Freebies, Fat Cats, and a Very Busy Back Room

[rainbow4321]

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050502/2whitehouse.htm

Every few years in Washington a new scandal blows up, and it usually involves lobbyists, lawmakers, money--and a well-heeled watering hole. Thus, it comes as small surprise that Jack Abramoff, a GOP superlobbyist now under investigation by a grand jury and two Senate committees, owns a restaurant called Signatures and that some lawmakers were not paying for fundraising events held there--until questioned by the press. Hill staffers say there may be other shenanigans involving lawmakers and lobbyists who frequent the restaurant/bar.

Located on Pennsylvania Avenue between Capitol Hill and the White House, Signatures has hosted more than 60 Republican fundraisers in the past three years--many in a dimly lit back room behind the sushi bar. One fundraiser, in June 2003, was for Illinois Rep. Dennis Hastert. This month, BusinessWeek Online reported that Hastert failed to pay for the fundraiser until a reporter began asking questions. The tab has since been paid by Hastert's political action committee and filed with the Federal Election Commission. Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican, acknowledged that his campaign also failed to pay a Signatures fundraising tab from September 2003. Vitter said he had intended to pay but was never charged.

U.S. News has learned that some congressional staffers have asked lobbyists to leave their credit cards at Signatures so they could eat and drink on their tabs--sometimes even if the lobbyist wasn't there. Such actions could violate congressional ethics rules.

Abramoff also once owned a kosher deli, and he apparently wined and dined his pals at both joints. He'd take you to "the deli if you were not too important," an investigator joked, "and to the steakhouse if you were."

[UpInArms]

1. and if you were a taxpayer,

he'd take you to the cleaners.

Abramoff also once owned a kosher deli, and he apparently wined and dined his pals at both joints. He'd take you to "the deli if you were not too important," an investigator joked, "and to the steakhouse if you were."

:argh:

[rainbow4321]

2. Yet another list...

Wow..if that Signatures restaurant was THIRD on this list, you wonder what has happened at the top two places. Heh, heh..at this rate, the repukes' and their lobbiests' future big outings may be peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a park bench....


http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/050502/2whisplead.htm

Where to Dine Like A Republican
It's not a list the Republicans wanted out, but a growing lobbyist scandal and some nifty Democratic spying have given us enough info to provide the first-ever Guide to Top GOP Fundraising Restaurants. If there's a theme to the top 10, it's that lawmakers like good eats, especially steaks, but demand convenience even more, since virtually all restaurants are within walking distance of the Capitol. The most popular fundraising spots for Republicans over the past four years: pricy La Colline, 106 times. Next, the Tex-Mex pub Tortilla Coast, 76 times. Third, Signatures, the expensive joint owned by scandal-plagued lobbyist Jack Abramoff, 65 times. Other hot spots: Caucus Room, Bullfeathers bar, Capital Grille steakhouse, Charlie Palmer's steakhouse, Hunan Dynasty, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and the Monocle, the famed Senate-side watering hole. And the new favorite locations? Starbucks, for coffee and danish, and Bowl America. Republican officials promise payback. "This," pledged a GOP leadership aide, "is going to get ugly."