WASHINGTON - The White House is refusing to reveal details of tainted lobbyist Jack Abramoff's visits with President Bush's staff.
Abramoff had "a few staff-level meetings" at the Bush White House, presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said Tuesday. But he would not say with whom Abramoff met, which interests he was representing or how he got access to the White House.
The White House sounds a lot like Chick McGee: "Don't tape anything, don't write anything down, DENY, DENY, DENY." Well, they admit that Jack 'off came to the WH, but they deny everything else.
Since Abramoff pleaded guilty two weeks ago to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion charges in an influence-peddling scandal, McClellan has told reporters he was checking into Abramoff's meetings. "I'm making sure that I have a thorough report back to you on that," he said in his press briefing Jan. 5. "And I'll get that to you, hopefully very soon."
McClellan said Tuesday that he checked on it at reporters' requests, but wouldn't discuss the private staff-level meetings. "We are not going to engage in a fishing expedition," he said.
In other words, Simple Scotty, you don't want to admit that Jack is meeting with the top brass and peddling his influence with them, too. We've already all got it figured out, man, you're just trying really hard not to see what you're seeing. Anyone reminded of the Iraqi Information Minister? You remember him - "The Americans are not anywhere near Baghdad! That American tank behind me isn't there!"
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, along with three other Democratic senators, wrote Bush a letter Tuesday asking for an accounting of Abramoff's personal contacts with Bush administration officials and acts that may have been undertaken at his request. "The American people need to be assured that the White House is not for sale," they wrote.
I wonder if he'd be satisfied with knowing the truth that yes, it is?
McClellan has said Abramoff attended three Hanukkah receptions at the White House, but corrected himself Tuesday to say there were only two — in 2001 and 2002.
McClellan said Bush does not know Abramoff personally, although it's possible the two met at the holiday receptions.
Which is the definition of knowing someone - if you've met, talked, whatnot, you know each other. Stop lying, Scotty, it's kind of annoying!
Abramoff was one of Bush's top fundraisers, having brought in at least $100,000 for the Bush-Cheney '04 re-election campaign and earning the honorary title "pioneer." The campaign took $6,000 of the contributions — which came directly from Abramoff, his wife and one of the Indian tribes he represented — and donated it to the American Heart Association. But the campaign has not returned the rest of the money Abramoff raised.
Yeah, that's what someone does when they don't know you - they give you money and be part of your transition team and whatnot.
And where could that money have gone? Not to schools. Not to protect the troops. I'd bet my Exodia it went into the pockets of a few "programs" designed to help out America by giving it over to corporate interest.
