CAN ANYONE THINK OF ANYTHING THAT LINKS NEWT...

[butterfly77]

GRINCH TO SOME OF THESE SCANDALS? I KNOW HE HAS TO BE INVOLVED SOMEWHERE.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Oh come on.

:tinfoilhat:

[Kingshakabobo]

3. Huh?

You don't think it's possible for Mr. Morals (dips his wick in the office pool)Gingrich to be involved with Abramoff?

[Midlodemocrat]

4. Not unless he has also perfected time travel.

And posts like the OPs make us look like lunatics. Let's stick with the facts and ease up on the speculation.

[Kingshakabobo]

10. Abramoff registered as a lobbyist in 1994

Newt was speaker till 1999. Abramoff has been on the national scene with his pal Norquist since '84.

The question hardly rises to the level of aliens causing the Tsunami.

Let's stick to the facts and history. Frankly, your use of a tin foil hat symbol makes you look rude and uninformed.



edit:spelling

[Midlodemocrat]

18. The question is ridiculous.

And so are you for buying into it. The tin foil hat symbol is there for a reason.

Just because you dislike a particular politician doesn't make them a criminal.

And don't lecture me about politics in DC in the 90s. I lived it.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

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

[Midlodemocrat]

24. So I'm a freeper?

Ha. Ha. I think Skinner might disagree, but hey, knock yourself out.

[sundog]

25. i'm more suspicious of people with disabled profiles

but that's just me

[Midlodemocrat]

26. .

:thumbsup:

[LostinVA]

27. Two things YOU are very much mistaken about, Butterfly77:

1.) Midlothiandem is absolutely no Freeper, and you are breaking DU rules by saying so. Underpants earned his Lib street cred around here long ago. I, however, don't know who the hell you are, or anything about you, Mr./Ms. Disable Profile.

2.) There are definitely ridiculous questions.

On edit: mixed up prounouns, Mid. Sorry! Long day today...

[ScreamingMeemie]

28. OMG! You've described Midlo to a T...Wow....

She was just posting the other day her master plan to destroy us all....

There may not be ridiculous questions but there sure as heck are ridiculous posts. I nominate yours. :hi:

[LostinVA]

30. I saw her at Crate & Barrel this weekend handing out W stickers

I was shocked for a minute, until I saw something I've been wanting was way on sale, so forgot about it until Butterfly called the Midlothster out on her Freeperhood.

[Debi]

29. So everyone who disagrees with you is a republican?

well, count me as one of the many Democratic Underground Undercover Republicans (The DUUPs) Cuz search far and wide for conspiracy theories doesn't help the Democratic cause any!

[Douglas Carpenter]

15. no one is more anti-conspiracy theory than me..but this is not implausible

Norquest was almost certainly into it up to his neck and he used to work for Newt. However, in what little searching I have done so far, I can't find anything except a vague article from Washington Post Nov 8, 2004 which mentions that the lobbying firm that Abramhoff used to work for had "strong ties" to Newt. See link below. No smoking gun yet anyway.
Remember New didn't leave Congress until January 99

[Dongfang Hong]

2. Ease up on that caps lock key, pardn'r.

But unless we play Six Degress of Kevin Bacon, no. Gingrich was long out of office by the time Jack 'off came out to play. I'm sure you could follow a few thousand dollars from Jack 'off to Gingrich by playing Jack gave cash to X did favors for Y gave a blowjob to Z who golfed with Gingrich, but nothing serious.

[butterfly77]

6. I heard that newt was a mentor to Abramhoff...back when he

did the contract on america.

[Dongfang Hong]

8. But yet that doesn't mean anything.

Gingrich was the top dog in Congress back then; of course every Republican would try to ally themselves with him. Just recently Gingrich called for a permanant replacement of Tom DeLay--doesn't really sound like he's putting himself in the same boat with Jack'off.

[butterfly77]

9. No. he's setting himself up to run for pres...

or some other office. Yesterday on C-span when someone asked about his adultery. He says he is a changed man. I guess he's seen the light. NOT.

[Dongfang Hong]

11. He certainly has his eye on the White House,

but he still has no links to Abramoff.

[butterfly77]

17. you never know; I was watching him on C-span ...

putting his spin on things. Everytime a controversy
comes up him and Pat Buchanan show up to put their spin on it and these are the masters of lies. They are always in the background planning or coming on shows to setup how the media tells the story,another one is Eagleburger, I think his first name is Lawrence.

[Kingshakabobo]

13. I wouldn't be so sure and I don't know why you are so sure.

It's hardly "six degrees of separation." Abramoff registered as a lobbyist in '94. Newt was speaker up to '99. His pal Norquist helped author Newt's contract for America. Hardly distant relations.

Is there any dirt? I don't know but it's certainly not an idea worthy of a tin foil hat as one of the other posters on this thread suggested.

[Dongfang Hong]

20. I'm sure Newt was involved in the Abramoff culture, but

at the same time I just can't see any reason for him to have actually touched any of the money that's gone around. I think only the people that directly gave or directly took money are the only ones that won't be able to wriggle free, and unless something big turns up, I can't see how Gingrich would have been a direct player. While not on the tinfoil level, I don't think it's anywhere on the board of "likely."

[MsAnthropy]

5. He's had lots of time to plot revenge for being unseated

after the whole "Contract with America" crap, and he'd be the type to do it.

[Dongfang Hong]

7. What? No. Contract with America was what ushered him

into office in a stunning victory, giving Republicans control of Congress for the first time in decades. It was the failure of the Clinton Impeachment that eventually lead to his political death. And there's just no way he could be involved with the Abramoff business.

[blm]

31. Are you kidding? Newt's GOPAC was using the same strategies as Abramoff

and Reed was also a major alliance factor for Newt as well.

Just because some people weren't paying attention to how the GOP was working the last thirty years, doesn't mean ALL of us were asleep.

[donkeyotay]

12. I don't think it's a ridiculous question at all

Newt was an active participant in bullying the CIA to see the neocon way on Bush's War, so he's still very much a player even without elected office. And, like Abramoff, he has lots of charities and high-minded, patriotic-sounding fronts. I don't have any dirt on him, but I sure don't think it's unthinkable to think he might have a role somewhere in this mess.

[Douglas Carpenter]

14. from the Washington Post

The only definite link I have found so far is pretty vague--Grover Norquest of course is quite closely linked and he used to work for Gingrich. Other than that:

There was a call today by Newt to elect a new permanent majority leader:

"And former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) called on House Republicans to elect a new majority leader to permanently replace Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), Abramoff's most powerful ally in Washington, who faces a trial on unrelated criminal charges of violating Texas campaign laws."

link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010301609.html

and this was from article from Nov. 8, 2004 which reports that his lobbying firm maintained "strong ties" to Newt

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32633-2004Nov7.html

snip:

"Abramoff took a job as a Washington lobbyist for the firm Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds in 1994. In its hiring announcement, the firm said that Abramoff "maintains strong ties to Speaker Newt Gingrich, Majority Leader Dick Armey, Majority Whip Tom Delay and Republican Policy Committee Chairman Chris Cox and their staffs."

you might also try this google search:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=jack%2Babramoff%2Bnewt%2Bgingrich&btnG=Search

If anyone out there has Lexus/Nexus they out to give it a try

[LiberalFighter]

23. Mysterious Entrance

The Fast Rise and Steep Fall of Jack Abramoff
Washington Post 29 Dec 2005

Almost from the start, Abramoff struck some rival lobbyists as a strange figure who operated on the margins. He even turned up as a representative of the Pakistani military when Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto went to Washington in 1995 to seek the return of $600 million the Islamabad government had paid for 28 F-16 fighters. The sale had been blocked by the U.S. government over concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program.

Bhutto's Washington lobbyists were at the Pakistani Embassy savoring her successful meeting with President Bill Clinton when a man in a suit made a mysterious entrance.

"Suddenly, this portly guy steps in and sits down. He says nothing," recalled one of the lobbyists. The Americans asked him to introduce himself. He folded his arms and refused.

"Finally, he says, 'I am Jack Abramoff,' " recalled the lobbyist, a well-connected Democrat. They had never heard of him. Abramoff explained that he was "close to Newt."

[McCamy Taylor]

16. The DOJ might charge Newt because he ISNT in power to keep

him from running against Jeb. I would rather see them charge some sitting GOPers myself.

[welshTerrier2]

19. Newt made numerous trips to the CIA

both he and cheney got the "slam dunk" they were seeking ... it's hard to know whether he had anything at all to do with Plame but he was definitely involved with pressuring the CIA to support the case for war ...

[notadmblnd]

32. here's an article from The Washington Post

Correction to This Article
A Dec. 29 article about former lobbyist Jack Abramoff cited an incorrect date for an e-mail he sent about client bills. The e-mail was sent in April 2001, not April 2000.

snip:
DeLay, a Christian conservative, did not quite know what to make of Abramoff, who wore a beard and a yarmulke. They forged political ties, but the two men never became personally close, according to associates of both men.

Almost from the start, Abramoff struck some rival lobbyists as a strange figure who operated on the margins. He even turned up as a representative of the Pakistani military when Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto went to Washington in 1995 to seek the return of $600 million the Islamabad government had paid for 28 F-16 fighters. The sale had been blocked by the U.S. government over concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program.

Bhutto's Washington lobbyists were at the Pakistani Embassy savoring her successful meeting with President Bill Clinton when a man in a suit made a mysterious entrance.

"Suddenly, this portly guy steps in and sits down. He says nothing," recalled one of the lobbyists. The Americans asked him to introduce himself. He folded his arms and refused.

"Finally, he says, 'I am Jack Abramoff,' " recalled the lobbyist, a well-connected Democrat. They had never heard of him. Abramoff explained that he was "close to Newt."

more....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/28/AR2005122801588_pf.html

[HootieMcBoob]

34. Not such a ridiculous question after all

If the Republicans are going to try to connect any Democrat with six degrees of separation to Jackoff then it would be stupid not to attempt to connect any Republican with six degrees of separation to jackoff. Don't forget that we need to stop going into gunfights without the appropriate weapons. The question is not only reasonable but needs to be asked and researched, not only for Newt, who it appears was "close" to Abramoff, but with every other right-wing thug.

[Kingshakabobo]

35. I agree. n/t

[Jeffersons Ghost]

33. i hate it but

All I can link newt with is an eft. In nature, a newt is a slippery little salamander like creature that turns into a reptilian sort of animal upon sexual maturity. If you'll answer this question I'll try and help: Is newt in the slippery stage or the reptile-like stage?

[MADem]

36. Now HERE is some good reading on Newt (who never had clean hands)

Aside from getting more swerve, while married to another woman, than Clinton ever did, in the SPEAKER's OFFICE, no less, while having the stones to criticize Clinton without batting an eye, he INVENTED the original version of the K Street Project, damn near...or at least elevated it to a high art. He made what Jackie A did possible, in essence:

...Before the 1994 election, several reports noted that Gingrich had been warning the heads of corporate political action committees to give generously to Republican candidates or face political retribution. It was a threat that soon became conventional wisdom, as Republican leaders built increasingly close ties to the lobbying community and more and more corporate funds found their way into Republican coffers. By 1996, Gingrich found himself saddled with a number of ethical problems similar in type, though not in scale, to the Abramoff scandal. He was accused of misusing nonprofit organizations for political purposes, personally benefiting from political contributions and giving false statements to ethics investigators. The House eventually voted to reprimand Gingrich and require him to pay a $300,000 penalty.

Back then, many of Gingrich's Republican colleagues turned against him, in much the same way that Gingrich has now taken to criticizing Republicans tied to Abramoff. "Newt has done some things that have embarrassed House Republicans and embarrassed the House," said Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., at the time.

At the Rotary, Gingrich joined a growing chorus of Republicans who are trying to get out in front of the ever-broadening ethics scandals. For instance, Grover Norquist, a former advisor to Gingrich, has called on Congress to consider making it more difficult for individual politicians to give favors, like pork barrel spending, to favored lobbyists. "If you put the birthday cake under the sink the cockroaches will find it," Norquist said, in a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon. "Get rid of the cake and you will get rid of the cockroaches."

Norquist has personal ties both to Abramoff and the scandal, having worked closely with the former lobbyist, who was a personal friend, for decades. According to documents and testimony produced in the Senate, Norquist played a role in Abramoff's work, at one point arranging meetings between Abramoff's clients and White House officials for which Abramoff later took credit. Norquist's organization, Americans for Tax Reform, also received money from Abramoff's clients that was later used to pay Ralph Reed, another Republican strategist, who was secretly working with Abramoff. ...
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/01/05/gingrich/index.html

[Douglas Carpenter]

37. Is Newt Gingrich Really Outraged About Corruption?

Go to: http://www.workingforchange.com/blog

"The media is falling all over itself to portray former House Speaker
Newt Gingrich (R) as a saint for publicly saying he is "outraged"
over the GOP's corruption scandals. Incredibly, almost no one has
noted that it was Gingrich who was the architect of the "K Street
Project" and the systems of corruption that have taken over politics.
Perhaps even worse, it was Gingrich who was the key figure in helping
a guy named Jack Abramoff ascend to prominence as a lobbyist and
vote-buying artist in the first place. So how come the media is
allowing Gingrich - who is gearing up for a run for president - to
get away with playing Mr. Clean?

Go to http://www.workingforchange.com/blog
{http://www.workingforchange.com/blog} for the details of Gingrich's
role in the GOP corruption scandals"