Lobbyist's Work for Publishers of Magazines Under Scrutiny
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
Association.
That man was EVERYWHERE. The Magazine Publishers Ass. is saying they knew NOTHING about this.:eyes: Magazine publishers pay more for postage than they do paper to print their magazines....BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. It sounds like Abramoff stopped the increase for a while, but that June the hike went into effect.
Here's the article:
Published: January 9, 2006
The press has spilled plenty of ink writing about Jack Abramoff, the powerful Washington lobbyist at the center of an extensive corruption scandal. But little noticed is that among Mr. Abramoff's many clients was the press itself, at least part of it. In 2000, he represented the Magazine Publishers Association, and it turns out that some of the association's money may have been funneled to Mr. Abramoff's political allies.
In documents last week in which Mr. Abramoff pleaded guilty to mail fraud and conspiracy to bribe public officials, he revealed that he and an unidentified Congressional aide worked to stave off an increase in postal rates - a significant benefit for an industry that depends on the postal service.
The plea document said that Mr. Abramoff and the Congressional aide performed "a series of official acts, including assisting in stopping legislation regarding Internet gambling and opposing postal rate increases."
The corruption scandal could involve dozens of members of Congress, political operatives and lobbyists suspected of arranging bribes in exchange for favorable legislation and other benefits.
The magazine association paid at least $1.4 million from 2000 to 2003 to Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds, the lobbying firm where Mr. Abramoff was the chief lobbyist.<snip>
<snip>The postal rate increases were deferred while the association was a client of Mr. Abramoff, but that deferment was short-lived. The rates went up 10 percent in June 2002, costing the magazine industry an additional $200 million a year; they went up again yesterday, for an estimated additional cost of $180 million a year.<snip> MORE at link...
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/09/business/media/09magazine.html