Secrecy -- It’s what’s for dinner

[struggle4progress]

Op-Ed
Pete Jackson: Secrecy -- It’s what’s for dinner
Published: Friday, May 4, 2007 10:53 AM CDT

~snip~ A few words on the scandal that apparently has no end. Mark Zachares, a congressional aide to Republican Congressman Don Young (R-AK) pleaded guilty to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. This makes Zachares the eleventh person convicted in this ongoing influence-peddling drama.

According to an article in USA Today (4-19-07), FBI agents searched the home of Republican Congressman John Doolittle (R-CA), over his ties to guess who--you are correct--it was Jack Abramoff. According to the article, “The search last Friday focused on records of Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions, a company run by Doolittle’s wife, Julie, attorney David Barger said. Julie Doolittle was on retainer for Abramoff from 2002 to 2004 for event-planning work. The search of Doolittle’s home in Oakton, Va., occurred the same day that Kevin Ring, a former Doolittle aide who went on to work for Abramoff resigned his law firm job without explanation.” ~snip~

This just in. According to an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (4-29-07), a very high ranking U.S. State Department official resigned on 4-27-07 because of “personal reasons.” Mr. Randall Tobias appears to be involved in an investigation of a prostitution ring in Washington, D.C. It’s been reported that Tobias told ABC News that he used the service for massages, not sex. He has been a major donor to various Republican campaigns. We’ll leave out the usual “family values” song and dance on this one.

Wait a minute. Here’s a new one. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (5-2-07), “An Interior Department official accused of pressuring government scientists to make their research fit policy goals has resigned. ~snip~

http://www.thesuntimes.com/articles/2007/05/04/news/news13.txt