Corruption Ahoy(Oy Oy Oy)

OK, here's the crux of the current administration's biscuit for this week. Of course it's been brewing for awhile, but it's time to howl and scream and make the MSM cover it as real news. This is going to be a forest of links because the articles say it better than I can, but I will give a synopsis. First, though, the cast of characters:

Tom Delay (junior Devil to Karl Rove's Satan)

Jack Abramoff (registered lobbyist and sole proprietor of Capital Athletic Foundation)

Michael Scanlon (ex-aide to Delay and associate of Abramoff)

Ralph Reed (Ex-leader Christian Coalition and general Rightist fuck)

Chris Bell (Texas Congressman run out of office by Delay's gerrymandering after filing an Ethics Complaint against Delay)

Bob Ney (Representative of OH and associate of Abramoff)

So, we know Tom Delay is evil, but now we can take him down if we can get the MSM to cover this story. Actually, there's a better chance of them doing this than covering Gannon/Guckert.

The story: As reported by Raw Story, the Washington Post, The Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and others, Jack Abramoff who with Michael Scanlon recieved millions from certain Indian tribes
by trading on Delay's name and access to help them get casinos opened on their lands, has now been shown to have billed his law firm for travel expenses for Delay. This is illegal. Abramoff has also used his Capitol Atheltic Foundation to fund trips for Delay and his aides, Bob Ney (Chairman of the House Administration Committee of 2002) and Ralph Reed and it's highly likely that this oganization has nothing to do with athletics and is simply a front for money laundering and bribery.
The Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to look into this. To be fair, Ney is appalled. Here's a report from Bill Moyers. And here you can take a look at evidence presented(including emails between Scanlon and Abramoff) to the Senate Commitee on Indian Affairs where John McCain sought to insulate Delay.

This is all pretty bad, but it gets worse: The House Ethics Committee has changed its rules to require a majority of its 10 members (5R and 5D) to even begin an investigation. And they have installed contributors to Delay on the republican side to ensure that no such will occur (indeed, take a look at the title of the members page in your browser tab. Mine says 'Republicans').

This is part and parcel of the corruption of this administration that cannot stand the Sun. Those of you in TX need to do your best to remove Delay. The rest of us need to shame our Reps into finding a way to sanction and remove him.