September 4, 2008

Abramoff Requests Leniency in Sentencing for Corruption

WASHINGTON — Jack Abramoff, the once high-flying lobbyist who pleaded guilty to a scheme to corrupt Congress, asked a federal judge for mercy on Wednesday, saying he was “not a bad man” although he acknowledged he “did many bad things.”

In a letter sent to Judge Ellen S. Huvelle, the day before she was to sentence him in a Washington courtroom, Mr. Abramoff wrote: “So much that happens in Washington stretches the envelope, skirts the spirit of the law and lives in the loopholes. But even by those standards, I blundered farther than even those excesses would allow.”

He said he had contemplated his behavior during the nearly two years he had already served in prison for an unrelated case involving fraud connected to cruise ships in Florida.

Prosecutors have already asked Judge Huvelle to pare years off the jail term recommended in federal sentencing guidelines, citing Mr. Abramoff’s cooperation in wide-ranging investigations that have resulted in the convictions of one congressman, several Congressional aides and some executive branch officials.

Although he could face up to 11 years in the Congressional corruption case, prosecutors have recommended a sentence of about half that.

The sentencing on Thursday is expected to include public statements from some leaders of American Indian tribes that were defrauded by Mr. Abramoff, in his role as their lobbyist before Congress.

Abramoff, the once-powerful lobbyist at the center of a wide-ranging public corruption investigation, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison on March 29, after pleading guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials in a deal that required him to provide evidence about members of Congress.

• Former Aide to Rep. Ney Pleads Guilty (May 9, 2006)
• Abramoff Pleads Guilty (Jan. 4, 2006)
• Fast Rise, Steep Fall (Dec. 29, 2005)
• Stacking the Deck (Oct. 16, 2005)

» FULL COVERAGE

McCain Received $100,000 From Firm Of Abramoff Notoriety

February 12, 2008 02:38 PM

On the stump, Sen. John McCain has touted his work tackling the excesses of the lobbying industry to bolster his reputation as a "maverick" reformer.

"Ask Jack Abramoff if I'm an insider in Washington," McCain often contends. "You'd probably have to go during visiting hours in the prison, and he'll tell you and his lobbyist cronies of the change I made there."

But how much change did McCain actually effect? And is he all that removed from Washington's special interests?

A review of campaign finance filings shows that the Arizona Republican has accepted more than $100,000 in donations from employees of Greenberg Traurig, the very firm where Abramoff once reigned.

Those donations include several thousand dollars from registered lobbyists who represent, or have represented, businesses such as NewsCorp, Rupert Murdoch's media empire; Spi Spirits, a Cyprus based company that has fought with the Russian government for the rights to the Stolichnaya vodka brand name; El Paso Corp, a major energy company; General Motors; and the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, a group of businesses and trade associations "concerned" about the shortage of lesser skilled and unskilled labor.

All told, McCain has received more than $400,000 from lobbying firms, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And among his major fundraisers ("bundlers") 59 have been identified as lobbyists by the non-profit organization Public Citizen.

There is nothing illegal about these contributions. But campaign watchdog groups and McCain's opponents view them as more than just a reflection of political irony. (???) McCain, they argue, has on occasion been far more bark than bite when it comes to taking on lobbying interests.

Indeed, this past week, the Democratic National Committee put together a memo challenging McCain's assertion that he was a corruption hound while investigating Abramoff. The document and some government watchdog groups note that while McCain put pressure on Jack Abramoff and several prominent Republicans, he also went out of his way during the Indian Affairs Committee hearing to spare his congressional colleagues.

"Although Sen. McCain has long bragged of his role in the Abramoff investigation, he let Tom DeLay and the other members of Congress who were doing Abramoff's bidding completely off the hook. The sole exception was Rep. Bob Ney, who is now serving time in prison," said Melanie Sloan, Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics In Washington. "Sen. McCain knew what his colleagues were up to, he chose to take the easier path and give them a free pass."

Neither McCain's office nor the Indian Affairs Committee returned requests for comment. In the past, McCain has claimed that it was not his responsibility to "involve ourselves in the ethics process [of Senators]." A source close to the investigation, who asked to speak anonymously so as to maintain his political neutrality, defended McCain's work as proper and effective. So did Paul Miller, the director of the American League of Lobbyists at the time of the Abramoff hearings.

"I think if you look at the report that Senator McCain and his committee, it was a bipartisan 16-0 vote to approve that report," Miller told the Huffington Post. "Yes, Bob Ney was the focus in some of these hearings, because he was one with the most evidence [against him]. But Senator McCain has not shied from taking anyone on, on this issue."

At well over 350 pages, the report was thorough, exploring layers of corruption that had allowed Indian tribes to part with tens of millions of dollars in search of political favors. But it did not include the names of prominent U.S. Senators with Abramoff ties, such as Conrad Burns and David Vitter, or for that matter Bush strategist Karl Rove, who accepted gifts from and met with Abramoff clients.

And while the report pushed for greater transparency and accountability, towards the end, McCain and the other authors seemingly put the onus for change not on Congress itself, but on the tribes that Abramoff bilked.

"Although the Committee does not believe that additional federal legislation is required to address Abramoff and Scanlon's misconduct," the report reads, "it does recommend that tribes consider adopting their own laws to help prevent a similar tragedy... The Committee strongly encourages those tribes that have not adopted such [good-government] laws and regulations to enact law and regulations that embrace the principles contained in the following recommendations. The Committee notes, however, that it is not recommending that Congress enact legislation mandating tribes to enact laws dealing with these subjects..."

