to get clean away with it again. They're not that lucky, anymore.

[alllyingwhores]

41. What's the risk for the Dems exposing it?

[leveymg]

43. Risk is the major risk when you think you're ahead on points.

Don't put the ball in the air, as they say.

But, who knows? Maybe there's still some excitement left in this game.

[me b zola]

80. I tend to think that rove's resignation was in exchange for not bringing all of this out

I think that the leadership has the "goods" on rove and brokered a deal to get rid of him in exchange not pursuing criminal charges.

I think the same happened with rumsfeld. Remember how his resignation was unexpected and seemed to appear out of thin air?

I would really like to believe that we will see justice done with rove and the entire cartel, I just don't see it happening, lets hope I'm wrong.



Anyhoo, a most excellent post. Recommended.

[FredStembottom]

90. Thanks, leveymg.

I am always trying to point out that some of the DU "oldsters", like me, are not hard on our Official Dems in D.C. simply because of events since 2000.

Iran-Contra and the S&L crimes were turned away from by previous Dem Congresses - just as you say - in hopes of running out the clock rather than truly get to the bottom of anything.

I even still harbor resentments over the continuous blocking of Jimmy Carter by his own party!

But....I remain ever (faintly) hopeful and a straight party-line voter since the only possible path is re-capture of the Democratic party by true Progressives.

I sincerely hope that you are correct and the run-the-clock-out gambit won't work this time. I would like to see the Prom Kings and Dairy Princesses who "represent" us cornered into action.

[peacetalksforall]

92. Perhaps in our future we might see Jenna or Barbara claiming to

be a new Republican and running for President - and Jim Baker will still be there 'advising' on behalf of Carlyle and their circle of weapons-earth resources-perpetual war-banking-media ownership circle.

[lovuian]

30. This is AWESOME!!!

thanks for this Article it explains it all

[Catherine Vincent]

34. Kick!

[L. Coyote]

31. EXIT RIGHT. Sara Taylor, WH political director, Rove Aide RESIGNS? "subpoenas for her testimony"

The questions recently asked regarding Rove's aides now also applies to Rove:

So, what do the euphemisms mean? "cleared out her office," "leave the president’s employ," and "headed out to the private sector" ?

Add the question. "What impact have the actions of Rove's subordinates had on his departure?"

ARCHIVED: EXIT RIGHT. Sara Taylor, WH political director, Rove Aide RESIGNS? "subpoenas for her testimony"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

"Taylor is reportedly intimately involved in the U.S. Attorney scandal"
==================
Senior Rove aide leaves White House.
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/28/another-top-aide-le...

White House political director and top Karl Rove aide Sara Taylor, “who has been with George W. Bush from the outset of his first presidential campaign, is the latest staff member to leave the president’s employ.

Taylor cleared out her office early last week .... According to Kyle Sampson, Taylor was directly promoting efforts to appoint attorneys without Senate confirmation ......

[L. Coyote]

32. DEAL OR NO DEAL? Abramoff's and Rove's ex-aide has "useful information" about Abramoff, White House

What information did Susan Ralston provide to investigators regarding Rove and Abramoff?
Apparently, quite a bit!

==========================
ARCHIVE May-29-07: DEAL OR NO DEAL? Abramoff's and Rove's ex-aide has "useful information" about Abramoff, White House
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Memo: Rove's ex-aide would talk if given immunity
7:42 a.m. EDT, May 23, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/23/rove.aide/index....

• Memo: Ex-aide has "useful information" about Abramoff, White House officials
• Client has info on outside White House e-mail accounts, too, attorney says
• Ralston quit after revelations she was conduit between Abramoff, White House
• Attorney says Ralston will be "comfortable going forward" if granted immunity

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Susan Ralston, a former top assistant to President Bush's political adviser, Karl Rove, is willing to tell Congress what she knows about contacts between White House officials and disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff -- but only if she's granted immunity from prosecution, her lawyer has told congressional investigators.

During a May 10 deposition with Ralston, her attorney, Bradford Berenson, told investigators for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that she "has material, useful information" about contacts between Abramoff and his associates and White House officials, according to a memo sent to committee members Tuesday by the committee's chairman, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California.

Berenson also said Ralston has useful information about the use of outside Republican National Committee e-mail accounts by White House staffers, which is also the subject of a congressional probe, according to the memo.

