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DEL.ICIO.USReed, Abramoff and McCain the target of American Indians in Denver
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A caucus of American Indian political leaders in Denver is considering a resolution that ties convicted Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff to Republican presidential candidate John McCain — through the person of Ralph Reed.
Again, the focus is that Atlanta fund-raiser.
This from Indian Country Today:
A draft resolution being considered for adoption by the First American Caucus reads in part: ”… lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his Republican cohorts have done irrefutable harm to tribes and their ability to fully participate in political campaigns …”
…The resolution, which was written jointly by several members of the caucus, states that Ralph Reed, a former Abramoff business associate, helped to organize a fundraiser held Aug. 18 for McCain’s campaign - despite assertions from the McCain camp that this is not the case.
It calls on the presumptive GOP presidential candidate, as well as the Republican National Committee, to renounce campaign involvement of those who have been involved in fraudulent activities.
”[T]he honest efforts of tribes to fully involve themselves in local state and national political campaigns has been damaged by the negative press, and the negative perceptions that were created by the dishonest actions of noted Republican activists who were associated with Jack Abramoff,” the resolution says.
Here’s the problem. Basically, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, chaired by McCain, found that Indian tribes — who were operating high-dollar casinos — knew exactly what they were getting when they hired Reed to turn out evangelicals to beat down gambling competition in nearby locales.
In other words, Tribe A was out to sabotage the livelihood of Tribe B. And this is one of the reasons, perhaps, why Reed was not called to testify. This kind of inter-tribal warfare wouldn’t have been a pleasant site.
McCain’s committee also found that Abramoff’s cheating of the tribes began after the lobbyist had cut his friend out of the money. In essence, Abramoff and an accompliced faked the services that Reed had been supplying in actuality.
This was at the bottom of the same story:
One delegate who asked to remain anonymous said she would like to further discuss the resolution …. before a final draft is voted on, perhaps as early as Aug. 27.
”We need to think in positive terms,” the delegate said. ”Change doesn’t mean we have to forget about the past, but we don’t have to dwell on it either.”
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Comments
By Rarl Kove
August 26, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this
Joe Biden said that you can’t go into a 7-11 or Dunkin Donuts in Delaware without having an Indian accent.
By john
August 26, 2008 8:52 PM | Link to this
Why does this article neglect to mention Abramoff’s acomplice, Michael Scanlon?
By john
August 26, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this
“McCain’s committee also found that Abramoff’s cheating of the tribes began after the lobbyist had cut his friend out of the money.”
This isn’t true.
By john
August 26, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this
“McCain’s committee also found that Abramoff’s cheating of the tribes began after the lobbyist had cut his friend out of the money.”
This isn’t true.
By Craig
August 26, 2008 11:34 PM | Link to this
Helped organize? Methinks smoke signals got confused. Reed did not help organize. He tried to convince himself he still has influence and power and tried to bundle some money through friends. He had no role in the planning. It’s like me trying to get my friends to donate so I can give a bundle and impress someone.
Again, the fact that McCain’s hearings did everything to sink Reed’s political career speaks volumes. Anyone thinking of tying Reed to McCain is in denial of reality and fact. But what do you expect from the deluded?
By Anonymous
August 27, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
More interestingly, what are the links between tribal money, Jack Abramoff and Mohamed Atta on Abramoff’s SunCruz Casinos? A little bird told me white-Americans, who works for Indian tribes, use to work in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s.
By anonymous
August 27, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this
More interestingly, what are the links between tribal money, Jack Abramoff and Mohamed Atta on Abramoff’s SunCruz Casinos? A little bird told me white-Americans, who works for Indian tribes, use to work in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s.
By Gail
August 27, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this
Tribe A knew exactly what it was paying for, who they were paying and what they were doing to Tribe B. They also were also well aware that Americans for Tax Reform, Capitol Athletic Foundation were being used to conceal the source of contributions and approved. Interestingly enough, Americans for Tax Reform was also used to publish a book called Choctaw Revolution, which was essentially a self-published vanity piece written by Abramoff henchman Peter Ferrara. John McCain had ample opportunity to go after Reed during the Indian Affairs Committee hearings and didn’t.
By ron
August 27, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
why didn't McCain go after tribe A-Miss. band Of Choctaws--P. Martin, N. Rogers, b. Rogers. for screwing over tribe B's. Poarch Creek of Ala. and the Mowa choctaws. Ralph Reeds' state.