A thorough house cleaning will be good for the country. It's healthy to remind these guys from time to time that their inevitable corruption needs to at least be practiced with some small degree of moderation.

And if most of the guys who hang are Republicans, so be it. I won't lose any sleep.

Er ist Herr Toht - otherwise, there's a whole Robert E. Howard angle being evoked.

Insert now statements about pedantic, obsessive qualities of us Kraut-American types.

The AFP headline was
Top Republican lobbyist pleads guilty in US corruption case. They seemed to forget the Democrats involved too.

Yet another reason why small government is best - there is less reason to buy and sell government largesse when the overall pot is smaller. And yes, the MSM will beat this story like a drum working the Republicans are corrupt meme. The Blogosphere should lead the attack so that the corrupt politicians in both parties get what they deserve, i.e. a fair trial and prison time.

He's an Hasidic Jew, that's how they dress.

It appears we're running a bigger stable of sluts than the Donks this time, not that we're in a different business.

Between Abramoff and Porkbusters, I think it's time for the Republican Party to announce that they're on a whole new integrity kick.

John,

Is that a joke? Is he really, and do Hasidic jews really replace the traditional dress with armani coats & fedoras?

Nah, if anything he's Orthodox. Never saw a Hasid dressed like Dick Tracy.

Jeff Goldblum stated he was an Hasidic Jew during an interview with Bret Hume on Special Report Monday night.

It's a fine hat. What should he wear, a mustard-smeared baseball cap from the Michael Moore Collection?

"Linked by WHOM?" Well, by reality. The reality of his politics and his long-standing associations.

Abramnoff isn't just "well-connected" within the Republican party and the modern Conservative movement, he is -- and since his earliest days as a Young Republican has striven to be -- one of the party and the movement's most powerful players. He, along with Norquist, Reed, Delay and other powerful players, has been intimately tied to and involved in the party and the movement's development, successes, acquisition of power, etc., for the last quarter of a century.

He isn't simply a non-partisan or bi-partisan opportunist who has always and only worked to accrue power and wealth for himself, personally. He is a committed partisan and ideologue who has used less than ethical and, it appears, illegal methods not only to enrich himself BUT TO ALSO solidify the power and wealth of the Republican Party, the Conservative movement, the movements major political players, and the many powerful interests they represent and serve.

That's why this is a "Republican" scandal. Not because the press is just making up some link between Abramnoff and the Republican party.

He's linked to all republicans by Tom Delay who represents all republicans.

But then again, doesn't Harry Reid represent (and thus link him to) all democrats?

Oh. So Democratic politicians have nothing to worry about? No Abramoff skeletons in any closets?

But the Times seems to be a bit skeptical of that.

How bout that Traffic Santa-lanche...hot dang...

Anyone who thinks that Abramoff is going to be equally bad news for Democrats is living in Fantasyland.

Comparing DeLay in this regard to Reid is asinine.

Fact: Abramoff didn't give one penny to a single Democrat anywhere.

Chew on that when the Republicans start getting indicted. Bob Ney will be the first, but not the last, of the sorry bunch of corrupt politicos running the Congressional GOP.

I wonder how the Donk faithful feel about their boys taking money from a guy who's so entwined with the conservative movement. Seems almost like accepting bribes from your enemies, which would be even worse than taking them from your own team. After all, you were probably going to vote the way Abramoff wanted you to before you got paid.

But if you're Charlie Rangel and this guy shows up with an envelope for you, you are not only selling yourself, you actually sold out your side in the process. I await calls for resignations from Rangel et al. Taking money for changing your vote is a very very bad thing.

Abramoff may not have actually given money to Democrats, but they are connected to his corruption.

If you fucking morons were actually "reality based," you might be able to see facts that didn't fit into your narrow little 'get Bush' paradigm.

Democrats accepted campaign donations from Indian tribes.

Comparing that to Ney's bribe-taking and DeLay's K-street project is absurd.

And two more words for Mr. Atwater: David Safavian.

That makes three Republicans (Safavian, Scanlon, Abramoff) indicted so far, with Ney and several others to follow.

I'm not defending DeLay, Abramoff or any of the Republicans involved in this mess. If they're dirty, they deserve to be out.

However, trying to pretend that Democrats were not the beneficiaries of Abramoff's ability to screw with the political system is transparent nonsense.

See, that's the difference between our two parties - we believe in accountability and the rule of law, you guys defend people you know are guilty in the name of party unity.