However, Ralston will only be "comfortable going forward" if she is given a grant of immunity, .........

[leveymg]

39. Remember the phrase, "Don't roll out new products in August." Same goes for

the next round of subpoenas and indictments.

Congress and federal prosecutors obviously have a lot of leverage they can use on Rove and everyone around him. Rove knows more about Bush than Bush knows, and may have already told key parts of it. I wouldn't be surprised if Dubya and Cheney both decide to resign for "health reasons" rather than take this game to the next level.

People shouldn't think the game's over.

[L. Coyote]

55. Way too many canaries are singing from secure jail cells! Abramoff et.al.....

There still are a few prisoner numbers to hand out for the White Collar Mafia gang.

[flyarm]

73. i believe Cunningham was moved to keep him alive while others are testifying

and the prosecution now knows Cunningham's life is in jeapordy..in regular prison..that is why i believe they moved him..i believe they are getting a good idea of the mysterious deaths surrounding the pissy pants crime family!!

they need Cunningham to corroborate what others are saying now..

just my 2 cents..fly

[kineneb]

74. stock exit reason 1A: "to spend more time with his/her family"

Ja, sure. Like they ever would. It is what makes Rove's departure so phony... "spending more time with his family"... bullpucky.

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

==================
GROVELBOT.EXE v4.0
==================



This week is our third quarter 2007 fund drive. Democratic
Underground is a completely independent website. We depend on donations
from our members to cover our costs. Thank you so much for your support.

[formercia]

35. Love those social networks

It gets the Mafia every time. Arrogance has its own rewards.

[L. Coyote]

36. KARL ROVE at work? Uncovering the Arkansas AND Missouri USA Firings?

ARCHIVE Jun-07-07: KARL ROVE at work? Uncovering the Arkansas AND Missouri USA Firings?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Karl Rove at work?
Max Brantley on June 7, 2007 03:49 PM
http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2007/06/karl...

... Robbyn Tumey was planning to run as a Democrat for the legislature from Benton County in 2006. She withdrew after her construction company was indicted in Missouri over wage-and-hour law violations that she believed had been settled three years earlier.

I'll let a filing in federal court tell her story. But it includes the Hutchinson clan of Northwest Arkansas, which had reason to want to punish Tumey, and also a prosecutor from Missouri now hip-deep in allegations about misuse of the Justice Department for political purposes --particularly to punish Democrats. Tumey is one unabashed Democrat. And she's not going quietly in this case.

Read her pleading here (http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/tummeycase.d... ). Interesting. She wants to know, among others, about communications between Asa Hutchinson when he was a Deputy Secretary at Homeland Security and the Justice Department. ... Was there an abuse of prosecutorial discretion to mount a prosecution in Arkansas at a time disadvantageous to a Democrat in Republican Northwest Arkansas and also perhaps benefit a well-connected Republican running for higher office and desperately in need of stoking up his base? ....

NEWS RELEASE

On Tuesday attorneys for the defense in the matter of United States of America vs. Managed Subcontractors International, Inc., et al. (No. 06-03084-01-03-CR-S-GAF) filed a supplemental motion for a bill of particulars requesting the full disclosure of communications between former Undersecretary of Homeland Security Asa Hutchison and former U.S. Attorneys Bradley J. Schlozman and Todd Graves, and any other Department of Justice staff that may have communicated about the prosecution of Managed Subcontractors, Inc. (MSI), which is headed by a Democratic official.

......

MSI president and CEO Robbyn Tumey, a longtime political activist and chair of the Benton County Arkansas Democrat Central Committee at the time of the indictment, was forced to drop her bid for an Arkansas state House seat weeks before the November 2006 election as a result of the charges filed against MSI and Ms. Tumey’s son, Brentt Tumey. Tuesday’s motion by the defense outlines a chronology of events leading up to the June 2006 indictment that shows how Bradley Schlozman’s actions in the federal criminal investigation were politically motivated. ....

..Comments...

[L. Coyote]

37. Abramoff and Kark Rove Linked to Prosecution of Ex-Alabama Governor and Campaign Finances

The full implications of Rove getting the ax are yet to be revealed, I presume. No doubt, many in the WH are working overtime to keep it that way.

Here is one issue/scandal that will no doubt not easily sweep under that massive cover-up carpet at 1600 Penn. Ave.

