On Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:23:51 -0800, Howard Kveck
<
[email protected]> wrote:
>Jack, you're misreading what I'm saying. I don't make any claims that the
>Democrats aren't getting campaign contributions from individuals and organizations
>who are seeking to influence them. I know they are. I'm saying that Abramoff
>wouldn't direct his clients to give money to Democrats. It goes against his
>interests to do that.
Then why does he have lobbyists who are Democrats who work with
Democratic politicians. If you're going to ignore documented contacts
between Reid and Abramoff's associates, then you are living in a
fabntasy world and you obviously don't understand how lobbyists work.
Most lobbyists give money to both parties.
In any case, just in case you missed it, this shows that Abramoff
directly sent a list of what contributions to make to the tribes that
included Reid and other Democrats.
It also doccuments frequent meeting between Reid and Ronald Platt,
Abraoff's deputy. There are billing and telephone records to varify
the contacts.
"Abramoff sent a list to the tribe entitled "Coushatta Requests"
recommending donations to campaigns or groups for 50 lawmakers he
claimed were helpful to the tribe. Alongside Reid's name, Abramoff
wrote, "5,000 (Searchlight Leadership Fund) Senate Majority Whip."
Following a pattern seen with Abramoff and Republicans, Abramoff's
Democratic team members often delivered donations to Reid close to key
events.
Reid himself, along his Senate counsel Jim Ryan, met with Abramoff
deputy Ronald Platt on June 5, 2001, "to discuss timing on minimum
wage bill" that affected the Marianas, according to a bill that
Greenberg Traurig, Abramoff's firm, sent the Marianas.
Three weeks before the meeting, Greenberg Traurig's political action
committee donated $1,000 to Reid's Senate re-election committee. Three
weeks after the meeting, Platt himself donated $1,000 to Reid.
Manley said Reid's official calendar doesn't list a meeting on June 5,
with Platt, but he also said he couldn't say for sure the contact
didn't occur. Manley confirmed Platt had regular contacts with Reid's
office, calling them part of the "routine checking in" by lobbyists
who work Capitol Hill."
"Within a month, Platt began billing for routine contacts and meetings
with Reid's staff, starting with a March 26, 2001, contact with Reid
chief of staff Susan McCue to "discuss timing and status of minimum
wage legislation," the billing records say.
In all, Platt and a fellow lobbyist reported 21 contacts in 2001 with
Reid's office, mostly with McCue and Ryan."
Enough said. Abramoff directed millions to the Democrats and there's
no doubt about it.