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June 23, 2006

Take That, "Coyote"

A just-released Senate report on Jack Abramoff's influence-peddling reveals that Grover Norquist was Indian-tribe screwing Abramoff's "godsend."

Moving money from a casino-operating Indian tribe to Ralph Reed, the Christian Coalition founder and professed gambling opponent, was a problem. Lobbyist Abramoff turned to his longtime friend Norquist, apparently to provide a buffer for Reed.

The result, according to evidence gathered by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, was that Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform became a conduit for more than a million dollars from the Mississippi Choctaw to Reed's operation, while Norquist, a close White House ally, took a cut.

Those Republicans who continue to defend Norquist say he is telling the truth and just being set up by nasty, partisan Democrats. Not so. Norquist is lying. He claims the money the Choctaws gave him was to support his anti-tax efforts, which he says matches the tribe's own goals.

Nell Rogers, a planner for the Choctaws, told the Senate that the arrangement was never intended as a contribution to support ATR's general anti-tax work. Rogers said she understood from Abramoff that ATR was willing to serve as a conduit, provided it received a fee.

And indeed, Norquist did charge a fee for his laundering of funds from one Indian casino to the Christian Coalition to use to outlaw that casino's competition – two other Indian casinos. Norquist on two occasions skimmed $25,000 off the top of the total $1.2 million he laundered for the tribe. In addition, he charged multiple Indian tribes $25,000 each to arrange meetings with President Bush.

Great guy, that Norquist. No doubt Oregon's TABOR-backers are very proud to have him on their team.

Posted by Becky at June 23, 2006 12:47 PM