Gregg / Abramoff connection . .

[annabanana]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/2009_02_04_Former_Gregg_staffer_caught_up_in_Abramoff_corruption_probe/

WASHINGTON — A former congressional aide to Commerce Secretary-nominee Judd Gregg has been caught up in a long-running investigation into a lobbying scandal.

A person familiar with the case confirmed today that "Staffer F" in court documents is Kevin Koonce, who worked as legislative director in Gregg’s Senate office from 2002-04. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the case is still under investigation.

Staffer F was cited in a guilty plea last week by Todd Boulanger, a former deputy to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. In federal court, Boulanger admitted he plied the staffer with front-row tickets to a hockey game and other tickets to a baseball game, and in exchange received favors in spending legislation.

Just goes to show you.. They cannot be trusted.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. Abramoff is singing,

and the Feds are still listening. I understand there will be shocking indictments handed down, but the Feds were waiting until Fuckface was gone from the White House for fear that he would prematurely pardon anyone they named in indictments.

Who knows if Gregg was somehow involved in something connected to Abramoff? It's incredible how long that guy's tentacles were in this town.

And he's singing in order to get a reduction in his sentence, so he's coughing up everyone.

[glitch]

2. Ah, now his withdrawal from Commerce makes sense. nt

[spanone]

3. very interesting

[Blue_In_AK]

4. I'm glad we're done with Gregg.

He was a big supporter of drilling in ANWR also.

[bluesmail]

5. I was wondering why President Obama nominated him.

This way the R's cannot say for the rest of his term he was partisan. If Obama knew about the Abramoff connection, this was a brilliant move.

[Peace Patriot]

6. I'm beginning to think Obama was pulling the Pukes' legs with this nomination.

Here's the White House statement:

"Senator Gregg reached out to the President and offered his name for Secretary of Commerce. He was very clear throughout the interviewing process that despite past disagreements about policies, he would support, embrace, and move forward with the President's agenda. Once it became clear after his nomination that Senator Gregg was not going to be supporting some of President Obama's key economic priorities, it became necessary for Senator Gregg and the Obama administration to part ways. We regret that he has had a change of heart".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8192284

[Spazito]

7. I have to admit I was thinking the same...

Obama has always been 10 steps ahead of his political adversaries and this nomination was the only one I could not get a handle on at all. I can't help but wonder if he knew this guy would go down in flames of his own making and, by doing that, Obama shows he was willing to be bipartisan by this nomination and the repubs don't have a leg to stand on now when Obama nominates someone the repubs don't like.

[malaise]

8. It's a very good point

He must have known about the Abramoff link.

[glitch]

9. That actually occurred to me too. In which case the "chess" he's playing is multi-dimensional.

If true incredibly impressive.

[Solly Mack]

10. excellent!

[MasonJar]

11. That thesis is nutty. Obama needs a Commerce Secretary not chess

games. I do NOT think for one moment he knew about Abramoff. However, he made a serious mistake believing anything Gregg said. I could tell by looking at him that he was one sour puss idiot. I hope New Hampshire gets rid of him in 2010. Obama also needs to stop reaching for bipartisanship. We, the people, want a strong progressive who will support alternative energy at Commerce.