The way the Donk rank-and-file see it, these Democratic politicians man the bastions with them--they are fighting the good fight and need all the help they can get.

Now, how you can believe this when your side so blatantly took bribes from the enemy and sold your interests down the river, I couldn't tell you. But it has something to do with the same emotion that makes them Donks in the first place.

If stupidity is an emotion, anway.

Abramoff is supposed to be an orthodox Jew but I've never before this seen him with a hat (or "kippa"). Senator Leiberman also us supposed to be orthodox but doesn't cover his head most days. Jack ain't no Hasid (no beard, uncovered head most days, coat buttoned the wrong (right) way).

His new found Jewish look probably is supposed to make him look more contrite for the judge.

Lee Atwater --

Good luck trying to make much out of the simple fact that a politician who represents a state that's economy is, and long has been, dependent on gambling receives significant financial support from gambling interests.

This scandal has nothing to do with "get Bush" and everything to do with the ethical short-comings and long history of political cons practiced by the conservative "triumverate" (as they dubbed themselves) of Abramoff, Reed and Norquist.

It is the modern conservative movement itself that is being revealed as corrupt at the core in this scandal.

Maybe 'going Hasid' is the Jewish equivalent of the always popular 'getting caught and getting Christ' ploy?

It is the modern conservative movement itself that is being revealed as corrupt at the core in this scandal.

Ah, yes. There's the crux of it. These leftist cockroaches have no ideas and nothing to offer so they think that they can discredit conservative ideas with scandal.

They're never around to debate their own positive vision of America because they don't have one. They simply pop up from time to time to hurl taunts whenever they think something bad has happened to the Republican party or, more likely, whenever something bad has happened to America that they think can be blamed on the Republican party.

What they'll never get through their pointy little retard heads is that it isn't about teams; it's about ideas.

If Tom Delay is a crook, it proves exactly nothing about the correctness of Bush's strategy in the war on terror, the effectiveness of tax cuts, or whether privatizing social security would be a prudent way to shore up future deficits in the program.

Tom Delay and 20 other Republicans can be indicted, tried, convicted, and thrown in jail and it still doesn't change the fact that Democrats have spend the last 4 years obstructing President Bush's efforts to keep America safe from terrorism. It doesn't change the fact that the Democratic party had not put forth one serious, comprehensive alternative strategy for defeating terrorism. And it sure as hell doesn't change the fact that the Democratic party has failed to champion or advance any recognizable agenda except for the current one of criticizing and scandalizing everything the Republicans do.

The current Democratic party is the party of obstruction, terrorist apologism, spite, hatred and defeatism. It is a party filled will small, petty minds who define bringing down an influential Republican as the pinnacle of success.

Meanwhile the majority of people living in the real world will read this news about Abramnoff and hope that justice is met. Afterwhich they'll likely turn their hopes back to bigger things like wishing for the good guys to win in this global struggle against murderous religous radicals who wish to wipe everyone who thinks differently from them from the face of the planet.

Harry Reid represents institutionalized gambling interests in Nevada. Abramoff's clients are their competitors, Lucky Chief Scalpemall and the Yahoo Tribe. Reid takes money from Abramoff. You tell me how Reid can justify that to his constituents. You tell me what he's doing for Abramoff's money.

Donks can justify anything.

He's not a Hasidic Jew. If he's wearing a black hat for religious reasons he is called a black hatter or Yeshivish Jew, which is the ideological opposite of a Hasid, athough both groups would be called Haredi, ultra-Orthodox in Hebrew. They do not have to wear the black hat all the time. They generally are required to wear it when praying or studying Torah but they often wear it regularly as well. For people who know what it is, it sends a message that he is a very religious man. It seems to me that he was trying to wear his religion on his sleeve. However, it obviously didn't work very well if nobody knows what it is.

Podhoretz says Abramoff's Orthodox, not Hasidic. Our hosts needs to find a pillow.

Rove, Delay, Norquist, and Abramoff in the slammer - and you don't think this will harm the Republican party in the slightest? Checked the org chart lately?

Who cares, they're just names on a chart. Not one of those people pays my rent or buys me beers. If they're guilty, fuck 'em. Plenty more where they came from and hopefully we can do better next time.

The Donks just let their corruption fester. They'd defend anthrax if it said it was against tax cuts.

To me, he looks like the heavies from the video game "Elevator Action"...

"Rove, Delay, Norquist, and Abramoff in the slammer - and you don't think this will harm the Republican party in the slightest?"

Given that Republicans are the party that likes to see criminals in jail, I don't know that any convictions really run counter to Republican ideals.

It's the Dems who think criminals should be coddled.

Anyone connected to Abramoff is officially a Republican. Just ask Kos.

Chris Matthews - Republican.

Harry Reid -- Republican.

Etc.

Here's Abramoff in a baseball hat. A Google Images search

A Google Images search has hatless pics. Previous comment was mine.

See any Democrats on this list?

http://www.newsmeat.com/washington_political_donations/Jack_Abramoff.php

Rove, Delay, Norquist, and Abramoff in the slammer - and you don't think this will harm the Republican party in the slightest? Checked the org chart lately?

Well, the Republican Party is eviler than the evilist evil doers that ever did evil.

Plus, they're Borg-like in their implacability. Lee Atwater goes down, Rove steps in, if Rove goes to jail, some other pudgy white guy will step in and commune with Dick Cheney's Cock and be up to speed.

The problem with the Dems is two fold -

1) They think their incompetence is cute

and

2) Abramoff's dealing with Dems will prove to be more damaging to the Dems than the his dealings with Republicans will be to the GOP.

Please clear up a few things:

Is Abramoff a Republican or not? If he is then a new story designating him as such is not biased, it's simply reporting FACTS.

Can someone please quantify the amount of money and the involvement of Democrats had with Abramoff? While many Democratic commentors might overly tout the Republican nature of this scandal, I have not been shown any proof of any significant participation or connections between the actions of Mr. Abramoff and Democrats.

Finally, wasn't it Tom Delay (oh I am sorry but I must divulge that he is a Republican) who instituted the K Street Project which mandated lobbyists to hire Republicans and not Democrats? Isn't this all part of the same cloth.

Or is the corruption really a Democratic problem, because as long as any Democrats remain in power, the pureness of Republican morality will be under attack?

These are serious questions for serious times.

Toht: "You Americans, you're all the same. Always overdressing for the wrong
occasions."

I'm surprised that you would make the statement about the way JA is dressed. Does it matter that you are getting a little anti-semitic? If he is trying to return to his orthodox roots you should allow him. It is an issue of freedom and has nothing outwardly to do with his problems. Why are we so quick to judge in a non-judgemental society? I am speaking of his jewish roots. Sounds like hate speech to me, but I guess even Adolph thought that it wasn't.

That's certainly not Hassidic dress, but the black fedora is common among less modern Orthodox Jews. Combined with no beard, and a coat that buttons left-on-right, I'd call the look "Yeshivish", but it wouldn't raise any eyebrows in almost any Orthodox setting.

And no, hats and coats aren't generally worn indoors; under the hat he's probably wearing a skullcap, or else he's got one in his pocket to put on when he removes the hat.

And most hassidim only wear those fancy fur hats on Shabbat and holidays. During the week they wear ordinary hats. (And not all hassidim wear fur hats even on special occasions, though most do.)

Methinks the Republicans are in a heap of trouble (and, sure, some Democrats, too), and that just may include
our War President and some of his cronies, too.

Just hide and watch; the prosecutor has probably already tracked plenty of $$$$ that was funneled to these weiners, going back many, many years.

Today we've got Gindrich calling for Delay to take a hike, which mankes me wonder if the road to impeachment might be next?

God, I certainly hope so, but damn, what's taken so long?

Jersey,

Hello.

He dose look a lot like TOHT from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK dose that mean when he looks into the ark he will melt away?

Some Republicans seem to have a serious problem distinguishing between legal campaign donations Abramoff's clients gave to some Democrats and the illegal influence peddling (bribery) committed by Abramoff personally that was limited to Republican congressmen, staffers and reaches into the Executive branch of our government.

Maybe this growing Republican scandal will teach them the difference....

Doubt it.

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

over easy?

Re: "Even Democrats, many of whom also benefited from his largesse, acted skittish."

They use the word "even" because Abramoff wasn't just linked to Republicans. He is a Republican. He personally NEVER gave a dime to a Democrat. Some of his clients did give money to Dems. If those were bribes, certainly those Dems deserve to be prosecuted. But spare me the persecution complex. It only seems like everyone is out to get the Republicans because they keep breaking the law.

Above comment was mine...not sure why my name didn't show.

Some fool calling himself Lee Atwater said:

"See, that's the difference between our two parties - we believe in accountability and the rule of law, you guys defend people you know are guilty in the name of party unity."

Listen, shit-for-brains.

Bob Ney has been alleged by federal prosecutors to have received bribes and to have broken the law.

