(LA TIMES) Abramoff Offered to Aid Sudan, Envoy Says

[laststeamtrain]

Abramoff Offered to Aid Sudan, Envoy Says
The former lobbyist sought millions to help the sanctioned nation clean up its image, the country's ambassador and an ex-associate say.

WASHINGTON — Two eyewitnesses say that former lobbyist Jack Abramoff proposed to sell his services to the much-criticized government of Sudan to help improve its abysmal reputation in the United States, especially among Christian evangelicals who were campaigning against human rights violations in the troubled African nation.

Khidir Haroun Ahmed, Sudan's ambassador to the United States, said in an interview that Abramoff proposed a multimillion-dollar lobbying contract in late 2001 but that the proposal was "never seriously considered" by the Sudanese. He declined to elaborate.

The story Ahmed and a former Abramoff associate tell about the solicitation of Sudan, which the U.S. had sanctioned for its record on terrorism and rights violations, is a striking example of the kind of aggressive machinations of Abramoff as spelled out in the criminal cases against him. The super-lobbyist made tens of millions of dollars representing — and sometimes defrauding — corporations, foreign clients and American Indian gambling interests.

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-sudan4apr04,1,5314513.story?coll=la-news-politics-national&ctrack=1&cset=true

[atreides1]

1. And Yet

His family and friends still describe him as a man with ethics!!!!

[Sydnie]

2. He was only offering to do for the Sudan what he did for

apartheid so many years ago. Spin it. Not change it or interrupt it, but spin it for them.

He should be under the jail, not in it.

[donkeyotay]

3. Yes, he was only offering to clean up the image

Being a gangster if fine, so long has you appear Republican and god-fearin while doing so.

[martymar64]

4. How would he spin genocide?

He surely wasn't going to lobby for the poor souls being ethnicly clensed in Darfur.

[Sydnie]

6. they same way he spun aparthied for the government of SA n/t

[0007]

5. The full court press is on!

[MisterP]

7. Stupid said Khartoum is our ally in the Warren Terra

the UN on its own initiative has to deploy personnel to Darfur, 'coz the World Emperor isn't gonna do nuttin'