From Reuters, 3/9/06:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/09/politics/09abramoff.html?ex=1299560400&en=99403a8089d9ea28&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
Abramoff Says Top Republicans Were Allies
By REUTERS
WASHINGTON --
Jack Abramoff says in the latest issue of the magazine Vanity Fair
that he worked closely with many top Republicans, despite their claims
to the contrary.
"Any important Republican who comes out and says they didn't know me
is almost certainly lying," Mr. Abramoff said in an article in the
magazine's April edition, which was released to reporters on
Wednesday.
Mr. Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud charges in January and is
cooperating with prosecutors in a corruption inquiry.
In the article, Mr. Abramoff complained that many of those who used to
work closely with him now claim that they never knew him.
"You're really no one in this town until you haven't met me," he said.
E-mail messages and other subpoenaed records will eventually prove
that he worked closely with them, he said.
The magazine features photographs of Mr. Abramoff with Representative
Tom DeLay, former Representative Newt Gingrich and President Ronald
Reagan.
Ken Mehlman, the Republican National Committee chairman, dined at Mr.
Abramoff's house and forced a Democratic appointee out of the State
Department for him, the article said.
Tracey Schmitt, a committee spokeswoman, said, "Jack Abramoff is
someone that the chairman has known in various capacities during his
time in Washington."
Mr. Abramoff said that he did not spend much time lobbying Mr. DeLay,
a Texas Republican, because he knew that the congressman would support
his issues, but that they talked about other subjects.
"We would sit and talk about the Bible," he said.
"We would sit and talk about opera."
Mr. Abramoff also said Senator Conrad Burns, Republican of Montana,
was especially cooperative, adding, "Every appropriation we wanted, we
got. "
Spokesmen for Mr. Burns and Mr. DeLay were not immediately available
for comment.
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Ya mean to say all those famous, well-known, top level Republicans
were in bed with convicted criminal Jackie Abramoff? Woooooooow.
Harry
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