Your pansy-ass, corrupt-to-the-hilt organized criminal enterprise of a party currently allows him to be one of its most privileged and powerful members.

Consequences my ass. Y'all don't care about ethics or honesty or the law. Y'all just care about getting convicted.

I care about You, Geek.

I care about you too, Bart.

I care about all Republicans, and I hate to see you all compromise your integrity by pretending that the Abramoff scandal isn't first and foremost a GOP scandal.

I mean, for some idiot to talk about the GOP holding its members accountable while Bob Ney is known by House Republicans as CHAIRMAN Ney is really demeaning to all conservatives and Republicans.

But, in good faith, let's agree to the following:

If the ratio of Republican members of Congress indicted and/or convicted of crimes to Democrats similarly indicted or convicted is greater than 3:1, we get control of Congress.

Or, are you worried that the Bush-controlled DoJ is going to persecute noble individuals such as Tom DeLay and Bob Ney?

By the way, here's radical left-winger Michelle Malkin's take on all this.

One may suspect Abramoff wore the "black hat" for one or both of these reasons: 1) he is balding at the top of his head (he wore a baseball cap with a suit in a previous video clip of his entry into a building); and/or 2) he wore the hat in case he felt an urge to cover his face in shame before the camerpersons and the world watching. At the last moment, he may have felt more vain and brave at the same time - and thus, chose to wear the hat on top of his head. Just a theory.

A few points:

eddiehaskel asks: "Is Abramoff a Republican or not? If he is then a new story designating him as such is not biased, it's simply reporting FACTS."

Conservative complaints about biased use of facts by the media isn't so much that they get it wrong (though they often do) so much as the failure to report facts when to do so would undermine their liberal world-view. For example, in a story about Bush ordering warrantless wire-taps that fails to mention Clinton and Carter did the same thing is biased, not because of the facts it includes, but because of those it omits.

"Can someone please quantify the amount of money and the involvement of Democrats had with Abramoff?"

I only know about Reid, who took $61,000.00

NotZero said: "Some Republicans seem to have a serious problem distinguishing between legal campaign donations Abramoff's clients gave to some Democrats and the illegal influence peddling (bribery) committed by Abramoff personally that was limited to Republican congressmen, staffers and reaches into the Executive branch of our government."

First, the distinction you draw is only possible by your refusal to leap to conclusions you would automatically reach were the situation reversed. Harry Reid signed on to a certain piece of legislation, and the very next day received a check from a group related to Abramoff. If Reid were a Republican, you'd be all over him based on the mere suspicious timing of the donation. But as he's a Democrat ...

Nordy said: " He personally NEVER gave a dime to a Democrat."

I love how the sine qua non of bribery has been re-defined to only apply to that which was personally given by the accused. I mean, if it was given through an intermediary, it wasn't even bribery at all, right?

Geek Esq. said: "Bob Ney has been alleged by federal prosecutors to have received bribes and to have broken the law."

Exactly. Alleged. Sandy Berger actually admitted to stealing classified documents, and he gets a slap on the wrist. You want Republican heads to roll just for the allegation.

Anonymous said: "By the way, here's radical left-winger Michelle Malkin's take on all this."

Malkin only said what every conservative here has said: Abramoff will and should go down for this. I couldn't agree more. She doesn't say that this is an exclusively or even primarily GOP scandal.

Hey, didn't the Nazi guy in Raiders of the Lost Ark die recently?

Sobek:

People have pleaded guilty to bribing Ney. However, your statements are further proof that folks such as yourself, who belong to the DeLay/Abramoff wing of the Republican party, don't care about ethics or truth--just about whether one gets caught. Even when it's painfully obvious that someone like Ney is dead meat, your talking points trump truth and ethical considerations.

As I've said before, let's keep an indictment scorecard. So far, your side has one indicted and convicted Congressman (the Dukestir), an indicted former majority leader (the Hammer) and a soon-to-be-indicted Chairman of the House Administration Committee (Bob Ney). Not to mention Republican activists Abramoff and Scanlon, the latter of course being a former DeLay staffer.

spongeworthy and bruce hamilton are right - the black hat isn't part of Hassidic dress, just standard (Ultra)Orthodox dress.
It's just a cultural norm, not really a religious obligation.

Writing a quarter million dollars worth of checks (for no discernible purpose) to Mafia hit men who are later charged with the murder of the check-writer’s biggest enemy in the whole damn world is just another in a long line of "freak coincidences" in South Florida, a place where things have always been a little...different.

http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/