Bradford: A cast of characters in 'Casino Jack' documentary

Abramoff Scandal | Opinion

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

"It is not surprising that Alex Gibney's documentary on Jack Abramoff is not doing well at the box office, by the director's own accounts. I have not seen the film, not do I intend to, though I did watch Brian Lamb's interview with Gibney on C-Span's Q & A, which aired on June 13. I suspect most thinking people have seen through his shenanigans and are bored with him already.

Any informed person watching “Casino Jack” would conclude that Gibney has some vague perception that money has taken over politics. Yet, the inaccuracies he portrayed along with his blatant agenda to tar the individuals associated with Abramoff made his C-Span interview and film uncomfortable to watch.

Let's take a look at the cast of characters whom Gibney has brought forth as “experts,” who were showcased in clips broadcast on C-Span:

1. The Washington Post's Susan Schmidt

Already Carlyle Consulting's Tom Rodgers, a rival of Abramoff's, has admitted to providing her “Pulitzer Prize” winning material to her, much of which she got wrong and was allegedly lifted without attribution from local newspapers.

4. Lt. Gov. of Tigua Tribe, Carlos Hisa

Hisa presides over a tribe whose membership is so diluted that it had to appeal to Congress to remove the blood quantum requirement – as at 1/8, the tribe couldn't find a sufficient number of members to qualify for free federal dole outs? Does Hisa think that hard working American taxpayers should subsidize tribal members who are not even Indian? No wonder he hated Abramoff so much.

5. Carlyle Consulting lobbyist Tom Rodgers

Rodgers has admitted to coordinating the tribal dissidents and lobbyists against Abramoff and then leaking the information to newspapers.

How are any of these people credible witnesses?

Get the Story:
Susan Bradford: AIG Alex and Casino Jack (The Conservative Camp 6/15)