ARCHIVE Jun-01-07 : Abramoff and Kark Rove Linked to Prosecution of Ex-Alabama Governor and Campaign FinancesAbramoff and Kark Rove Linked to Prosecution of Ex-Alabama Governor and Campaign Finances
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Rove Linked to Prosecution of Ex-Alabama Governor
By ADAM ZAGORIN/WASHINGTON
Friday, Jun. 01, 2007
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1627427,...

In the rough and tumble of Alabama politics, the scramble for power is often a blood sport. At the moment, the state's former Democratic governor, Don Siegelman, stands convicted of bribery and conspiracy charges and faces a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Siegelman has long claimed that his prosecution was driven by politically motivated, Republican-appointed U.S. attorneys.

Now Karl Rove, the President's top political strategist, has been implicated in the controversy. A long time Republican lawyer in Alabama swears she heard a top G.O.P. operative in the state say that Rove "had spoken with the Department of Justice" about "pursuing" Siegelman, with help from two of Alabama's U.S. attorneys. ..............

========================
From June 3, 2005 by the Boston Globe
Gambling, GOP Politics Intertwine
Casino Payments Seen as Influential
by Michael Kranish - http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0603-08.htm


WASHINGTON -- George W. Bush gave the nation's gambling industry plenty of reason to fear his presidency. .... He wooed religious conservatives by boasting in a presidential debate about his ''strong antigambling record."

But as president, Bush has not spoken out against gambling. .... as Republican lobbyists and activist groups collected tens of millions of dollars from Indian tribes seeking to preserve their casinos. Now those payments are the focus of Senate and Justice Department investigations.

... White House ... annual sessions over a four-year period that were arranged by antitax crusader Grover Norquist ... After Bush dropped his antigambling rhetoric, lobbyists touted their access, and fund-raising from Indian tribes grew exponentially.

...Norquist('s) ... organization received $1.5 million from tribes and fought a tax on Indian casinos; lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a top Bush fund-raiser who earned millions of dollars in fees as a consultant to gaming tribes; and Ralph Reed ... allegedly used some money from Indian gaming tribes to fund his efforts to close down rival casinos and lotteries

.........Bush worked closely with religious conservatives, especially Reed....

..... Tiguas poured tens of thousands of dollars into the campaign of the Democrat running against Bush in 1998 .... Bush redoubled his earlier efforts to shut down the Tigua casino. ... special appropriation ... for the state's attorney general, John Cornyn, now a US senator, to take legal action against the tribe.....

Abramoff, who helped arrange for the rival tribes to give the money to Reed's group, turned around and offered his services to the Tiguas -- for $4.2 million in fees split between himself and a partner

..... Abramoff and his partner in Indian gaming consulting would receive more than $60 million in fees from six different tribes seeking to advance their gambling interests ... Abramoff also told the tribes to give money ... the tribes gave $3 million, two-thirds of it to Republicans

.... Abramoff and Norquist .. worked (for) ... candidate ... following year, Abramoff and Norquist came to Washington together to lead the Republican Party's national effort to recruit college students. Reed soon joined ...


In 1999, Don Siegelman, the Democratic governor of Alabama, proposed a lottery that would have pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into public schools and even provided free college education for most Alabama high school graduates.

Reed, rallying religious conservatives, set out to try to defeat it ... quickly raised $1.15 million .... money came from Norquist's group, Americans for Tax Reform. Norquist ... got the funds from an Indian gaming tribe ...At the time Reed raised the money, he was working for Abramoff ... and Abramoff represented the Mississippi tribe.

Siegelman ..."'I don't know how they can sleep at night taking money from the Indian casinos to deny Alabama schoolchildren...."

.... Abramoff, meanwhile, appears to be the central focus ....Bush has not spoken on the matter.

MUCH MORE: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[c2farr]

38. The Repugly Party of Gangstas will go

the way of the Whigs. By the end of Obama's second term, in seventeen and a half years, (after two terms for President Hilary Clinton), the demographics of the U.S. will no longer support the right-wing extremist political operation formerly known as the Republican Party.

It will then be a fledgling bunch of old dying knee-jerk white boys who can barely make double bogey on nine holes as they grunt about the good old days when they received massive war profits from the corrupt corporate welfare system of the Reagan-Bush-Bush era.

[leveymg]

40. I don't think we'll have to wait that long to see the GOP splinter.

Not many of those Republican pot-bellies could swing a double bogey, not even on their best day.


Republican Self-destruction

[DemReadingDU]

47. I'm hoping they're using this month to plan

and lots of fireworks in September!

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Solly Mack]

42. Beautiful!

[DemReadingDU]

45. Bookmarked!

K&R!

[ProSense]

48. The Abramoff Investigation:

September 29, 2006

"BETTER TO NOT PUT THIS STUFF IN WRITING...." The House Government Reform Committee has released a bipartisan report on the Jack Abramoff scandal, including hundreds of emails between Abramoff and various GOP luminaries, including Karl Rove's assistant, Susan Ralston. And why not? Ralston used to work for Abramoff, after all.

repost

[blm]

56. Welcome to the anti-corruption, open government gang, ProSense.

These posters are YOUR PEOPLE and they will LOVE YOU, too. ;)))))

[bobthedrummer]

104. Yep, worth another kick

[robertpaulsen]

49. Big K & R for leveymg! Great work once again!

[BeHereNow]

50. Allow me to be the 96th to K AND R!!! Great work!!!

BHN

[CatWoman]

51. 101

excellent, EXCELLENT work, leveymg!!

[Old and In the Way]

52. Another quality post, leveymg!

I think it's pretty obvious that the "leaving to spend more time with the family" is code for "leaving to spend more time with his defense attorneys". I think the game was over when the Republicans lost control of the House and Senate last year. I really think they figured that Iraq would be a winner and that would keep them in control of Congress.

Justice is painfully slow and obviously Fredo is the final firewall on keeping the machinery from exposing the true depth and breadth of the most corrupted government ever foisted upon us. But I do think that the engine of justice is picking up steam and the next year is going to bring us more and more evidence that we are dealing with a true crime syndicate that masquerades as a political party. Bring it on!

[kenny blankenship]

53. bbJeebuS! Does anyone know where KKKarl was on Nov. 22, 1963 ?

[leveymg]

72. Practicing . . .>

[Arugula Latte]

54. Corruption and Slime, Thy Name is GOP

Jesus! What a gang of criminals run this country!

[Major Hogwash]

57. Great graphics. Laid out the case quite nicely.

I don't understand how he kept from being indicted for this long.

[Vidar]

58. K&R.

[wicket]

59. Best.post.ever

[lonestarnot]

60. Red Rover knows the sheet is gona hit the fan. Trying to enjoy a bit

of dat freedom for a few days. Heh.

[eugeneliberal]

61. Dove?

Interesting that Rove's parting comment was that he was going to go "dove hunting" and the $80 billion slush fund is known as Yamamah ("The Dove").

[L. Coyote]

62. NEEDED: A thread with all the players who are cooperating with investigations.

So much of the focus is on those who are refusing to talk to investigators (for simplicity, we can call them "the guilty") and little attention is given to the people who are providing information. That list keeps growing.

[Kurovski]

63. Best Rove post yet.

Thanks, K&R.

[EndlessMaze]

64. Why oh why?!?!?!

And my (actually I don't in any way claim the Bastard) congressman, is Jerry Lewis (R Ca0. Another repukelikin teflon fukwad stuck right in the middle of all of this krap.

How long must we endure???? How long?

[blm]

66. As long as some powerful Democrats keep protecting BushInc and preventing

all the books being opened as needed - as they should have been opened in 1993.


What are the chances we'll ever have another anti-corruption, open government Democratic nominee again?

[Blackhatjack]

65. K & R and Bookmarked For Safe Keeping ...Can't Tell The Players Without a Program

[flyarm]

67. Kontogiannis pleaded guilty in February to providing $1.1 million in mortgages to Cunningham

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070630-9999-...

Cunningham-related case involved home

By Greg Moran
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

June 30, 2007

DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO –

Kontogiannis pleaded guilty in February to providing $1.1 million in mortgages to Cunningham for a Rancho Santa Fe mansion, even though he knew the house was the proceeds of illegal activity.
Cunningham is serving an eight-year, four-month sentence after admitting he accepted bribes from defense contractors that helped purchase the home and other property.
In an unusual step, Kontogiannis' guilty plea was done in a secret, closed hearing. The plea agreement was unsealed earlier this month, and last week Burns ordered that transcripts of four hearings related to the plea also be made public.
Federal prosecutors objected in motions filed under seal last week. Yesterday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal ordered the documents to remain secret and scheduled a hearing for the week of Aug. 6.
At a hearing in federal court in San Diego yesterday, Burns said that the government invoked federal laws dealing with classified information in their papers filed last week.

