AP: Abramoff to be indicted for fraud

[lancdem]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8912521/

Josh Marshall has a post on it. http://talkingpointsmemo.com

[fooj]

1. Good. One down...

Peace.

[Pirate Smile]

10. Here is the article.

AP: Fraud charges sought against key lobbyist
Abramoff central figure in probe involving House Majority leader

BREAKING NEWS

Updated: 12:46 p.m. ET Aug. 11, 2005
MIAMI - Federal prosecutors are seeking bank fraud charges against lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a key figure in investigations involving House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, The Associated Press learned Thursday.

The charges stem from the 2000 purchase by Abramoff and his partners of SunCruz Casinos and the alleged use of a fake wire transfer of $23 million aimed at influencing lenders to provide millions of dollars for the deal. Exact details of the charges were not immediately available.

A grand jury, meeting in Miami, could hand up indictments against Abramoff as early as Thursday, federal law enforcement sources said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the grand jury indictment had not been finalized.

That is the full article on MSNBC's website.

edit to add TPM:

"Only yesterday, when I was reporting on Jack Abramoff's part ownership of now-bankrupt SunCruz -- a casino boat operation down in Florida -- I was told there was a decent chance Abramoff would get indicted for fraud some time soon in that case too.

And mind you, this is a different case, a different grand jury, than the one looking into his other shenanigans in DC and elsewhere.

And sure enough, the AP just moved a story saying that Abramoff will be indicted later today.

For those of you keeping score, this the casino boat company in which one of Abramoff's co-owners was later whacked in a gangland style hit after the things started to go South.

And yes, there's also a Conrad Burns connection. SunCruz was the company Abramoff used to bring Burns' staffers to the Super Bowl back in 2001."

It links to the various articles and info re whacking people, etc. he references

[Pirate Smile]

12. Here is one of the things Josh mentions:

"Just another thread of the Abramoff story, from the Miami Herald, April 26th, 2005 ...

In 2000, Boulis sold SunCruz to a partnership of Washington-based businessmen, including Jack Abramoff, the now infamous lobbyist who was surreptitiously funneling Indian casino millions to key congressmen, including the supposedly anti-gambling Republican leader, U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay. A congressional inquiry revealed that Abramoff, then vice chairman of SunCruz, used SunCruz casino money to bring staffers of key Republican congressional leaders to the 2001 Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, Boulis claimed that Abramoff and Adam Kidan had shorted him $23 million. There were reports of fisticuffs between Boulis and Kidan. Kidan took out a restraining order to keep Boulis away.

The restraining order became moot on Feb. 6, 2001, when Boulis was gunned down in a mob-style hit. The murder was never solved.

SunCruz, meanwhile, foundered into bankruptcy. Abramoff sued Kidan for the $60 million he claimed the deal cost him.


Kidan, if I'm not mistaken, turns out to be one of the Abramoff 'associates' who for one reason or another dropped five grand on Sen. Burns leadership PAC a few years back, though I guess that was before Jack sued the guy for 60 mill ...

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_08_07.php#006266

[katty]

90. yea, one down and more cleaning of the nest to go!

[Lochloosa]

2. Time to cut a deal....

"Singing in the rain":patriot:

[ET Awful]

4. Yup, come on Jack, open up your mouth and SING out loud.

I'm sure you have lots of tunes that would be of interest.

[MidwestTransplant]

22. You mean Squeal loud!

[BlueEyedSon]

3. amazing only 5 hits on google news for "abramoff" and "indictments"

good news nonetheless

[lancdem]

8. If they are issued today

I imagine there will be plenty more!

[Art_from_Ark]

15. Try the singular "indictment"

There will be a lot more hits

[BlueEyedSon]

16. tried both, dont you think the google guys are smart enough to ignore

plurals internally?

[Art_from_Ark]

18. Admittedly, I used Google-Japan

abramoff indictment ‚ÌŒŸ�õŒ‹‰Ê –ñ 6,890 Œ�’† 1 - 10 Œ�–Ú (0.24 •b)

Translation: Found 6890 results for "Abramoff indictment"

[BlueEyedSon]

21. i used google *news*, i assume the U.S. version

[Beetwasher]

5. FUCKIN A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is a SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET Development!!!! The tentacles from this indictment can reach deep and far.

