McCain's Reed Fundraiser Revives Scrutiny Of His Abramoff Investigation

[L. Coyote]

What did John McCain know, and when did he know it?

(Yesterday, I used the Tip Hotline to remind CREW about McCain's Abramoff cover-up just before the 2004 election. Today, this)
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McCain's Reed Fundraiser Revives Scrutiny Of His Abramoff Investigation
http://citizensforethics.org/node/33712

13 Aug 2008 // The political world, and the Democratic Party in particular, is in a buzz over news that John McCain will attend a fundraiser hosted by Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition who fell from grace during the Jack Abramoff scandal.

'The Senator has come full circle,' goes the most common refrain -- a reference to both McCain's claim to scorn Washington's seedy lobbyists culture and the fact that his investigation into Abramoff effectively derailed Reed's political ambitions.

But there is, in fact, a far more curious and potentially damaging tie that connects the Arizona Republican and the religious right figure.

One of the projects on which Reed aided Abramoff was an effort financed by the Mississippi Choctaws to shut down other casino games in Alabama. ....

.... the implications of McCain's decision were far reaching. Riley was able to beat the incumbent in that election -- a governor by the name of Don Siegleman, who was weighed down by seemingly politically-motivated leaks that federal prosecutors were looking into corruption charges -- by a mere 3,000 votes.

To be sure, while McCain may have protected Riley from the scrutiny of his investigation ....

......... (+ Lots of article links with this CREW post.)

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SUPPORT CREW = citizensforethics.org!!!!

McCain was, in all likelihood, focused on protecting George W. Bush's re-election, not Riley!!
The implication in all this is that McCain was well aware of the crimes in Alabama, from the
illegal funding of the Riley campaign to the theft of the 2002 Siegleman election victory!

McCain KNEW!

SEE ALSO:

Deja DU - Abramoff and Kark Rove Linked to Prosecution of Ex-Alabama Governor and Campaign Finances
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1023111

[L. Coyote]

1. The McCain/Abramoff Scandal Cover-up :: :: :: :: dengre's dKos diary :: :: :: ::

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/8/222648/0915/57/433195

...... what did McCain do?

Why, he led the McCain/Bush Corruption Cover-Up of the Abramoff scandal. ....

it was McCain who led the Senate’s Indian Affairs Committee’s investigation of Jack Abramoff.

Did I say investigation, sorry my bad, I meant cover-up.

From the start, McCain worked overtime to keep a lid on the most damaging aspects of the Abramoff scandal and slow-walk the investigation.

He shaped the narrative. Abramoff became a rogue lobbyist who took advantage of his GOP pals to rip off some casinos.

McCain converted the scandal into Hollywood "heist/caper" film, knowing that American prejudices against Native Americans and tribal casinos would help hide the damning details of the Abramoff scandal:
* Jack’s role as a 25-year bagman for the GOP: hidden. * Jack’s close working relationship with the Bush White House: hidden. * Jack’s close working relationship with the Republican Congressional Leadership: hidden. * Jack’s role in dirty tricks and off-the-books money for the GOP: hidden. * Jack’s role in Medicare reform: hidden. * Jack’s role energy policy: hidden.

McCain actively controlled the story and he put the investigation into slow motion. He ensured that it was a not a factor in the 2004 election. Then he ensured that voters would not know about how closely Abramoff, Rove and Bush worked together. The work of McCain limited the damage the Abramoff scandal had on the GOP in the 2006 election.

He also has suppressed a literal mountain of evidence—over 750,000 pages of documents ..............

[L. Coyote]

3. Corrupt Sleazebags in bed: Ralph Reed hosts McCain Fundraiser.

Corrupt Sleazebags in bed: Ralph Reed hosts McCain Fundraiser... Hotlist
by dengre
Wed Aug 13, 2008 - http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/13/2512/99310/342/567146

John McCain is a Corruptionist. For those without a dictionary, that means that he is a politician who has protected and upheld corrupt practices throughout his political career.

His dirty work is obscured by his carefully constructed myth as a "maverick" and his false mask of a reformer. It is all hype. His reputation is built on a twisted web of lies and protected by a legion of well trained sycophants in the media.

Every now and then, a clear portrait of McCain emerges such as last week’s profile in the Phoenix New Times by Amy Silverman, who wrote about the sordid career of the Senator from Arizona—a man she has been covering for years. It is a must read.

Mark it down as yet more data points proving McCain’s deep corruptionist tendencies.

There are many more. ............

[L. Coyote]

2. Melanie Sloan on John McCain and Ralph Reed: “You just have to wonder who’s the bigger hypocrite.”

Melanie Sloan on John McCain and Ralph Reed: “You just have to wonder who’s the bigger hypocrite.”
http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/33690

13 Aug 2008 // As we reported Monday, Jack Abramoff's ally, Ralph Reed, is hosting a fundraiser for presidential candidate John McCain next week. We stand by our suggestion that John McCain should review the 66 pages of correspondence between Mr. Reed and convicted felon, Jack Abramoff, which were obtained by his committee. Those emails between Reed and Abramoff are posted at governmentdocs.org.

In addition, we think McCain should cancel the fundraiser:

Republican presidential candidate John McCain so far is ignoring calls from several watchdog groups to cancel an Atlanta fundraiser promoted by Ralph Reed, a longtime friend and business partner of imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Public Citizen, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and Campaign Money Watch are urging the Arizona senator to cancel plans for the Aug. 18 fundraiser at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta and remove Reed from McCain’s Victory 2008 Team.

...................

[L. Coyote]

4. Ghost of Abramoff haunts McCain

I'm seeing a lot of media with a misplaced focus on 2006
instead of McCain covering-up all this before 2004 elections!!

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Ghost of Abramoff haunts McCain
Alexander Lane - August 13th, 2008 - http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/aug/13/ghost-abramoff-strikes-mccain/


SUMMARY: McCain has championed his role in bringing lobbyist Jack Abramoff to justice. Now, allegations that McCain is raising money through an Abramoff associate hit hard.

Critics of Sen. John McCain have seized on news that controversial political strategist Ralph Reed is helping McCain's campaign. The Democratic National Committee piled on in a recent news release.

"On the campaign trail, John McCain likes to brag about chairing the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that investigated criminal lobbyist Jack Abramoff's role in the Republican culture of corruption," the DNC said in the Aug. 13 release. "But that is not stopping John McCain from raising campaign cash with one of Abramoff's closest business partners: scandal plagued conservative activist Ralph Reed."

Reed is the former executive director of the Christian Coalition and currently a principle of the political consulting company Century Strategies. He was credited as a key operative in George W. Bush's sharp-elbowed effort against McCain in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary in 2000. McCain, in turn, chaired the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in 2006 when it investigated and unveiled Reed's deep personal and business ties to Abramoff, a lobbyist who pleaded guilty to three felonies. .....

[Supersedeas]

5. suddenly the Free Ride Media has forgotten about Abramoff too--no questions for Kelly O'Donnell

[annabanana]

6. McCain, Reed, Abramoff. . .peas in a pod. . . (k&r). . .n/t