It looks like super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff copped a plea and it looks like he's going to roll over on a few high-powered congressmen. At the top of the list is Tom Delay (R-TX) but there are others. Congressmen Ney (R-OHIO) is certainly not looking good and Senator Conrad Burns exclaimed he wished Abramoff had never been born.

The Washington Post quoted Abramoff after court:

Your honor, words will not be able to ever express how sorry I am for this, and I have profound regret and sorrow for the multitude of mistakes and harm I have caused," a contrite Abramoff told Huvelle in court today. "All of my remaining days, I will feel tremendous sadness and regret for my conduct and for what I have done. I only hope that I can merit forgiveness from the Almighty and from those I have wronged or caused to suffer. I will work hard to earn that redemption."

Can we say this is a load of bull. The only thing he's sorry about is he got caught. But when your partners roll over on you, what do you expect. These is no honor among lobbyists.

So... what do we have? We've got a scandal with potential. Obviously some of our elected officials are scared because they are giving back money. That's not something they do very often. Also consider that Bob Ney has all but been named specifically in the who thing. The documents refer to "representative #1," who has been identified as Ney.

There will be others though. John T. Doolittle will also be on in this as well as possibly the spouses of both Delay and Doolittle. Then consider Delay has made massive donations to the Bush campaign to the tune of $100,000. Big money all around.

What does this really teach us? It teaches us that regardless of the party, money buys access. It's not about your issue or your ideology, it's about your checkbook. Abramoff got caught playing a big game and he should pay for his crimes. But the point really is that the amounts of money they talk about are what's required to even be listened too in Washington. The big trip to Scotland so many are talking about was paid for by one of the Abramoff's clients. Delay didn't even vote for their cause. We can talk to our congressmen at a local fundraiser, maybe shake their hand for a "grip&grin" shot but unless you give them $10,000 or more, it won't mean much. And it shouldn't be that way.

Technorati Tags: Abramoff, Delay, Ney, Burns, Culture of Corruption, Doolittle, Bush, Republicans

posted by Stithmeister @ 9:15 PM
 
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