From The Telegraph, 1/18/06:
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/politics/13655995.htm

White House won't discuss meetings between officials, Abramoff

BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON -

For the second straight day, the White House refused Wednesday to say
who among its staffers met with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff or
whom the recently convicted felon was representing when he visited the
executive mansion.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan, pressed to explain
Abramoff's contacts with the Bush administration, said, "We're not
going to engage in a fishing expedition" in the media.

"I know there's some that want to do that, but I don't see any reason
to do so," McClellan said.

"Well, I think that some people (are) insinuating things based on no
evidence whatsoever."

Several government ethics groups found the White House stance
perplexing, saying nothing prevents the administration from disclosing
the identities of meeting participants.

"There's a feeding frenzy for transparency and disclosure on Capitol
Hill, and that's not a good way to start," said Roberta Baskin, the
executive director of the Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan,
nonprofit watchdog group.

"You can't plead national security. The public has a right to know."

Abramoff was a high-flying Washington lobbyist and a huge contributor
to Republican political campaigns until he pleaded guilty before a
federal judge on Jan. 3 to one charge each of conspiracy to corrupt
public officials, mail fraud and tax evasion.

He gave only to fellow Republicans, but his clients contributed large
donations to Republicans and Democrats.

He's now cooperating with prosecutors investigating corruption on
Capitol Hill and in the Bush administration, and Republicans worry
that public outrage over the spreading scandal could cost them control
of Congress in November's elections.

Following Abramoff's guilty plea, lawmakers from both parties rushed
to distance themselves from him and unload contributions from him.

The Bush-Cheney campaign donated $6,000 that it had received from
Abramoff to the American Heart Association, though it's keeping more
than $100,000 that he raised for the campaign from other donors.

The White House went public about returning the $6,000, but has said
little else about contacts between Abramoff and its staffers.

McClellan acknowledged Tuesday that Abramoff and White House Deputy
Chief of Staff Karl Rove are casual friends largely because they both
once headed the College Republicans.

Other than acknowledging that Abramoff attended Hanukkah receptions at
the White House in 2001 and 2002, McClellan has refused to say how
many other times the lobbyist has visited.

While photos of guests shaking hands with the president at such events
are routine, McClellan has ducked whether there are any pictures of
Bush with Abramoff, saying only that he'd look into the question.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Abramoff and his associates
had nearly 200 contacts with the White House during Bush's first 10
months in office.

"As with all of these scandals, the longer it takes them to answer the
question, the more interest there will be in the answer," said Massie
Ritsch, a spokesman for the Center for Responsive Politics, a
nonpartisan, nonprofit research group.

"Answer the question and put the questions to rest."

___________________________________________________________

It's the coverup that gets 'em in the end. Republicans should know
that by now. They've done it often enough.

Harry