Religions > Atheism > Tom Delay's Trip Paid By.... Abramoff's Credit Card! (GOP, The Culture of Corruption)
| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Yang, AthD h.c, Kicking AWOLs Cocaine Snorting Ass" |
| Date: |
04 Mar 2006 01:55:51 AM |
| Object: |
Tom Delay's Trip Paid By.... Abramoff's Credit Card! (GOP, The Culture of Corruption) |
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=1679189&page=1
Lobbyist's Credit Card Bill Outs DeLay Trip
Delay's Trip to Golf Resort Paid for by Abramoff
March 2, 2006 — - The paper trail seems so obvious it makes you wonder
whether anyone ever worried about getting caught. When Rep. Tom DeLay,
R-Texas, and his wife flew from Houston to a golf resort in Scotland
in June 2000, the first-class airfare cost $14,001, a big-ticket item
for a public servant. But someone else paid.
The American Express bills of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded
guilty to fraud charges in January, show he footed the bill for the
tickets, in an apparent violation of House ethics rules.
"The source of the travel expenses may not be ... a registered
lobbyist," according to the House rules. Abramoff was a registered
lobbyist at the time.
DeLay's attorney told The Washington Post last year that DeLay was
unaware of the "logistics" of bill payments and did not believe
Abramoff paid for the tickets.
"This is a classic example of why the ethics rules have to be
reformed," said Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21, a nonprofit watchdog
group. "The Scotland trip was a trip to play golf, pure and simple,
and private interests should not be allowed to finance those kinds of
trips and gain influence with members in return."
Abramoff pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy, honest-services
mail fraud and tax evasion. Officials said Abramoff had brought
corruption to a new level at the Capitol.
"The corruption scheme with Mr. Abramoff was very extensive, and the
investigation continues," said Alice Fisher, the head of the
Department of Justice's criminal division.
One aspect of Abramoff's corruption scheme was the free trips he
provided to politicians to the Super Bowl, a golf resort in Scotland
and to the northern Mariana Islands in the South Pacific.
An ABC News hidden camera recorded Abramoff greeting and hugging DeLay
as he arrived in the northern Marianas.
DeLay, the former House majority leader, was only one congressman out
of dozens who accepted the lobbyist's trips and campaign
contributions.
"There are many members of Congress who will not sleep well tonight,"
said Wertheimer at the time of the investigation. "This is a
blockbuster of an investigation that will reach deep inside the power
structure."
Federal authorities told ABC News that Abramoff began providing
details of his dealings with DeLay and pinpointing a long list of
senators and representatives more than a year ago.
At least nine have since returned Abramoff's campaign contributions,
and all, including DeLay, have denied any wrongdoing.
Officials told ABC News that the first congressman to be indicted for
bribery is expected to be Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio.
-----
Yang
a.a. #28
AthD (h.c.) conferred by the regents of the LCL
a.a. pastor #-273.15, the most frigid church of Celcius nee Kelvin
EAC Econometric Forecast and Sorcery Division
Proudly plonked by Lani Girl and Crazyalec (aka aka Yang's little poltregeist *****)
The Bush 'balanced' budget: 2 trillion and worsening
The Bush 'economic' policy: 12.5 million FEWER jobs than Clinton and counting
The Bush Iraq lie: -2299 GIs, one friend's co-worker's son and mounting
Having Bush ***** up my country: Worthless
-----
"Ahhhhhh, yessssssss, ummmmmmm - Alito, Alito, Alito"
-duke (duckgumbo@cox.net), aka PedophilEarl J Weber, 59
year old mateless, heirless biological failure
of Afton Oaks Apartment, Baton Rouge,who pussied
out of the Vietnam draft, showing his gay side
despite his avowed anti-gay bigotry
Contact duke's priest and ask
him why duke is such a racist:
http://www.stpatrickbr.org/
Father Gerard "Jerry" Martin
stpatrickbr<AT>bellsouth<DOT>net
Saint Patrick Catholic Church
12424 Brogdon Lane
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70816
.
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