SMOKING GUN E-MAILS SHOW ROVE, RALSTON, ABRAMOFF BRIBE!! -- RECOMMEND

[Dems Will Win]

GLORY HALLELUJAH! This is a mind-blower. Clear Quid Pro Quo between Rove and Abramoff and that means Bush goes down too. This is nothing less than bribery as the New York Times description of the pending report makes clear:

President Bush and Susan Ralston of the Abramoff Gang

After that game, Mr. Abramoff described Mr. Rove in an e-mail message to a colleague: “He’s a great guy. Told me anytime we need something just let him know through Susan.” The message was referring to Susan Ralson, Mr. Abramoff’s former secretary, who joined the White House in February 2001 as Mr. Rove’s executive assistant.

Ms. Ralston, who did not return phone calls seeking comment Thursday, was lobbied scores of times by Mr. Abramoff and his partners, the report found, and was instrumental in passing messages between Mr. Abramoff and senior officials at the White House, including Mr. Rove and Ken Mehlman.

Mr. Mehlman, now chairman of the Republican National Committee, was then a senior White House political strategist. A national committee spokeswoman, Tracey Schmitt, said Thursday that in Mr. Mehlman’s White House job, “it was not unusual” that he “would be in contact with supporters who had interest in administration policy.”

In October 2001, the report said, Mr. Abramoff asked the White House to withhold an endorsement from a Republican candidate for governor of the Northern Marianas Islands, an American commonwealth in the western Pacific where Mr. Abramoff had clients; Mr. Abramoff was backing another candidate.

On Oct. 31, 2001, the report said, Ms. Ralson sent an e-mail message to Mr. Abramoff that read: “You win :) KR said no endorsement.”

In March 2002, the report said, Mr. Abramoff contacted Ms. Ralson to offer tickets to Mr. Rove and his family for use of a skybox during the N.C.A.A. tournament at the MCI Center in Washington.

“Hi Susan,” Mr. Abramoff wrote in an e-mail message.” I just saw Karl and mentioned the N.C.A.A. opportunity, which he was really jazzed about. If he wants to join us in the Pollin box, please let me know as soon as you can.”

Ms. Ralston replied: “Karl is interested in Fri. and Sun. 3 tickets for his family?”

Mr. Abramoff responded: “Done. Does he want to go Friday night or Friday afternoon or both?” The report said that Mr. Rove offered to pay for the tickets, prompting Mr. Abramoff to propose that Mr. Rove pay $50 per ticket “payable to me personally.”

The report cited numerous e-mail messages in which Mr. Abramoff referred to Mr. Rove and his visits to Signatures, a Washington restaurant owned by Mr. Abramoff.

On learning in July 2002 that Mr. Rove planned to dine at Signatures with a party of 8 to 10 people, Mr. Abramoff wrote to a colleague: “I want him to be given a very nice bottle of wine and have Joseph whisper in his ear (only he should hear) that Abramoff wanted him to have this wine on the house.” In another e-mail message, Mr. Abramoff directed his restaurant staff to “please put Karl Rove in his usual table.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/29/washington/29abramoff.html?

Please remember to recommend and show this to friends family and email lists!

[blogslut]

1. noice

:)

[Dems Will Win]

5. Yes, let's make some noice!

We just broke out the champagne here!

:rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn: :rofl: :party: :applause: :popcorn:

[Dems Will Win]

38. Here is the link to the report

It is fucking amazing!

http://reform.house.gov/UploadedFiles/1%20FINAL%20ABRAMOFF.pdf

savemefromdumbya found it! THanks!

[ms liberty]

76. Page not available?

Link not working - is everyone looking at it right now, or did they take it down? Hmmm...

[Dems Will Win]

84. Mehlman Guilty of Quid Pro Quo

Emails Suggest Mehlman Arranged Fed Funds for Abramoff Contributions
By Paul Kiel - September 29, 2006, 8:35 AM

There's already a lot of evidence out there that Ken Mehlman was Jack Abramoff's prime favor man in the White House -- but this new congressional report provides the most damning example yet.

