Advertise:   ads@blueearthmarketing.com   712.224.5420

Opinion
Opinion: Lobbyist scandal goes all the way to Bush


"The purpose of this paper is to connect the above dots, revealing a pattern of associations and payments that begins with Congressman Tom DeLay and ends up on the very doorstep of President Bush�s re-election campaign.

The largest single flow of monies into the DeLay nexus is from the set of six Indian tribes who �hired� Jack Abramoff and Mike Scanlon to help promote the tribes� interests. Talk about letting the fox in the hen house! So far the tally of funds that they managed to extract from the tribes is at $66 million and counting. This is the amount estimated by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to have been paid to Scanlon alone. Much of this was kicked back to Abramoff, who also received millions directly from the tribes as well.

Only relatively modest amounts of those monies have thus far been traced to Tom DeLay and his PACs, or to major Bush supporters. However, there is enough evidence to draw monetary links among some of these major political players.

Final result: Indian casino money has helped to elect two governors, and is contributing to the attempted re-election of President George W. Bush."

Get the Story:
The Bush-DeLay-Indian Casinos Campaign Money Laundering Operation (OpEdNews 10/15)

Related Stories:
Tigua Tribe mum on Washington lobbyists (10/12)
House Resources asked to investigate lobbyists (10/8)
Another tribe considers lawsuit against lobbyists (10/7)
DeLay rebuked yet again for flaunting influence (10/7)
Coushatta Tribe to sue lobbyists for $32M (10/4)
Lobbyist scandal reaches to top levels of GOP (10/4)
Choctaw Tribe's lobbying documents kept secret (10/4)
Documents detail lobbyists' role in tribal elections (10/4)
Salon: Tom DeLay allowed tribes to be 'slickered' (10/4)
Pueblo leader says lobbyists' high fees not worth it (10/1)
Texas AG asked to investigate Abramoff, Scanlon (10/1)
DeLay rebuked for trading influence on House floor (10/1)
DeLay rebuked for trading influence on House floor (10/1)
Ex-tribal lobbyists slammed in Senate hearing (9/30)
Abramoff mum at hearing while Scanlon a no-show (9/30)
Column: Lobbyists lurked in 'cesspool of greed' (9/30)
Washington lobbyists called before Senate panel (9/29)
Editorial: Send lobbyist hogs to the slaughterhouse (9/29)
Tigua Tribe outraged over being played as 'moronic' (9/28)
Tribes told to donate to lobbyists' foundation (9/28)
Editorial: Actions of tribal lobbyists 'loathsome' (9/28)
Lobbyists worked for, against 'moronic' Tiguas (9/27)
Group opposing Poarch Creeks tied to tribal lobbyists (09/16)
Coushattas used lobbyists to spy on tribes, critics (09/13)
Bush strategist now knows source of tribal funds (09/01)
Bush strategist claims no knowledge of funds (8/31)
Bush-GOP strategist admits taking tribal money (8/30)
Senate hearing on tribal lobbying probe set (8/26)
Coushatta member threatened over recall effort (08/09)
Coushatta Tribe's lobbying records subpoenaed (07/23)
Hearing on high lobbying fees expected in September (07/16)
GOP strategist denies secretly taking tribal money (7/15)
Tribal money secretly funneled to GOP strategist (06/25)
Busy Indian Affairs Committee hits snag on big issues (06/17)
Indian Affairs Committee activity this week (6/15)
Saginaw Chippewa leader who paid lobbyists ousted (06/04)
Indian Country awaits outcome of lobbying probe (05/18)
Tribal chairman says $120K fee to Abramoff worth it (05/18)
Republican governors report biggest donor in 2002 (05/04)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe wonders where $14M went (04/20)
McCain demands documents from lobbyist, PR exec (04/12)
Coushatta treasurer accuses NIGC of lax oversight (04/12)
Choctaw chief Martin defends embattled GOP lobbyist (04/09)
McCain pushing Choctaw tribe to cooperate with probe (4/8)
Coushatta leaders used tribal money to pay lobbyists (4/8)
Coushatta Tribe paid $32M to lobbyist Jack Abramoff (4/6)
McCain aggressive in pursuing lobbyist records (4/5)
McCain demands documents for tribal lobbyist's work (3/30)
Embattled lobbyist signs deal with another firm (03/25)
Embattled tribal lobbyist gave to Conn. Congressman (03/10)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe hires new lobbying firm (3/9)
McCain begins investigation into high tribal fees (3/4)
Pueblo governor says $1M fee to PR firm not worth it (3/3)
McCain calls for investigation into tribal spending (2/27)
Four tribes spent $45M on lobbying and PR firms (2/23)
GOP lobbyist scores big with tribes (04/03)
Embattled tribe gets has new lobbyist (12/13)