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D.C. needs an Abramoff enema

Posted 05 Jan 2006 in Congress, corruption, liberals, Republicans

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I have neither the time nor the inclination to get too far into the Jack Abramoff scandal today. But what I have to say about it won’t take long.

I welcome the upcoming investigations. I think it’s gonna be a great opportunity to clean house (and Sentate, nyuk nyuk) and get rid of many dirty politicians.

The guys over at Ankle Biting Pundits summed up the Abramoff thing pretty well:

First, liberals are right in this instance. The fact that this hideous wretch climbed to the heights of power under GOP leadership in Washington, shoot, with the aid and comfort of the GOP leadership, is a scandal in and of itself. I was around in 1994 when we won the House and the Senate for the first time in forty years. I recall distinctly using the phrase “K Street fat cats” in mail pieces against Democrat incumbents who, while not breaking any laws by cozying up to these sleaze ball lobbyists, certainly violated common decency by allowing them to draft their legislation and fund their political operations. The GOP of the Abramoff era behaved no differently, sad to say.

Second, the Abramoff story is not over. Not by a damn sight. If you think this is just a story about a greedy lobbyist who abused his relationship with congressional leaders you better think again. Matthew Continetti’s recent chilling piece in the Weekly Standard, “Money, Mobsters, Murder[,]” ought to disabuse anyone of the idea that this story ends at money laundering.

I hope he goes down in major flames and takes with him anyone guilty of trading official acts for contributions. That’s gonna be the tough part to prove. But I’m eager to see it happen.

I’m sure it’s too much to ask that this whole thing not become a political bludgeon, because whichever party you like, you can bet it’s rife with corruption and dirty money. (Hello, pot? This is kettle.) This is a political scandal, not exclusively a Republican scandal. But with Democrats being so deranged lately, you can bet this thing will be demagogued right up until the 2006 elections.

Question is, will Democrats be as vociferous against their own brethren who find themselves in Abramoff’s pockets?

It turns out that the most prominent player in Abramoff’s web of influence was reportedly none other than the Senate’s top Democrat, Harry Reid.

In a little noticed story in November, the Associated Press revealed that Reid had accepted tens of thousands of dollars from an Abramoff client, the Coushatta Indian tribe, after interceding with Secretary of the Interior Gail Norton over a casino dispute with a rival tribe.

We’ll see. I say bring it on.

Posted by FullMetalPatriot
12th gen. American, Constitutionalist, Harley-riding Texan, gun owner & NRA member, blogger, illustrator, Florida Gator alumnus. #TCOT

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