From The Washington Post:

One exchange of e-mails cited in the report suggests that former Abramoff lobbying team member Tony C. Rudy succeeded in getting Mehlman to press reluctant Justice Department appointees to release millions of dollars in congressionally earmarked funds for a new jail for the Mississippi Choctaw tribe, an Abramoff client. Rudy wrote Abramoff in November 2001 e-mails that Mehlman said he would "take care of" the funding holdup at Justice after learning from Rudy that the tribe made large donations to the GOP.

So in exchange for political contributions, Mehlman made sure the Choctaw got their $16 million contract. I believe that's called a quid pro quo.

It's by no means the only example of Mehlman's favors.

In 2001, he made sure a State Department official wasn't re-nominated for his post -- the official, Allen Stayman was a long-time foe of Abramoff's.

And according to a report from the Justice Department's Inspector General, Mehlman ordered one of his suboordinates at the White House to keep Abramoff updated on issues related to Guam; Abramoff was keen to see the U.S. Attorney there replaced.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001635.php

[lazyriver]

56. Oh yeah!

It'll be a special bottle of blueberry wine for my wife and me tonight! We'll toast their humilation with our last bottle of Charlie's Wicked Sophisticated 2004!

[Liberal Dose]

2. K&R

:kick: :wow:

[savemefromdumbya]

3. Why is her hand?

on Bush's chest?

maybe the Abramoff scandal will emerge just in time for elections. Looked like it had died on the vine?

[NewJeffCT]

27. checking to see if he has a heart?

and being happy when she found he doesn't.

[fooj]

40. That pic has always bothered me.

It looks like a fricking engagement picture. Ugh..........

[file83]

85. I wonder if she has a "Blue Dress"....

hmmmm.....

[savemefromdumbya]

89. probably several

[exlrrp]

102. Trying their best to kill it

"Looked like it had died on the vine?" You mean: Did the Republicans kill and bury it? It looked that way for a long time but you can only delay consequences for so long. This HAD to come out and its clearly a Republican problem. You don't hear them saying "The democrats took Abramoff money too," do you?
They delayed the truth but its still there.
Why does NO account you read nowadays say that Abramoff was a Bush Pioneer? Why don't we hear any more about the Bush Pioneers and what they get for their investment?? Seems to me like its a huge story that needs to be told.
Abramoff being a Bush Pioneer would have guaranteed him WH access right there.

[Imagevision]

104. K&R!!!

[Skidmore]

4. Sure splins why Rove has gotten slimmer since Abramoff

is out of circulation.

[bluestateguy]

6. $20 bucks says this story ends up right where the Downing Street Memo is

In second-tier news sources and websites for a few days, and then down the hole.

[Dems Will Win]

12. For once, I have to disagree

This is a moment like when the press finally realized it had been directly lied to in the Watergate Coverup.

Bush had said ABramoff had met there only a couple of times and couldn't remember him, now there are all these e-mails showing out-and-out bribery and Abramoff himself is singing to the prosecutors.

The press will be forced to report on this, and they already have in the Times and ABC News even before the Report is released, before the election, and that will help us win the House at least.

[patrice]

7. How do you like that bit about the bottle of wine - which KR doesn't

drink?

That wouldn't stop him from giving it to his guests AND his guests wouldn't know that he hadn't paid for it, because Joseph was instructed to whisper in KR's ear, so only he could hear (why?). Think about it, the headwaiter comes to the table and whispers in KR's ear, just like a scene out of The Godfather. KR's guests must have been impressed. KR gets to give them expensive wine on someone else's dime & he gets to look like "the godfather". Abramoff's sense of drama must have served him and others well, up to a point.

[blogslut]

8. This article is fun!

Last two paragraphs:

In court papers this week, the department asked that Mr. Abramoff, who has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison, not have to surrender for three months because of the need for his continued cooperation in the influence-peddling investigation in Washington that is said to involve several members of Congress.

But the judge, Paul C. Huck, agreed to allow Mr. Abramoff to remain free only until Nov. 15, saying “there comes a time when people have to pay the piper.” Mr. Abramoff pleaded guilty in Miami as part of an agreement with the Justice Department in which he confessed to corruption charges in Washington, and to fraud charges in Florida involving his purchase of a casino-boat fleet there.

October is a long month. A boy can do a lot of gut-spilling in 31 days. This could get real good.

[DoYouEverWonder]

54. This is Abramoff and Kiden's 2nd extension

I'm sure the judge is getting a little tired of it.

[johnnie]

9. K&R

Sooner or later some of the shit will stick.

