aWASH in Money

[lurker]

Mayhaps the real problem in WASHington is that it's aWASHed in money. Too much money changes hands there.

Investigation unsettles many on Hill
BY PETE YOSTAssociated Press

WASHINGTON - Not since the 1992 House banking scandal that led to the retirement or ouster of 77 lawmakers has a corruption probe like the one involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff struck fear in so many hearts on Capitol Hill.

Some lawmakers -- Republican Sen. Sam Brownback became the latest -- are scrambling to return or give away campaign donations, while others are the target of ethics complaints back in their home states by their political foes.

The turmoil over Abramoff is taking place as his lawyers and the Justice Department, which is investigating possible congressional bribery, try to negotiate a deal for the ex-lobbyist to tell everything he knows.

And he knows a lot.

.................snip

This week, President Bush said it seemed to him that Abramoff "was an equal money dispenser, that he was giving money to people in both political parties."
Historically, tribal money had been going to Democrats almost exclusively. Abramoff changed that.

The lobbyist ordered one tribal client to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations. A list, obtained by the Associated Press, earmarked $90,000 of the money for the Republican Party, none for Democrats.

Of the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Abramoff directed the tribe to donate to congressional campaigns, the Republican-Democrat breakdown was 11 to 1.

The Abramoff case is the flip side to the House banking scandal of 14 years ago which hurt mostly Democrats, who long had been in control of Congress. Republicans have held majorities in both Houses for most of the past 11 years.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/new...e/13462860.htm


Too much money there... not enough here...