Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana) blasted Jack Abramoff in a television interview on Wednesday, saying he wished the disgraced lobbyist had "never been born."
"This Abramoff guy is a bad guy," Burns told KAJ television in Kalispel. "And he's indicted, and I hope he goes to jail and we never see him again. I wish he'd never been born, to be right honest with you. Because he's done a terrible, terrible thing to our Native American community."
Burns is starting to speak out because numerous press reports have linked him to Abramoff. Burns met with Abramoff's associates, accepted Abramoff contributions and took positions on tribal and other issues that were favorable to Abramoff's clients.
Burns is also speaking out because Montana Democrats have seized on the Abramoff story and are running ads linking the two Republicans. The Montana Republican Party is now defending Burns.
Burns has said he has not been contacted by the Department of Justice. But on November 28, he asked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to investigate his ties to Abramoff and clear him of any wrongdoing [PDF: Letter].
Get the Story:
Burns blasts back at Abramoff
(The Missoulian 12/9)
Burns Says He's Not Under Investigation (KAJ Televsion 12/8)
Relevant Links:
Sen. Conard Burns - http://burns.senate.gov
Montana Republican Party - http://www.mtgop.org
Montana
Democratic Party - http://www.montanademocrats.org
Related Stories:
Sen. Burns to launch Abramoff offensive in
January (12/8)
Sen. Burns wants name
cleared in Abramoff probe (12/7)
Staffer
for Sen. Burns went to work for Abramoff (12/5)
Sen. Burns took $34K from ex-Abramoff client
(11/30)
Abramoff probe spreads to members of
Congress (11/28)
Abramoff probe looking
into Congress, Bush (11/25)
Montana
Democrats to run ads against Burns (11/22)
Ex-Abramoff associate charged in Montana for
poaching (08/19)
Democrats to make
change to Burns, Abramoff ad (08/10)
Democrat ad criticizes Burns for ties to Abramoff
(8/9)
Democrats received donations from
Abramoff tribes (06/03)
Bloomberg:
Abramoff tribes gave $1.4M to Congress (05/19)
Sen. Burns: Support for Montana tribes is known
(04/18)
Burns says Michigan delegation
backed school funds (04/04)
Editorial:
Burns has chance to restore Indian funds (3/31)
Democrats want Burns to return tribal donations
(03/29)
Burns denies wrongdoing for helping
Abramoff client (03/24)
Chairman:
Montana tribes support Senator Burns (3/18)
Editorial: Facts don't look good for Senator
Burns (03/14)
Editorial: Burns needs
better story on Abramoff flap (3/8)
Firm
offers $9M refund to Saginaw Chippewa Tribe (3/7)
Editorial: A 'Super Bowl' earmark for tribe
(3/7)
Editorial: Burns 'enriched' by
Abramoff and tribes (3/7)
Horse Sense:
Burns and Baucus 'cozy' with lobbyists (3/7)
Burns promises cooperation with Abramoff probe
(3/4)
Editorial: Who do you work for,
Senator Burns? (3/4)
Burns looking into
Abramoff ties, Dorgan denies link (3/2)
Burns, Dorgan backed $3M grant for Abramoff client
(3/1)
Tribal lobbying scandal hurts
ex-Abramoff firm (02/17)
Sag Chip recall
targets anti-Abramoff tribal leaders (02/11)
High-priced lobbyist scam linked to lawmakers
(11/18)
Documents detail lobbyists' role in
tribal elections (10/04)
More hearings
slated in tribal lobbyist scandal (09/30)
Senate hearing on tribal lobbying probe set
(8/26)
Saginaw Chippewa leader who paid
lobbyists ousted (06/04)
Indian Country
awaits outcome of lobbying probe (05/18)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe wonders where $14M went
(04/20)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe hires new
lobbying firm (03/09)
GOP
lobbyist scores big with tribes (04/03)
Embattled tribe gets new lobbyist
(12/13)
Burns wishes Abramoff had 'never been born'
Friday, December 9, 2005
Trending in News
1 Tribes rush to respond to new coronavirus emergency created by Trump administration
2 'At this rate the entire tribe will be extinct': Zuni Pueblo sees COVID-19 cases double as first death is confirmed
3 Arne Vainio: 'A great sickness has been visited upon us as human beings'
4 Arne Vainio: Zoongide'iwin is the Ojibwe word for courage
5 Cayuga Nation's division leads to a 'human rights catastrophe'
2 'At this rate the entire tribe will be extinct': Zuni Pueblo sees COVID-19 cases double as first death is confirmed
3 Arne Vainio: 'A great sickness has been visited upon us as human beings'
4 Arne Vainio: Zoongide'iwin is the Ojibwe word for courage
5 Cayuga Nation's division leads to a 'human rights catastrophe'