Newsweek: Tyco -> Abramoff -> Rove, and other fun stuff

[swag]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8941526/site/newsweek/

(Michael Isikoff)

. . .

Another possible reason for the Feds' stance: to pressure Abramoff to cooperate in a broader, D.C.-based probe that could touch members of Congress and Bush administration officials. The probe centers on tens of millions in allegedly inflated lobbying fees Abramoff collected from Indian gaming tribes. But that's not all that's under scrutiny. A lawyer for another client, Tyco International, tells NEWSWEEK that it's turned over to Justice evidence alleging Abramoff defrauded it with a lobbying campaign against legislation to bar federal contracts to U.S. companies, like Tyco, headquartered in overseas tax havens. Tyco, based in Bermuda, paid $1.7 million to Abramoff's firm in 2003 and 2004—plus $1.5 million for a "grass roots" campaign to gin up opposition to the effort among Tyco's domestic suppliers. The Tyco official who hired Abramoff is the firm's general counsel, Tim Flanigan, a former White House lawyer nominated by President Bush for deputy attorney general. Tyco lawyer George Terwilliger says the firm "was a victim of a rip-off." Abramoff, he says, recommended the $1.5 million be paid to Grassroots Interactive, a group that allegedly did little work and later diverted funds for other purposes. Grassroots is "controlled" by Abramoff, says Nathan Lewin, a lawyer for Tyco's registered agent. Abramoff's former law firm has agreed "in principle" to repay the $1.5 million, says a source close to Tyco who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Abramoff, who raised more than $100,000 for Bush's re-election, allegedly told Flanigan he'd lobby White House aide Karl Rove on behalf of Tyco, says the source close to the company. Rove, whose secretary formerly worked for Abramoff, has "never spoken to about any of his clients," says a White House spokeswoman. An Abramoff spokesman and his former law firm declined to comment.

[burythehatchet]

1. Tom Delay is a whore

a filthy, rotten, dirty whore who would pimp any orifice in his body or soul for anyone who would shove an object of his choice into the Tom Delay orifice of his choice, as long as he can pay.

[swag]

2. The whore count around Abramoff is really starting to skyrocket.

[blm]

3. Don't forget RALPH REED is a big part of Abramoff's "grassroots" team.

Ralphie had all those DUPED religious followers believing that every thing he did was for Christ while he was lining his bank account with payoffs for THEIR letters to the editor supporting whatever fascist desire the lobbyists needed fulfilled.

[swag]

4. Even murder is involved. At least tangentially (as far as we know)

http://cbs4.com/newslocal/topstoriesmia_story_228113702.html

[blm]

5. kicking

too good to let drop

[Independent_Liberal]

6. Kick!

[Al-CIAda]

7. .

[blm]

8. TO, too good to drop.....normally, DU would be all over this gem.

,

[swag]

9. Thanks for all the kicks. I think it's rather important.

[blm]

15. It's WAY important, and we should be talking about this as much as

anything else.

It's part and parcel of the whole Republican thug mindset .

[Just Me]

10. Hm. The network is being revealed,...bit by bit.

I would love to see that whole house of horror come crushing down. I am sick of these corrupt bastards ruining this country.

[Al-CIAda]

11. .

[In_The_Wind]

12. ~

:kick:

[swag]

13. "Gimme truth, baby, one more time."

[rumpel]

14. Looks like turd blossom is involved in more than propaganda, too.

Abramoff, who raised more than $100,000 for Bush's re-election, allegedly told Flanigan he'd lobby White House aide Karl Rove on behalf of Tyco, says the source close to the company. Rove, whose secretary formerly worked for Abramoff, has "never spoken to about any of his clients," says a White House spokeswoman. An Abramoff spokesman and his former law firm declined to comment.

ouch!

[natrat]

16. ted kenedy said

95% thugs and 75% dems are corupt. Uncovering a fraction of this stuff would land a ton of people in jail.

[faithnotgreed]

22. sounds like a dream come true - the whole lot of them should be jailed

if anything is jailable deceiving and selling your country down any river surely qualifies

[Coexist]

17. unbelievable

how low do they go?

[elehhhhna]

18. Betcha Halliburton gave big money to lobby against those regs, too.

(As if the Fed would stop working w/ contractors who are based offshore. Please.)

[yodermon]

19. Doesn't this connect...

..over to Sibel Edmonds et. al., in some way? Plame? (besides Rove, of course he has his tentacles in everything)

At the end of the day, it's one big crime syndicate, but it has to be unraveled for any justice to be done.

[tex-wyo-dem]

20. Wow!

The chickenhawks are coming home to roost and the cabal is starting to get exposed. Everything, I mean every little and big scandal we've seen over the last five years is connected in one way or another.

[Al-CIAda]

21. .