[thereismore]

10. Didn't Karl pay $50 for the tickets? That's OK, no?

This is not enough. For God's sake, the country is going to Hell in a handbasket, do you think people will care if Rove paid for his tickets or a bottle of wine? Somebody explain to me how this has traction.

[blogslut]

14. Well, there's this

The lobbyists spent almost $25,000 in meals and drinks for the White House officials and provided them with tickets to numerous sporting events and concerts, according to the report, scheduled for release Friday.

That's a bit more than just a bottle of wine and three tickets. It's year's salary for some people.

[thereismore]

15. Yes, that's something. nt

[Dems Will Win]

17. No you're wrong, there is enough here to convict --

especially since Abramoff himself is spilling the beans. Here is the money quote:

“He’s a great guy. Told me anytime we need something just let him know through Susan.”

That is not something the Chief of Staff of the WH is supposed to say to ANYONE EVER.

They are dead meat. I would not be surprised if Rove actually has to resign within a week or two.

The blogs and Fighting Dems are going to have a FIELD DAY when the report itself comes out.

It will be a Perfect Storm of accusations and exposed lies coming so fast and furious it will make your head spin.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

108. "I would not be surprised if Rove actually has to resign within a week

or two"

whoa! easy there. this is a post sept11 world. laws and ethics are for us only. don't get ahead of yourself.

[acmejack]

20. Second tier near the goal at a NCAA regional in 86 cost me $70

fwiw, those, $50 seat were several orders of magnitude better and it's 20 years later ...

[redacted]

23. So he got $500 tickets for only $50?

Thats a, um, really good deal. . .

[Dems Will Win]

24. That is another NO-NO

Good eye!

So many crimes here!

[redacted]

32. THAT hits a nerve with me! Do you know how much I wanted NCAA tickets,

expecially when my college was in the playoffs, and couldn't afford them because they were pulling down anywhere from $250 up to $2000 for good seats at the finals? No wonder why he was so eager to go and pay only a mere fraction of what those seats were worth!

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[NewJeffCT]

28. Al Capone went to jail for income tax evasion

sometimes, the little things hit a nerve...

For 10 years, us folks in CT put up with scandal after scandal related to Bush friend and now ex-con and ex-governor, John Rowland. Yet, the big news was that he had a contractor put in a free hot tub into his home in exchange for a gov't contract. Not that he abused his ex-wife, not the tons of other conflicts of interest... the hot tub

[thereismore]

64. You're right. maybe the $50 skybox ticket WILL HIT THE NERVE.

A lot of people would have a digit cut off for a ticket like that. Just not me. You're right, this could resonate.

[bigbrother05]

11. kick

[acmavm]

13. The crappiest government money can buy...

that's ours.

[donkeyotay]

61. And they sold us out so cheaply...

Next time that mofo lays down in front of the airplane wheels I hope the pilot runs him over.

[redacted]

16. VIDEO (ABC News) 485 "INTERACTIONS" WITH WHITE HOUSE! 485!

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/

This guy must have been practically LIVING at the White House! INCREDIBLE!

[Oilwellian]

18. Mehlman's in trouble too

Emails Suggest Mehlman Arranged Fed Funds for Abramoff Contributions

There's already a lot of evidence out there that Ken Mehlman was Jack Abramoff's prime favor man in the White House -- but this new congressional report provides the most damning example yet.

From The Washington Post:

One exchange of e-mails cited in the report suggests that former Abramoff lobbying team member Tony C. Rudy succeeded in getting Mehlman to press reluctant Justice Department appointees to release millions of dollars in congressionally earmarked funds for a new jail for the Mississippi Choctaw tribe, an Abramoff client. Rudy wrote Abramoff in November 2001 e-mails that Mehlman said he would "take care of" the funding holdup at Justice after learning from Rudy that the tribe made large donations to the GOP.
So in exchange for political contributions, Mehlman made sure the Choctaw got their $16 million contract. I believe that's called a quid pro quo.

It's by no means the only example of Mehlman's favors.

In 2001, he made sure a State Department official wasn't re-nominated for his post -- the official, Allen Stayman was a long-time foe of Abramoff's.

And according to a report from the Justice Department's Inspector General, Mehlman ordered one of his suboordinates at the White House to keep Abramoff updated on issues related to Guam; Abramoff was keen to see the U.S. Attorney there replaced.

In March, Mehlman told Vanity Fair, "Abramoff is someone who we don't know a lot about. We know what we read in the paper."

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001635.php

[Dems Will Win]

21. This is clear quid pro quo

Mehlman is going to be locked up with all those studs in jail.

He won't mind too much...

[fooj]

42. As much as I share in your enthusiasm...

These treasonous, rat bastards don't CARE about the RULE OF LAW. They don't apply it. The SCOTUS rules that Hamden is Unconstitutional and in direct violation of domestic and international law. They push the damn bill through...AGAIN. Unbelievable. Do you think this may help to bring them down? I just don't know anymore.

I'll never give up hope. Thanks for giving me some.

[Cosmocat]

47. Mehlman is ...

in the top echelone of sliminess in a group that has NO peers in its lack of ethics ... TRULY a pit of snakes ...

[blogslut]

19. I love this article!

I want to marry it!

In October 2001, the report said, Mr. Abramoff asked the White House to withhold an endorsement from a Republican candidate for governor of the Northern Marianas Islands, an American commonwealth in the western Pacific where Mr. Abramoff had clients; Mr. Abramoff was backing another candidate.

On Oct. 31, 2001, the report said, Ms. Ralson sent an e-mail message to Mr. Abramoff that read: “You win :) KR said no endorsement.”

[Catherine Vincent]

30. K&R (Karl and Rove)! :)

Is there another KR high up in this corrupt administration? :)

[redacted]

22. WHERE is this friggin' report? Can we download it yet?

I'll drop what I'm doing here at work to read THIS ONE, for sure.

[savemefromdumbya]

31. here

here!

http://reform.house.gov/UploadedFiles/1%20FINAL%20ABRAMOFF.pdf

[redacted]

33. savemefromdumbya, you are the greatest!

Right click, "download linked file," double click and there it is!

THANK YOU

:yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

just in time for lunch hour

[malaise]

34. Snowjob talking about this now on CSpan 3 n/t

[blogslut]

35. thanks

:)

[truebrit71]

65. Linky no worky.....

..???

[savemefromdumbya]

90. another linky

http://reform.house.gov/UploadedFiles/billing%20records%20spreadsheet.pdf

[lonestarnot]

96. Fucking Noise!

:party: woodamnwhoo! :bounce: teehee ohyeyababy! :toast: and that they are toast! :toast: Too bad I had to work. Red Rover is in my town tonight. Hope he gets fucking egged!

[lonestarnot]

87. damn! page can't be found.

[savemefromdumbya]

91. they pulled the report but here's billing records of Abramoff

reform house gov is down

http://reform.house.gov/UploadedFiles/billing%20records%20spreadsheet.pdf

[lonestarnot]

94. thanks savemefromdumbya!

[blogslut]

25. kick

dang it

[rateyes]

26. That averages out to over twice a week...

doesn't it? 485 in that time frame? Yep.

[NewJeffCT]

29. even more than Jeff Gannon, right?

Wasn't that around 200 times?

[Imagevision]

39. K&R

[rateyes]

48. Even more than Gannon...

wonder how many times JackA. and JeffG. hooked up?

[BrotherBuzz]

36. Where is Grover Norquist in all this?

Has he piped in lately, or is he sitting out the storm in his hidey-hole?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[blogslut]

41. I glossed across his name

in that report - linked by savemefromdumbya - upthrad.

[BrotherBuzz]

49. Thanks, and thank you savemefromdumbya, too

But I can't open the page. What am I doing wrong?

[sofa king]

79. Grover and Ralph were visiting the WH a lot at the same time.

About 100 times, according to the sanitized report last week. The visits of Heckel and Jeckel might be included within the 485 "contacts" credited to Abramoff's crew. Or, it could be in addition to them, which begins to approach an "every other day" level of contact for that period.

[blogslut]

37. Still waiting

for the MSM to mention this. I may have heard a blurb. There is a new terror tape, an ended manhunt and ooh...a shiny thing!

[Dems Will Win]

43. It has been on ABC News, the report that is

DailyKOS now has Kos himself talking about Mehlman being bribed, saw the report on CNN that Abramoff interacted 485 times.

This cannot be ignored.