And that's not all!!! There's still ANOTHER investigation pending that could ALSO bring even MORE indictments!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH!!!!

[Talismom]

7. Not soon enough! I wanna hear Delay squealing like the pig

he is!

[hiley]

6. Hello!

:woohoo:

[tex-wyo-dem]

9. Also on Yahoo!

Fraud Indictment Expected for Abramoff

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050811/ap_on_re_us/lobbyist_fraud

[caligirl]

11. taking Bush down just got closer to happening. Big chop. Delay next.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

13. Yessir.

Now, Abramoff will have his ass placed in a legal woodchipper. The prosecutor will stand there with his hand on the switch, threatening to throw it until Abramoff starts singing the words of that old spiritual:

"DeLay, DeLay, DeLay..."

[AlCzervik]

14. oh please let him be singing like a canary.

[wicket]

17. I hope he does too

:kick:

[Beetwasher]

27. Tom Delay's Phone Must Be Burning Up!!!!

JACK, DAMMIT!!! JACK!!! PICK UP THE PHONE!!!! JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!! WHY WON'T YOU PICK UP THE PHONE!!!!! YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT JACK!

Hmm, I wonder how much Abramoff really likes Tom Delay? Think he'll do time to cover for him? LOL!

[Rambis]

19. Oh Oh Domino, roll me over there romeo, here we go

Sick balls! good boy Bruno!

[Supersedeas]

30. make me wanna dance

[hedda_foil]

20. JACKPOT!! There's run of the mill fraud and then there's BANK FRAUD

WOOHOOOO!

[skypilot]

23. Oh God...

...he's going to ratchet up that oh-poor-pitiful-me expression that he's been sporting.:puke:

[Roland99]

24. Can't wait to hear him squeal on Bugman!!

[Roland99]

25. Oh, don't forget to rate that article 5 stars!!

[alfredo]

26. Keeping his mouth shut could bring him a pardon.

I bet it is already arranged.

[Orion The Hunter]

28. Crossing my fingers

Here's hoping he gives up more goods on good ol' Tom DeLay.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

29. And the walls come tumbling down

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[Hawkeye-X]

31. And my sister who...

recently moved to Israel was Abramoff's right-hand (wo)man.

She resigned when Abramoff was forced to resign from Greenberg-Trauring.

She is a life-long Dem.

She had to endure thousands of Senate hearings about Abramoff.

Hawkeye-X

[skip fox]

32. Drudge new headline suggests the indictment is now in effect.

But his link doesn't yet work.

Yahoo not announcing it. (Yet?)

[Dudley_DUright]

33. He deserves to be put away just for subjecting those of us in FL

to those obnoxious SunCruz Casino ads that were constantly playing on the radio before it went belly up.

[skip fox]

34. Here's the link. Already handed down?

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/12359111.htm

[Roland99]

36. Agents were to take Republican insider Jack Abramoff into custody on Thurs

YES!!

[skip fox]

37. LBN link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1694340

[Synnical]

35. Washington Post May 1, 2005 Lays out all the details

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28804-2005May1.html

I remember when Boulis was killed - it was a big story here in Fort Lauderdale. I don't recall Abramoff's name being mentioned, not once. And judging from some of the stories there are still online from that time period, my memory is correct. And this is odd because according to the WaPo, Abramoff was a 40% owner of SunCruz

The A/P story states, "Boulis was shot to death in February 2001 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in what police called a hit. The killing has never been solved." But the WaPo story states this, "Fort Lauderdale police detectives say they know who committed the crime. All they need, they say, is one cooperating witness."

Anyway, the entire story is a the above link - it's long, but interesting. This is what appears to be the details of the possible fraud charge:

<snip>

Kidan later acknowledged that he and Abramoff never made the $23 million cash payment to Boulis. Kidan testified in a court deposition that Boulis secretly agreed instead to accept two promissory notes totaling $20 million just before the closing when Kidan had threatened to walk away from the deal because he thought the price was too high.

<snip>

The lender had asked for proof that the Kidan group had paid the $23 million to Boulis. In response, Kidan and Waldman each faxed copies of a purported wire-transfer document to Greg Walker on Sept. 27, the final day of closing. The document was a Sept. 22 notice of a wire transfer of $23 million "by order of Adam Kidan" from Chevy Chase Bank to Boulis's account at Ocean Bank. However, Kidan's account at Chevy Chase had been closed weeks earlier, according to court documents. Even when the account was active, there was never a transaction larger than $107,000, Chevy Chase told Foothill Capital.

[leesa]

96. Wow! What a story! The GOP mafia.

[skip fox]

38. Feds Indict Abramoff for Fraud

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/12359111.htm

on edit, snippets and another source:

<snip>

FBI agents were seeking to arrest a once-powerful Washington, D.C., lobbyist on Thursday after a Fort Lauderdale federal grand jury charged him and a New York businessman with scheming to defraud two lenders in a $147.5 million purchase of SunCruz Casinos.

<snip>



http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/wplg/20050811/lo_wplg/2875702

<snip>


Local 10 News has learned the first indictments have been returned in connection with the contentious sale of the Suncruz Casino boat empire.

. . . .

Local 10 News has learned that two very powerful men are named in the federal indictment: Jack Abramoff, who is a hugely successful and well-connected lobbyist in Washington, and Adam Kidan, who was the public name behind the partnership that bought the Suncruz empire from the late Boulis. Abramoff and Kidan were partners in the deal.

<snip>

[LeftyElvis]

39. Deelay

must be next.........I hope

[bearfan454]

44. I don't know what the Travis County DA is waiting for.

I want to see Ronnie Earle take Delay down. He funneled corporate money through his PAC and that is a big time FELONY in Texas.

[LeftyElvis]

46. He will

and the whole gig is up for that freak.

[NewJeffCT]

47. But, the prosecutor is an out of control partisan Democrat

At least that is what Tom DeLay tells me, and you partisan Democrats grow on trees down there in Texas...

:sarcasm:

[jobycom]

85. He got burned by a judge when he tried Kay Bailey Hutchison

He's trying to make sure this time. He had KBH dead-to-rights on fundraising violations and using public funds for her campaign, and a jusdge through out the evidence.

Earle's making sure this time.

[Botany]

40. Smile

:kick:

:bounce:


:beer:

:party:

:wow:

[skip fox]

41. Who says Thursday afternoons are grumpy and slow??

At least today joy breaks through.

[MsAnthropy]

42. "The embattled lobbyist-lawyer"--I love journalism cliches!

What are some other terms that would better describe him?

The scum-sucking toad
The putrid piece of yak fecal matter

The choices are endless

[rateyes]

60. Sorry sack of shit!--Him, not you...

and, don't forget about that fine Christian---Ralphie Boy Reed!!!

[MsAnthropy]

71. That one's even better with the alliteration!

I wonder if "embattled" is code for "on his way to prison"

[rateyes]

75. We can only hope!! nt

[JDPriestly]

43. This is a huge story.

Recommend it for the front, greatest page please.

[EST]

45. Need to hit the yahoo link, too---only 3 votes showing!

[louis-t]

88. Been having a hard time voting on yahoo

Takes forever, then time expires. Hmmm.

[EST]

93. Hmmm-I had no trouble (#3)

[Debi]

48. 3.....2.....1... Congressman Delay, could you please come down

to central booking?

[Greeby]

49. Bye Bye Abramoff

And take DeLay with you :hi:

[bertha katzenengel]

50. YIPPEE! I may just have a beer tonight!

:beer:

Excellent news and it's about freaking time!

[rateyes]

61. I bet you Delay is drinking

more than beer. Everytime I've seen his sorry mug on TV lately--last time was the news conference when he was pissed with Frist over stem-cell research---the guy was snockered.

[bertha katzenengel]

64. He was?

I wish we'd hear about it when these losers' staffers quit over shit like that. I know it happens - I hear about it from former Hill rats I work with.

[rateyes]

69. Yes, he was...

he spoke for 5 minutes and could not get out one damned sentence without stumbling over words, slurring words, or speaking phrases that made no damned sense---reading a script, I bet he couldn't even see the damned page.

[bertha katzenengel]

74. Wow. I can't believe anyone's minions would let that happen, no matter

how evil a guy is. Maybe he's about to go off the deep end.

[rateyes]

77. I'm telling you, IMHO, if Delay is indicted...

they better put his ass on a suicide watch. This guy is CAUGHT. Anyone in Houston that would vote the guy back in office in 2006 is just damned stupid.

[bertha katzenengel]

79. Which is why this impending indictment of Abramoff is so rich with

promise! Maybe I'll get a "domino" pizza to go with that beer. ;)

[rateyes]

83. "Domino Pizza"---rofl---

as in "Domino Theory?" Push one over, the whole stack falls. Abramoff--domino 1---Delay--domino 2---Ralph Reed--domino 3...and, on and on till the whole damned Republican party comes crashing down.

Now, I'm hungry for pizza!!!

[bertha katzenengel]

84. Exactly!

:bounce:

BTW it's not impending anymore

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/11/AR2005081101108.html?nav=hcmodule

[rateyes]

95. "Dial-a-mattress?" What the hell is that?

co-conspirator--owner of dial-a mattress? ROFLMAO....

[Patchuli]

76. "pissed with Frist" Love it! LOL!

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! Justice wheels move slowly but they're a moving now! Next? DeLay without further delay!!!

:applause:

[rateyes]

78. Yes, they do move slowly..

but, when they do, it's a sight to behold!

[Straight Shooter]

51. Put your ear to the ground, listen for that great rumbling sound

Elephants stampeding as they are taken down.

[napi21]

52. Old Jack is getting hit from all sides! This is his Fla. scheme!

He still has to deal with TX and DC! For all we know, there are many others in the wings too!

Gee Jack, are ya really gonna take this hit alone? I would think you might say something like "If I go down, the rest of you are going down with me!"

[quaoar]

53. It's open season for prosecutors now on Abramoff

The "highly successful and well-connected" lobbyist has only one chance to save his ass -- sing like a canary.

Sing, Jack, sing.

Tom DeLay is his best bargaining chip. Time to cash it in and head for the Witness Protection Program.

[gratuitous]

54. Indicted, but have they arrested him?

The guy kind of looks like a flight risk to me . . .

[faithnotgreed]

55. how many years does he get to think about all his crimes

[annabanana]

56. OH yeah!

May this tie all the creeps into one big fat gordian knot and sink them forever!

[Botany]

57. kick

:kick:

Agents were to take Republican insider Jack Abramoff into custody on Thursday afternoon in the Baltimore area

[starroute]

58. There's an excellent Washington Post article on Suncruz

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/30/AR2005043001147.html

Untangling a Lobbyist's Stake in a Casino Fleet
With Millions of Dollars Unaccounted for, Another Federal Investigation Targets Abramoff

By Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, May 1, 2005; Page A01

It was a gangland-style hit straight out of "Goodfellas."

A man in a BMW was driving down a quiet side street after an evening meeting at his Fort Lauderdale office when a car slowed to a stop in front of him. A second car boxed the BMW in from behind, then a dark Mustang appeared from the opposite direction. The Mustang's driver pulled alongside and pumped three hollow-point bullets into the BMW driver's chest.

The dead man was Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis, a volatile 51-year-old self-made millionaire, a Greek immigrant who had started as a dishwasher in Canada and ended up in Florida, where he built an empire of restaurants, hotels and cruise ships used for offshore casino gambling. Boulis's slaying, still unsolved four years later, reverberated all the way to Washington. Months earlier he had sold his fleet of casino ships to a partnership that included Republican superlobbyist Jack Abramoff.

<snip>

Although the outlines of the tale have become part of South Florida lore, what has not been disclosed are the full details of the alleged fraud at the heart of the transaction and the extent of Abramoff's role -- including his use of contacts with Republican Reps. Tom DeLay (Tex.) and Robert W. Ney (Ohio) and members of their staffs as he worked to land the deal.

[0007]

81. Jackie may even have some information about Cliff Baxter!

[newscott]

59. This is getting good. I hope he doesn't cop a plea

I want all this dirty laundry aired in public.

[EMAN51]

68. Maybe a reduced penalty in exchange for his verifiable information

concerning criminal activities on the part of some of his associates, perhaps Mr. Delay? That's the ticket.

[Dulcinea]

73. He'll roll on someone.

He doesn't strike me as a standup guy.

[Javaman]

62. I can hear the sweat on tommyboys brow building up now.

[rateyes]

63. Wonder how long it will be before * pardons him!!

Sorry, I'm just a little cynical about this administration.:mad:

[progressoid]

65. Indicted but not convicted

expect more dirty tricks in the near future.

[Pachamama]

66. Karma is a bitch, isn't it? Looks like the house of cards is crumbling &

its starting with the beginning of the money crumb trail....next card: Tom Delay and all the rest of the crooked politicians and all the way to 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue....

:applause:

[skids]

67. DU this URL

These should get the Abramoff story up onto Tecnorati's top searches list.

Just click on this URL

http://technorati.com/search/abramoff

[0007]

86. Thanks for the link, skids. Good information.

Look Ralph Reed will be doing porky pig real soon, 'eh?

[susu369]

70. At long last - something GOOD comes out of Florida

:woohoo:

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

72. Neocons, giving a whole new meaning to "moral values"

:applause:

Here's hoping they all fall down, like a row of dominos standing close to one another.

:woohoo:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

80. Seems like they can't find him at the moment...

Hmmmm. Maybe he and BeBe Robozo are neighbors now?

[Swamp Rat]

82. kick and recommended! n/t

:woohoo:

[not fooled]

87. The only way this could get any sweeter...

...is if it connects up to ol' Jeblubber or other members of the BFEE . Carcasses rotting in the hot Florda sun...

[rainbow4321]

89. Here's a "who's who" list--includes names that have yet to surface

Also has Reed and Norquist on the list...what a web of creepy characters.


http://warrenreports.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/8/10/2305/26397

Edwin Buckham: Buckham served as DeLay’s Chief of Staff (and pastor) for the three years following his ascension to Majority Leader and helped build his political machine before leaving for the private sector. The same London-Scotland trip DeLay took in 2000 on Abramoff’s credit card included a stay at a golf course hotel in Scotland where food and phone calls were billed, in violation of the same House rule, to Buckham, a registered lobbyist for the Nuclear Energy Institute, AT&T, and Enron.
<snip>


Karl Gallant: DeLay appointed Gallant as Executive Director of his PAC, ARMPAC. Gallant served as chairman of the Republican Majority Issues Committee, a voter-ID and turnout group which was the target, with Tom DeLay, of an anti-racketeering lawsuit for illegal coordination. After Gallant left to work with Buckham at Alexander Strategy Group, DeLay helped Enron lobbyists plan a campaign for energy deregulation including hiring Gallant and Buckham through a front group, Americans for Affordable Electricity.

Tony Rudy: Tony C. Rudy came to work for DeLay in 1994, serving over the course of five years as General Counsel, Policy Director, Press Secretary, and Deputy Chief of Staff. According to Time, “sources say developed a particularly close relationship with Tony Rudy.” The two shared hobbies, Abramoff bought Rudy tickets, and Rudy “would frequently e-mail Abramoff from inside Republican leadership meetings on a Motorola pager.” Rudy came along with DeLay on the 2000 European trip charged to Abramoff’s credit card.

Michael Scanlon: Scanlon served as a top aid and spokesman for DeLay before leaving to work in lobbying and public relations. While representing tribes opposing restrictions on the operations of their casinos, Scanlon was simultaneously working with Abramoff to press Ralph Reed to get the Christian Coalition to take a more hard-line stance in favor of such restrictions. He and Abramoff also used fake phone banks to inflate the perceived danger to the tribes from the Coalition.

[ncteechur]

91. Yeah, but will he sing like a stool pigeon?

[Megahurtz]

92. SOMEBODY THROW THE BOOK AT HIM!!!

So they will ALL go down.......like dominoes!!!

:woohoo:

[dissent1977]

94. Washington Lobbyist Abramoff Charged

By CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer 33 minutes ago

MIAMI - Lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a key figure in investigations involving House Majority Leader
Tom DeLay, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on fraud charges arising from a 2000 deal to buy casino boats.

The indictment, returned by a grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, charges that Abramoff and an associate, 36-year-old New York businessman Adam Kidan, used a fake wire transfer to defraud two lenders out of some $60 million to finance the deal for SunCruz Casinos.