He said that when the secret hearings took place four months ago, prosecutors knew that the information would become open eventually, and did not object then.
The judge appeared irked that the government was now objecting to the information becoming public and was raising the issue of classified information “for the first time ever.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Forge said government lawyers decided after the hearings that they wanted more information kept secret than they first believed was necessary.
Without going into details, Forge told Burns “the scope of the information the government viewed as non-disclosable turned out to be broader” than they originally thought.

Kontogiannis is expected to be a witness in the upcoming trial of his nephew, John Michael, and Poway defense contractor Brent Wilkes. Both are charged with money laundering, and Wilkes is charged with bribing Cunningham in return for lucrative defense contracts. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Ray Granger, the lawyer for Michael, criticized the switch of position by prosecutors.
“The government effectively sucker-punched Judge Burns,” he said. “I think there is more to the government's attempt to keep the record sealed than simply the protection of classified information.”

[flyarm]

68. Critics Slam Intel Chair's Secrecy Over Bribery Report

Critics Slam Intel Chair's Secrecy Over Bribery Report

Source: ABC News Blotter

Justin Rood Reports:

Reyes_sylvester2_main A senior lawmaker is facing tough criticism for burying a report on criminal behavior on his committee.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Tex., chairman of the House intelligence committee, did not respond today to questions from the Blotter on ABCNews.com about why he refuses to release a report on the abuses of power by former committee member Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

The one-time California Republican lawmaker took millions in bribes in exchange for awarding millions more in government contracts he wrote into law. He is now serving a lengthy prison term for his misdeeds.

"It's exactly the wrong thing to do," said Steven Aftergood of the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists of Reyes' decision to withhold the report. "They should be setting an example of accountability and transparency."

Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/07/critics-sla ...

[flyarm]

69. Imprisoned Cunningham outlines depths of corruption to FBI

Imprisoned Cunningham outlines depths of corruption to FBI

Source: San Diego Union Tribune (SignonSandiego.com) - Copley News Service

By George E. Condon Jr. and Marcus Stern
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

8:53 p.m. July 17, 2007

WASHINGTON – In two days of prison interviews with federal agents this year, disgraced former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham described a level of corruption on his part more extensive than previously known and dealt a potentially devastating blow to the defense being waged by one of the defense contractors alleged to have bribed him.

The interviews were conducted in February at the federal prison near Tucson, where the longtime Republican congressman is serving an eight-year and four-month sentence after admitting to accepting more than $2.4 million in bribes. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion.

According to an 11-page FBI summary of the sessions, obtained by Copley News Service, Cunningham was very much the initiator of his corrupt actions, demanding bribes, accepting envelopes with cash and displaying an insatiable appetite for more money, more cars, more drink, more fine food and more expensive goods.

Cunningham's answers are bad news for Brent Wilkes, president of Poway-based ADCS Inc., who is fighting bribery charges against him. They set the stage for what could be a dramatic courtroom showdown between the former North County congressman and his longtime benefactor.

Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/cunningham /...

[Riverman]

71. I Look Forward to the Indictment of Doolittle for His links to Rove

and Abramhof, and see that creepy beady-eyed facist from Placer County - California's most republican Congressional District thrown in a maximum security federal pen. Oh, how sweet it will be when Doolittle is dragged out of his Virginia townhouse in the perp-walk, with his skanky wife being dragged out in handcuffs right behind him. Oh how I hate these people. Doolittle, Cunningham, DeLay, Rove and Abramhof your arrogance has been the rope that will hang you. We need one grand Tribunal to indict the lot of these crimminals. May they burn in Hell for eternity!

[L. Coyote]

75. Doolittle's staff is cooperating with authorities.

MORE SUBPOENAS: Feds Talk to Ex-Doolittle Aides, documents given to prosecutors
from: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Congressional Committee subpoenas and investigations is one front in the War on the Culture of Corruption.
Federal investigators are also using their subpoena powers to investigate members of Congress.

==========================
Feds Talk to Another Ex-Doolittle Aide
June 27, 2007 8:16 PM
By ERICA WERNER, AP
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6740561...

WASHINGTON (AP) - California GOP Rep. John Doolittle's former legislative director said Wednesday he was recently contacted by federal investigators in their probe of Doolittle's ties to jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Pete Evich, Doolittle's legislative director from 1998 to 2002 and now a lobbyist, told The Associated Press that he plans to talk to the Justice Department.

The news comes two days after an attorney for another ex-Doolittle aide, former chief of staff David Lopez, said he'd given documents to federal prosecutors under subpoena.

Evich's disclosure suggests prosecutors are widening their investigation in the wake of an FBI raid on Doolittle's home in April ..........

=============================
MORE: JOHN DOOLITTLE: Defiant Doolittle says he won't resign amid inquiry
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

KEVIN RING, Doolittle's Ex-Aide, Could Be Liability for Lawmaker
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Ex-Aide Could Be Liability for Lawmaker
As California GOP Rep. John Doolittle awaits prosecutors’ next move in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling scandal, his future is tied to that of a former aide who also worked with Abramoff.

Kevin Ring, Doolittle’s one-time legislative director, quit his lobbying job last month, the same day FBI agents raided Doolittle’s Virginia home...

[Norrin Radd]

77. k+r

[Festivito]

79. Not hard to look a genius WHEN YOU CHEAT. nt.

[krj44]

82. to keep rove from operating

his dirty tricks squad,keep him in court.

[Pastiche423]

83. K&R

To come back and reread when my brain is working.

[democrank]

84. "Genius" gone wild.

Hope Rove still has time to program Junior Bush. If not, no telling how many juvenile stunts we`ll be forced to endure.

Many thanks for this terrific, informative post.

[Lint Head]

85. This needs to be be copied and pasted into the 'report breaking

news' forms on the websites of Fox, CNN, NBC, CBS etc. Anyone can do this. If enough of us do maybe the major news organizations will stop ignoring it because so many will have demonstrated they want to hear about it. It is breaking news because the dots have not been connected so well in this manner.

[4dsc]

86. Nothing will become of this matter

Something tells that absolutely nothing will become of this matter because the democrat's are still scared of Rove!! Too many times we've seen this before about Rove's illegal dealing and what's happened?? Nothing!!

So please don't hold your breath waiting for an indictment.. I won't be..

[efhmc]

87. I would be delighted to think otherwise but I agree that nothing will

happen.

[L. Coyote]

89. If evidence comes to light, there will be an indictment. Meanwhile Hatch Act violations

Meanwhile, for Hatch Act violations the penalty is not as harsh. I suspect that the Administration's own US Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has found Rove guilty of violations. By resigning, Rove may escape the penalty.

The Hatch Act prohibits Federal executive branch employees from engaging in political activity while on duty, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an individual employed or holding office in the U.S. government. Political activity is activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate or group.

Imagine Rove as Deputy Chief of Staff in the White House adhering to this law!!

[porphyrian]

88. I just like seeing this subject line. - n/t

[myrna minx]

91. Whoa. This is a fantastic post. K&R.

[JudyM]

94. 200th rec, never done that before. Great post!! What happened to all the $?

If these world leaders were paying millions to meet with shrubbie, who got the $? Who's following the trail...

[leveymg]

95. Much $ went to the RNC and to GOP candidates. That was part of the deal. Everyone knew.

Abramoff, DeLay, Scanlon, Cunningham, Rep. Lewis were essentionally bagmen for transfeering massive amounts of (primarily Saudi) foreign money to the Republican Party. The GOP is bought and paid for by the same people who financed Osama bin Laden.

In 1976, then Director of Central Intelligence, George H.W. Bush, cut the deal with the head of Saudi Intelligence, Prince Turki. See, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Rove was the key to dispensing White House favors in exchange for cash.

[JudyM]

100. Whew. You're doing some great, exhaustive research/writing here. Thanks for the view! n/t

[lala_rawraw]

96. well done!!!

[greymattermom]

97. Fired?

I think * fired him. Does anyone else think so?

[BearSquirrel2]

98. There's that other shoe ...

... I was waiting for that to drop.

[bobthedrummer]

102. .

[bobthedrummer]

103. "Time is up." kick