They are all reading the report as we speak. Get out the popcorn because the feces will hit the rotating wind turbine tonite.

Hmmmm. On second thought, DUCK AND COVER!.

I bet we see the big one any minute now...

[blogslut]

44. Shoot

I don't get ABC. All satellite in my house. Oh well, maybe I'll hear of it when I go to.....................The Situation Room!

[Dems Will Win]

45. btw, that photo of Bush and Ralston has NEVER been on TV

or in a media publication.

I'm getting together my survival kit right now. Flashlight, canned food, medicine, kitty kibbles, crackers -- DAMN! -- no silver coins! I have to get some right away.

Chertoff at DHS is getting ready to go to CODE RED:

Bush Administration in Immediate Political Danger

[vickitulsa]

86. Definitely got my attention. First time I've seen that photo

at least that I can recall. And I HAVE been following the Abramoff story for quite awhile now.

That pic does remind me of one you'd see in an engagement announcement, too, as someone else here said! Ewwww.....

I was pleasantly surprised the other day when I mentioned Abramoff to a neighbor who doesn't really care much about politics, period, yet she at least recognized the name and had it linked to both corruption and chimpy in her mind.

And while it's true that the story faded from most news scenes (if they can still be considered that, meaning the corporate media formerly known as the mainstream media), it's also true that that damn name, ABRAMOFF, keeps popping back up again and again. I think that's why my neighbor recognized it.

It's like "the dead thing that won't lie down," as in Golding's Lord of the Flies.

Of all the scandals and other criminal doings this administration has been caught in and connected to, I have always thought it was the Abramoff stuff that was going to bring them down in the end. Johnny and Janey Q. Citizen may find a lot of the details a bit esoteric, but the bottom line is ... well, the bottom line! It's all about bribes and payoffs and kickbacks and two sets of books -- that sort of thing. I think the average American "gets it" on that kind of crap once they hear it laid out without all the organization charts and complicated convolutions to confuse them.

Finally, I'm reminded again of that Ghandi quote I see every now and then here at DU and elsewhere, the one where he points out that ALL wicked dictatorships eventually fail and the once-mighty ones fall -- ALL OF THEM ... "think about it."

Many of them who have reigned over limited regions and populations may slip by almost unnoticed by the wider world, but the "biggies" -- by definition they cannot go unnoticed! The stench from the pits and crotches of sweaty thugs in this administration has drifted globally for so long now and offended the nostrils of so many. What would give more of the planet's populations more joy and relief than to see U.S. citizens take down our own high criminals, I wonder?

[blue cat]

81. I'm so thrilled

I'm spending the weekend with my repub sister who insisted that the dems were just as guilty. hehehe, it's going to be fun.

[lonestarnot]

88. Crap! Not a peep here yet!

[redacted]

50. blogslut, you shouldn't have to wait long. Look at this:

http://news.google.com/nwshp?hl=en&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&ncl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3DaDEFglvTOtRc%26refer%3Dhome

[blogslut]

46. This report is fun too!

Shawn Vasell bought White House officals $12,118 in drinks and meals.

Some info on Vasell here:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Shawn_Vasell

Profiles

Conrad Burns hired Greenberg Traurig lobbyist Shawn Vasell "as his State Director in 2001. After a year-long stint with Burns, Vasell returned to Greenberg Traurig in January 2003. Vasell was listed as a lobbyist for the Saginaw Michigan Tribe in 2003," according to (http://www.montanademocrats.org/news/pressroom/Burns%20Ad%20Response1.25.06.pdf) Roll Call March 1, 2005, and the December 18, 2003, Washington Post.

Vasell was a member of "Team Abramoff", the "more than a dozen lobbyists who were members of ... the tight-knit group who worked under" Jack Abramoff "when he was at the lobbying helm of the Washington office of Greenberg Traurig LLP and, before that, Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds LLP," James V. Grimaldi wrote (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/25/AR2005062500983_pf.html) in the June 26, 2005, Washington Post.

Vasell was of Preston Gates and a former staffer for both Porter Goss (R-Florida) and judiciary subcommittee chair Senator Spencer Abraham (R-Michigan), Ken Silverstein wrote (http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/1998/01/silverstein_chart.html) in the January/February 1998 issue of Mother Jones...

[nolabels]

51. Can we be critical here?

These bums that have been occupying the D.C. have lushed and wasted billions on all kinds of questionable (and probably illegal) things but somehow three or four discounted entertainment tickets are going be the making for ends to them. In the weight of things, getting thousands of people killed by knowingly promulgating fraudulent documents with intent to do harm is just being ignored for convenience for now.

I will wait for history to be the judge here, I am sure it won't be kind to any of it x(

[blogslut]

52. three or four discounted entertainment tickets?

Are you kidding? Do you have $25,000 lying around to just give away?

Are you missing the forest for the trees? The White House said they barely knew Abramoff. Bush said he barely knew him Rove said he barely knew him.

ADDED: I am not discounting that what they've done in IRAQ is just plain murder. That's more like the wall of reality the kool-aide drinkers simply refuse to see.

[redacted]

53. Right, and their next press conference will be BRUTAL

Can't you just see it now? Imagine David Gregory of NBC News: "You lied to us. You lied to us. You absolutely, positively, lied to us! Now, what I want to know is. . ."

[nolabels]

58. Maybe I painted a little opaque

It's just even though that they got the goods on them there, it doesn't seem to raise above the bar from what the other corrupt government luminaries like Senators are doing. Ultimately the senators would be the one's to impeach bush and the rest of the Bush loyalist will just hide behind * and the color of the law.

We won't get rid of Bush or any of the corrupt ones that are destined to come after him till the crooks in the legislature are swept out. The end around the law was always the aim and the fellows that are in there are not going to give it up easy.

[redacted]

55. BLACK FRIDAY FOR THE GOP: Foley just resigned, too

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2536431&mesg_id=2536431

[Jack Rabbit]

57. If this is true, it couldn't come at a better time

Can we tie Cheney to any of this?

Please answer that question with solid facts that can be taken to court. Conspiracy theories are more useless than usual in this case.

[madrchsod]

59. so? nothing will come of this.

no one really cares but a few...hey gasoline is down to 2.30 and natural gas will be less than last year! we are on a roll america ! so america just hold your nose so you can`t smell the stench of our rotting government and everything will be fine!

[Dems Will Win]

60. kick

[donkeyotay]

62. On tee vee they were pondering if the public would care about abramoff

This was yesterday, and I can't remember who or which channel, but they were saying how the dims had hoped this would be big, but the public just didn't seem to care about Abramoff... gee, I wonder why. Abramoff who? I wonder how much the public would care if the media ever informed them of the many tentacles of corruption... the Mariannas, Delay, the White House, Ney, Cunningham...

IT'S JUST THE ROTTING CORPSE OF YOUR FREEDOM, PEOPLE. PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE FLIES.

[alstephenson]

63. Rove in Scottsdale @ GOP fundraiser tonight-NEED IDEAS FOR SIGNS!!!

What do you think of these???

ROVE: PARTISANSHIP ABOVE PATRIOTISM; TREASON ABOVE REASON

ROVE: GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY

ROVE AND ABRAMOFF: CROOKS AND LIARS

ROVE v. TRUTH

ROVE: WHERE'S YOUR BUDDY ABRAMOFF?

[Dems Will Win]

69. KARL ROVE IS A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE ABRAMOFF GANG

[alstephenson]

71. Me likey - thanks!

:thumbsup:

[ekwhite]

109. I'd Go with Rove and Abramoff

Get the message out there.

[symbolman]

66. Jesus Christ

this is KILLER STUFF!!

It looks like Abramoff spent more time in the White House than BUSH DID :)

KR going DOWN baby..

I'm starting to believe that the Dems gave Bush freedom from War Crimes because he'll be forced to RESIGN. Never know..

[KittyWampus]

68. yest it is, Friday news dump.

[me b zola]

95. Oh Ding ding Ding!

It looks like Abramoff spent more time in the White House than BUSH DID

Another way to say it is the corrupt lobbiest are in charge in the White House! But however it gets said, Dems need to grab that microphone and say it loud & often!

[onenote]

67. I'm missing the part where this proves bribery

Don't get me wrong. I think the fact that Abramoff has been shown to have the close connection to Rove and the WH is nothing but good news for us. But I wouldn't get too excited about it establishing a crime. I don't see any evidence of a bribe in these emails. Moreover, if what is described here is bribery, then most members of Congress, of both parties, had better get criminal attorneys.

[Dems Will Win]

72. The first quid is the $314,000 the RNC never paid

Greenberg Traurig back for in the 2000 Recount battle. There are many others, especially Jack himself raising $100k for Bush Cheney.

So far legal. But now Jack is ILLEGALLY DONATING tickets, meals over $20, expensive bottles of wine, etc. to staffers and testifying that his emails are true, Rove said just ask Ralston for whatever you need.

So there is a witness. Abramoff himself--and now Ralston is implicated and you can bet she'll sing like a canary too.

In addition, the aides Rudy and Volz are singing. That makes 4 witnesses all testifying that their emails are true and yes they were bribing the White House.

That is one hell of a case. You imply the case is weak.

[onenote]

78. I don't know if the case is strong or weak

Its going to depend on what Rudy and Volz will testify. The email between Rove and Abramoff re asking Ralson for whatever he needs is by itself not enough to establish bribery. Ralston's testimony will be key. The tickets...hard to say. There is a fair market value exception to the gift rule and the question is what was the FMV of the tickets. There was a practice for a while of the tickets to events in luxury suites being given a low face value in an attempt to differentiate the cost of the event and cost of the luxury suite. As for the bottle of wine...it probably violated the ethics rules, but Rove isn't going to jail over a bottle of wine. As mentioned, these rules (and the similar ethics rules applicable to members of congress and their staffs) are skirted on a daily basis by members of both parties. Believe me, I've bought enough lunches for staffers and have attended Super Bowls and other major events with staffers to know.

[Dems Will Win]

80. There are also emails from Ralston and others to Abramoff

she asks for tickets seven times just for herself. There is no evidence any payment was made and Jack billed the Indians apparently for all of it. He was using Indian-paid boxes most of the time. At one point the report notes 4 tickets for one event would have been $1,300 altogether. Doubtful this was paid!

Yes, this happens but here you have the perpetrator himself turning state's evidence. He can't deny his own e-mails right now.

That's what makes this very dangerous for the GOP.

[brettdale]

70. Kick

The silence from most the media is deafening though.

[babsbunny]

73. Another smoking gun?

:boring:

[ms liberty]

74. KAYYY-AND-ARRR!

Please let this be the thing that busts this mess open!

[lovuian]

75. Karl Is in Big trouble yes he is

Going down!!! How many pardons can Bush issue him???

[Truthiness Inspector]

77. K & R

But can someone explain why this is a smoking gun? From the article it says the Rovian Beast offered to pay for the tix himself.

[Bjorn Against]

99. He was only paying $50 for tickets worth hundreds of dollars

Plus there was the $25,000 in other expenses. Taking virtually any kind of gift is illegal if you are in a position of power like that, when the gifts add up at least into the tens of thousands of dollars that is a very serious offense.

[Patsy Stone]

82. Oh, Suzie-Q

Maybe Martha will give you the pattern for her crocheted prison poncho.

K&R.

[a kennedy]

83. K & R

:kick:

[brettdale]

92. what media group beside the newyork times?

Is having this on thier front page or what network or cable station is leading with this story?

[walldude]

93. You guys don't really believe that this is going to take Bush down

do you? After all the crimes they've committed, after managing to get their protection from prosecution for torture bill passed, you guys think this is what is going to bring down the administration? Sorry, I'm done getting excited over shit like this...

[savemefromdumbya]

97. just add it to the list of crimes

[walldude]

98. Exactly... they have commited much worse crimes than this

and have praised themselves for doing so. This is another drop in the bucket.

[rodeodance]

100. Tony snow said today that the WH will studying this Report.

[Dems Will Win]

101. kick

[IWantAChange]

103. wonder what Olbermann thinks?

With so much material out there that needs to be reported to the American public so they can have a glimpse of what is REALLY going on - versus the FOX pseudo-reality created on a daily basis - I can only wonder how he and his producer's wade through the ever-growing mountain of incompetence and fraud that is the Bush Administration.

[madrchsod]

105. fitzgerald brought down george ryan in illinois

with far less evidence than this. what it will take is a prosecuter with guts.....

[young_at_heart]

106. Is Laura mad about the possessive placement of her hand?

She's definitely sending a signal by putting her hand where it is.

[fishwax]

107. wow

Good article!
:wow:

K/R

:kick: