June 4, 2005
BAD FOR HIM, GOOD FOR ME:
Reid won't be returning lobbyist contributions: Spokeswoman says senator sees no reason to return funds (TONY BATT, June 04, 2005, Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid will not return campaign contributions he received during the past five years from lobbyists and clients associated with Jack Abramoff, a Reid spokeswoman said Friday.Federal officials are investigating whether Abramoff, a lobbyist, bilked millions of dollars from Indian gaming tribes.
Reid, D-Nev., and other Democrats have been sharply critical of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who has close ties to Abramoff.
About two-thirds of Abramoff-related campaign funds were given to Republicans. But The Washington Post reported that Abramoff also cultivated Democrats, including Reid.
Reid received $6,500 from Abramoff's associates at the Greenberg Traurig law and lobbying firm from 1999 through 2004, The Washington Post reported Friday.
During the same period, Reid received $40,500 from Indian tribes that were Abramoff clients, the paper reported based on research of federal records.
Reid does not know Abramoff, Reid spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said.
But Abramoff hired Eddie Ayoob, who was Reid's legislative counsel until 2002 and was assistant finance director on Reid's 1998 Senate campaign.
Ayoob held a fund-raising reception for Reid at the offices of Greenberg Traurig, according to The Washington Post.
This wasn't how the scandalmongering was supposed to go... Posted by Orrin Judd at June 4, 2005 11:31 PM
Let's hope there are Republicans who will stuff this story down Reid's throat until he changes his mind.
Meanwhile, I hope someone in Texas starts auditing Ronnie Earles's office. Could make for some interesting connections.
Posted by: jim hamlen at June 5, 2005 12:20 AMI don't get this. The Democratic Congressional leadership had to know that many of their dem colleagues had taken trips of the sort DeLay had taken and had received money from Abramoff or his clients. Dems have a death wish.
Posted by: Fred Jacobsen (San Fran) at June 5, 2005 1:20 AMI must disagree with Mr. Judd. The key is that the Democratic Party counted on Old Media to cover GOP problems only. Let me know when any of this kind of thing on the Democratic Party side gets covered in a major news outlet.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at June 5, 2005 3:15 PMaog: i see a few fragile signs that the old media have a vague awareness of how things have changed, but i do not think there is any chance at all that they will successfully adapt. they have already lost everyone under about 35 or 40, so they are cut off from new customers/victims.
Posted by: cjm at June 6, 2005 10:22 AM