It was only a matter of time. The Abramoff Scandal extends throughout the GOP, from the House Majority Leader all the way to
the White House.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Jack Abramoff, the GOP lobbyist under investigation by federal authorities for possible fraud, repeatedly sought the help of Bush strategist Ralph Reed to open doors at the White House for his business clients, according to e-mails made public Sunday.
The e-mails show that Abramoff pushed for intervention from deputy White House chief of staff Karl Rove on at least three occasions since 2001 to promote business opportunities.
Reed, former head of the Christian Coalition and a candidate in the 2006 race for Georgia's lieutenant governor, wrote back obliging responses, according to the e-mails obtained by Time magazine. The e-mails are now being reviewed by federal investigators, Time reported.
Gosh, I'm stunned Karl Rove would be associated with these sorts of people. But, oh, it gets better.
...10 days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Abramoff promoted a business venture to rent cruise ships to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to house rescue workers off New York City.
Responding to Abramoff's request for help, Reed wrote on Sept. 21, 2001: "Put in a tag call to karl to find out the best contact at fema."
Four months later, Abramoff wrote Reed seeking "serious swat from Karl" in hopes of getting $16 million released by the Justice Department to fund a jail that his Choctaw Indian clients wished to build in Mississippi.
The Choctaws got their jail. But Reed is playing dumb, stating through his spokeswoman that he does not remember responding to Abramoffs request. However, further e-mails reveal Reed went to bat for Abramoff to block the nomination of Angela Williams to head of the Office of Insular Affairs:
Williams is the wife of Orson Swindle, former member of the Federal Trade Commission and a Vietnam prisoner of war with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Abramoff, not satisfied, responds in a Dec. 5, 2001 e-mail: "Any ideas on how we can make sure she does not get it? Can you ping Karl on this?"
Reed writes back: "i am seeing him tomorrow at the WH and plan to discuss it with him as well."
Williams didn't get the appointment.
File under "Culture of Corruption" and the growing rot of scandals eating George Bush and the Republican Party from the inside out.
*If this is a repetitive diary, my apologies, though I'm sure someone will let me know.