Sarah Palin ran 527, which raised corporate money, for Ted Stevens

Submitted by crew on 2 September 2008 - 9:16am.

Over the weekend, the news of Sarah Palin's pick as John McCain's running mate has been the dominant news. Readers of this blog know we pay an inordinate amount of attention to issues of public corruption in Alaska. All three members of the state's congressional delegation were named in our report, Beyond DeLay, which named the 22 most corrupt members of Congress. We're anxiously awaiting the trial of Ted Stevens, which begins in three weeks.

This article about Sarah Palin's leadership role in a 527 organization put together by Ted Stevens caught our eye:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin began building clout in her state's political circles in part by serving as a director of an independent political group organized by the now embattled Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens.

Palin's name is listed on 2003 incorporation papers of the "Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.," a 527 group that could raise unlimited funds from corporate donors. The group was designed to serve as a political boot camp for Republican women in the state. She served as one of three directors until June 2005, when her name was replaced on state filings.

Palin's relationship with Alaska's senior senator may be one of the more complicated aspects of her new position as Sen. John McCain's running mate; Stevens was indicted in July 2008 on seven counts of corruption.

Palin, an anti-corruption crusader in Alaska, had called on Stevens to be open about the issues behind the investigation. But she also held a joint news conference with him in July, before he was indicted, to make clear she had not abandoned him politically.

Stevens had been helpful to Palin during her run for governor, swooping in with a last moment endorsement. And the two filmed a campaign commercial together to highlight Stevens's endorsement of Palin during the 2006 race.

Fired Alaskan Official Says Palin Hasn't Been Truthful

Monegan Says He Was Fired For His Refusal to Fire Governor's Former Brother-In-Law

By BRIAN ROSS, JOSEPH RHEE, and LEN TEPPER

Sept. 4, 2008—

The fired Alaskan official, whose dismissal has become the subject of a state senate committee's investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin, has told ABC News that she has not been entirely truthful on the matter.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, Walt Monegan, the former Alaskan Public Safety Commissioner, said he was dismissed because he refused to fire the Governor's former brother-in-law, a state trooper.

"I believe I was fired because of, primarily the reason of her former brother-in-law," Monegan said. "I think that my unwillingness to take special action against her former brother-in-law was not well received."

Monegan says he believes that the Governor has not told the truth about what happened.

"I think there are some questions now that, coming to light about how transparent and how honest she wants to be," Monegan said.

The allegation against the Governor, which she denies, is that she wanted her former brother-in-law fired and pushed the Monegan to do it.

Palin has said she did nothing wrong and that she fired Monegan over a disagreement with him on budget priorities.

But the head of the state senate committee, a Democrat, now investigating the allegations says it smacks of abuse of power.

"You should never use your public office to settle a private score," said Sen. Hollis French. "And that's what the legislature is looking into, to what degree did the Governor's personal family relationship inject or get introduced into her work as Governor."

Palin has denied that Monegan's dismissal has anything to do with a family feud.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with replacing the Commissioner as we are trying to move forward with more energy in a new department," the Governor said in July.

But Palin's denials began to be challenged with the release of an audio tape of a telephone call between a member of her staff, Frank Bailey, and a state police official.

Bailey asks the officials why there's been reluctance to fire the brother in law.

"The Palins can't figure out why nothing's going on. And here's the problem that's gonna happen is that, there is a possibility because Wooten is an ex-husband of the governor's sister, and there is a custody situation, there is a strong possibility that the Governor herself may get subpoenaed to talk about all this stuff on the stand. Right in the coming months, which would be, it would be ugly," Bailey says.

"I mean, you know, I don't think anybody wants that. But you know, Todd and Sarah are scratching their heads, you know, why on Earth -- why is this guy still representing the department?," he asks.

And then later, a more direct reference to the commissioner Walt Monegan.

"I'm telling you honestly, I mean, she really likes Walt a lot, but on this issue, she feel like she doesn't know why there is absolutely no action for a year on this issue. It's very, very troubling to her and the family," Bailey said.

Bailey was scheduled to be deposed by state investigators Wednesday, but his lawyer canceled the deposition saying that Palin's attorney has informed him he was prepared to challenge the legislature's jurisdiction in the matter.

The Governor has told reporters in Alaska the phone call was harmless.

"It seemed to be he just inquiring I think trying to process what do you do if there are complaints against a trooper and what is the status of this trooper," Palin said last month.

"Though you will hear on the CD that it does sound like he's calling on behalf of the Governor, Sarah, he refers to me as Sarah. He's asking on behalf of me," she explained.

But Sen. French says the issue has resulted in a credibility gap for the Governor.

"There's the issue of the Frank Bailey call suggesting that the Palins are upset, the Palins are confused, the Palins don't understand why this person is still working for the Department of Public Safety," said French. "So I believe there's evidence out there that's going to be damaging to the Governor's position."

As for Monegan, he says he is disappointed in a woman for whom he once had high regard.

"It disappoints me and it's because I expected more from her. I expected so much more and I just wish it hadn't," Monegan said.

"None of this gives me either pride or pleasure being involved in this because I've been part of the government. Bottom line is I would like to see the truth, that's all."

Palin Ad Starring Ted Stevens Already Scrubbed From Palin's Campaign Website

By Greg Sargent - August 29, 2008, 1:58PM

That was quick. This morning, an ad from Sarah Palin's 2006 gubernatorial campaign featuring an endorsement from scandal-plagued Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was available on Palin's campaign Web site.

We were able to access it ourselves by clicking on the link: