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I bet the Republicans wish we'd hush and go back to sleep, as we dream of the days we had true freedom. On my local Democratic Party Website, however, I'm giving it a local twist. While I'm not a real spin-chef, perhaps this old short-order copy cook knows a good recipe for innuendo. What do you think?
Perhaps the ever-unraveling Jack Abramoff scandal will scare or disgust Congress so badly that elected leaders will clamor for complete openness and finally report all sources of campaign funding. The sordid story unfolded like a dirty napkin, as freewheeling lobbyists spread tainted Abramoff money around Washington DC thicker than bar-b-que sauce on a greasy-spoon pork sandwich.
Like hungry restaurant customers, Republicans at all levels of government never even bothered to consider if taking funds extracted using threats and other intimidation tactics was ethical or just. They just bellied up to the bar and put on feedbags under a “No Refunds” sign.
Even Republican Governor Riley, while claiming to have never actually met Abramoff, will donate his share of the loot to a favorite charity instead of returning the funds to original contributors but you can bet the southern meat truck does not stop with him. US Senator Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) also admits to a contribution that began with Abramoff in 2003. Tracing a rump-roast from hog parlor to lunch counter is easier than following the hidden political money trails slithering through pork-barrel politics, unless you catch them with napkins in place ready to munch.
Is it the fault of Congress? In many cases representatives may not want to know where funds come from, which brings the phrase ignorance is bliss to new depths. Certainly, when elected officials have plenty to hide, it is necessary to keep the public from knowing sources of dirty money: but can we blame Republicans who deliberately remain ignorant?
Gov. Bob Riley claims he was in the dark about the exact manner in which lobbyists, under the cover of U.S. Family Network received gambling money to finance him and others in elections. It is now important to be as fair to him and other Republicans as they are to Native Americans.
As a congressional representative in the late 1990s, Gov. Bob Riley signed a fund-raising letter for a nonprofit group closely tied to clients of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to a recent report in The Washington Post. The letter, written on behalf of the U.S. Family Network, announces a petition to block the Atmore Poarch Band of Creeks from building a casino in Alabama.
In all fairness to the governor, no one will call Riley totally ignorant of Native needs, after he wrote a letter that also hints at near local connection to the Choctaw Band of Abramoff victims. Is it fair to tell tribes in Mississippi and Louisiana that their participation will reduce competition and keep Alabama money flowing into their casinos?
With some contributions as small as $1,000, it seems unfair that Alabama Republicans got such slim slices of pork from the Mississippi Choctaws, since the casino gave $250,000 to the U.S.
Family Network for which Bob Riley wrote the letter.
It also seems unfair to keep the governor ignorant about this bitter buffet of bribery and extortion because Michael Scanlon was press secretary for Riley during his first term in Congress. Old friends should be more considerate and give the guy some warning before feeding him tainted cash. After leaving the Riley post, Scanlon moved on to the meat market of recently resigned House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX) and then finally joined the lobbying operation of Jack Abramoff. Headwaiter Scanlon of this fast-cash café also recently pled guilty to bribing public officials (including congressional representatives) and defrauding tribes under the guise of lobbying.
The southern take-out counter is indeed small potatoes, compared to the all-you-can grab buffet Native gambling concerns served up under duress across America. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee reports that in 2004, Mr. Abramoff and Michael Scanlon charged six tribes at least $66 million. There are, however, no refunds at the Republican buffet, as most officials opt, like Riley to give these ill-gotten gains to their favorite charities. Do political campaigns of other Republicans represent “charities?”
Maybe the most unfair aspect of all is allowing Scanlon, Abramoff and Delay to pick up the tab, since so many enjoyed stuffing their coffers, at the political take-out windows during the Republican feeding frenzy.
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