Abramoff and Kidan are charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Each count carries a penalty of up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Abramoff was negotiating his surrender Thursday with the
FBI in Los Angeles, bureau spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said. Kidan's attorney in Florida, Martin Jaffe, said his client would surrender to authorities in Fort Lauderdale on Friday.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050811/ap_on_re_us/lobbyist_fraud

[symbolman]

97. Abramoff has ties to the Rove Plane affair

anyone remember?

[RSchewe]

98. WP: Abramoff Arrested

MIAMI, Aug. 11 -- Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a business partner were indicted by a federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy in their purchase of a fleet of Florida gambling boats from a businessman who was later killed in a gangland-style hit.

Abramoff, 46, was arrested in Los Angeles in the late afternoon and was expected to be taken before a U.S. magistrate there on Friday. He was indicted along with Adam Kidan, the former owner of the Dial-a-Mattress franchise in Washington. Kidan, 41, of New York City, will surrender to the FBI here by Friday morning, his attorney, Martin I. Jaffe, said in a written statement.

(...)

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/11/AR2005081101108.html

[ElsewheresDaughter]

99. WOOOHOOO

[Pachamama]

119. Love your Woohooo image! Now I want to see the image of the perp walk!

As soon as anyone has a photo of Abramoff in handcuffs, please please post it.....

Could it be? Please someone pinch me....the criminal cabal is starting to be exposed....

Follow the money trail crumbs left by this scumbag....next stop:Tom Delay...and eventually the White House....

[AllyCat]

100. There is a God.

Buh buh Bye, Jack! Hopefully, you'll get more than a few months to meet the boys in your cell block.

[faithnotgreed]

109. you better know there is

i love justice (the few times it actually happens) but good WILL win out

[Greeby]

101. Woot

Jail em all and let Bubba and Tyrone sort em out ;)

[tuvor]

102. Does any of this lead to the bush admin?

Just curious.

[Erika]

110. DeLay said this guy was his dearest friend n/t

[AllyCat]

116. The important question is: Does this lead to the Republicans?

They are the slimeballs that will be up for re-election or election in 2006. We need to use this info to find out how they are, as a group, involved and make sure the media talks about it. * is not up for re-election. We know he's a crook and there's a lot on the table against him and his cabal right now. We need to fight those fights and get him indicted, impeached, and imprisoned.

But looking forward, we must link the Repukes to this nonsense every time, without fail. We've got just over a year to do it.

We have to fight the fight on more than one front.

[Tigress DEM]

128. Not sure - this was the side of the case that was not as DeLay..

related. DeLay took all kinds of money from him, but I don't know if TD will get any heat about it now. Repugs will try to make it only this issue, hope that people's short memories kick in. Sinformation overload... tough to keep track of all the bad things they do.

[tulsakatz]

121. not technically

I don't believe it directly implicates anyone in the administration but Abramoff and Delay have very close ties!! So it can't be good for Delay that someone he is so close to is guilty of this kind of fraud.

To me, it seems like guilty due to association.

[sandnsea]

130. It very well might

Campaign donations and this:

"The records from Abramoff's firm, obtained by The Associated Press from the Marianas under an open records request, chronicle Abramoff's careful cultivation of relations with Bush's political team as far back as 1997.

In that year, Abramoff charged the Marianas for getting then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush to write a letter expressing support for the Pacific territory's school choice proposal, his billing records show.

"I hope you will keep my office informed on the progress of this initiative," Bush wrote in a July 18, 1997, letter praising the islands' school plan and copying in an Abramoff deputy."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/050705B.shtml

[anotherdrew]

103. WooHoo!!

Watch out for those mattress business guys... dial-a-mattress, a perfect excuse to drive all over town with a nice big truck, exchanging new mattresses for old that couldn't possibly be stuffed with anything - like money drugs guns bodies... great business to be in... who's gonna expect the mattress delivery guys?

[mcctatas]

104. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he decides to cut a deal...

and gives them DeLay's head on a silver platter with a big, juicy red apple stuffed into his porcine face????

[rodeodance]

115. put some nutmeg in it.

[caligirl]

105. Next: Delay, Bush and co.

[RSchewe]

106. Rove link speculation...

With Jack Abramoff under indictment, a number of readers have suggested that now he might flip and try to offer the feds some figures higher up the food-chain. (Remember, this indictment is not from the DC-based grand jury we've mainly been hearing about; it's a separate grand jury in Florida, tied to alleged fraud in the purchase of a casino boat line. Jack really gets around.)

But I hear it's a bit different. I hear Abramoff has already tried to do that, and been rebuffed. And this gets us into questions I think we'll be talking about a lot.

Why would he be rebuffed?

Decisions like that go right to the top. And since Abramoff's shenanigans are closely tied -- to be generous -- not just to members of Congress (DeLay, Ney, Burns, et al.) but to key GOP power players (Norquist, Reed, et al.) and quite probably Karl Rove himself, you can see why he (i.e., Abramoff) might have a harder time than your usual perp cutting a deal to implicate those above him.

That DC grand jury investigation of Abramoff can't go on forever. Eventually the lawyers at the Public Integrity Section will go to their bosses with some decisions about just who they want to indict. That's when Al Gonzales will have to show his cards.

(emphasis added)

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_08_07.php#006276

[xxqqqzme]

107. we can only hope he has a

pleasant voice and know the lyrics 2 the song we all long 2 hear.

[Pachamama]

120. You mean the new Rolling Stones song "Sweet Neo-con"?

:bounce:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

108. This has been one sweet day!

:woohoo:

[skids]

111. Dammit... I want more frog march details.

Just "Arrested in Los Angeles."

I was hoping for a car chase!

I know, bad sensationalist, bad boy :spank:

[fooj]

112. It's KARMA time!

Peace.:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[lonestarnot]

113. Nyahahah... dastardly dicks!

[gratuitous]

114. Perp walk!

No bail, I hope.

[The_Casual_Observer]

117. That'll teach him not to fuck with indian medicine men.

[Pachamama]

122. Ha ha! I had same exact thoughts! I bet those indian tribes that he

screwed had a real good chant and rattlesnake venom in a token made for him....

I know some Shamans in the Amazon that I would never ever mess with...

:scared:

[Maddy McCall]

123. Damn Straight.

:)

[lala_rawraw]

118. But not murder?

[Hapameli]

124. Mafia ties and murder. And College Republicans...

[leftofthedial]

125. those upstanding moral repukes

are there any of them left who aren't felons and/or war criminals

[don954]

126. with a name like Jack Abramoff

you know he is going to meet someone named Abram in jail.. ;0

[KarenInMA]

133. This is the best news I've seen all week!!

[AtomicKitten]

127. Hell yes!

Happy happy, joy joy.

And Tom Delay is next. Frog-march his ass to jail.

[Hissyspit]

129. Busted.

Other charges to follow?

[Dulcinea]

131. Excellent!

Throw the book at him. Watch him sing like a canary.

He doesn't strike me as a stand-up guy.

[dxstone]

132. YEEEEE-HAAAA!!!!

Oh happy day! (oh happy day!)

Delay will be singin' a new tune soon...

Jack who? Abra-whatsis?

Nope, nevah hoid of 'im!

[madeline_con]

135. Ties to the mob, fraudulent transfers, this is a great read!

Here's a link to get info and sign a petition:

www.jackinthehouse.org

[HeeBGBz]

134. Key Figure in DeLay Probe Is Indicted

Key Figure in DeLay Probe Is Indicted

snip

MIAMI - Lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a key figure in investigations involving House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, was indicted on fraud charges arising from a deal to buy casino boats from a businessman who was later slain.

Abramoff and a partner in the $147 million purchase of SunCruz Casinos were named in a six-count federal indictment unsealed Thursday in Fort Lauderdale. Prosecutors say the two concocted a fake $23 million wire transfer to defraud two lenders out of about $60 million to finance the deal.

Abramoff and New York businessman Adam Kidan bought SunCruz from Greek-born entrepreneur Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis for $147 million in September 2000, but the deal soon fell apart. Amid bitter legal fighting over the sale, the 51-year-old Boulis was shot to death five months later in what police called a hit that remains unsolved.

The indictment against Abramoff charges that he used income from SunCruz to finance political fundraising activities, including events at private boxes at Washington-area sports venues such as the MCI Center and Oriole Park at Camden Yards.