« Bush Administration's Betrayal of Christians | Main | Florida Dems Lose the Moral High Ground »

October 13, 2006

Five Republican Groups Get Nailed

A Senate investigative report released yesterday said that five conservative nonprofit groups "appear to have perpetrated a fraud" on the taxpayers by selling their support to Jack Abramoff. How delightful that bit by bit this nest of criminals is being placed under the spotlight. And how amusing that Norquist, supposed friend of the taxpayer, is being accused of perpetrating fraud on the taxpayers.

The Senate report … states that the nonprofit groups probably violated their tax-exempt status "by laundering payments and then disbursing funds at Mr. Abramoff's direction; taking payments in exchange for writing newspaper columns or press releases that put Mr. Abramoff's clients in a favorable light; introducing Mr. Abramoff's clients to government officials in exchange for payment; and agreeing to act as a front organization for congressional trips paid for by Mr. Abramoff's clients … including Microsoft Corp., mutual fund company DH2 Inc., Primedia Inc.'s Channel One Network, and Brown-Forman, maker of Jack Daniel's whiskey."

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the five groups that engaged in illegal activity with Jack Abramoff, they are:

Americans for Tax Reform: Headed up by Grover Norquist, whom Abramoff described in an e-mail as a "hard-won asset." According to the Senate report, ATR's activity in support of Abramoff "appears indistinguishable from lobbying undertaken by for-profit, taxable firms." Not surprising to me, of course; Norquist is well-known for laundering money for conservative groups and taking a "cut" for himself.

Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy: co-founded by Norquist and Gale Norton before she became secretary of the interior. The group received about $500,000 of Indian tribe money the tribes were told would cultivate favor for them in the Dept. of the Interior. True Republican environmentalists refer to this group as a "green scam." The group is sponsored by mining, chemical and chlorine industries.

Citizens Against Government Waste: A corporate front group that campaigns on behalf of the tobacco industry, in favor of Microsoft, and against open source software.

The National Center for Public Policy Research: Another corporate front group, with projects that include Project 21, a conservative African American organization that opposes affirmative action and the minimum wage and has issued news releases in support of genetically modified foods. Project 21 has been funded by R.J. Reynolds, and it has lobbied in support of tobacco industry interests, opposing FDA regulation of the industry, excise taxes and other government policies to reduce tobacco use. Also actively opposes environmental movement. On its website, it has released numerous fascinating papers on such things as how CAFE standards are killers, as well as the following statement about how UNFAIR the Senate report is:

The National Center for Public Policy Research is terribly disappointed that the Senate Finance Committee’s minority staff has issued an entirely unfair and inaccurate report as it relates to the National Center. We believe the report is grossly unfair.

The National Center for Public Policy Research has fully cooperated with all Congressional and federal investigations. The institution has been extremely conscientious at all times about complying with all regulations governing tax-exempt organizations. We are confident that those who are fair-minded and in possession of all the facts are reaching fair conclusions about us. The full committee report of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee is an example of this.

Toward Tradition: a Seattle-based religious group founded by Rabbi Daniel Lapin, whose brother David was involved in the Marianas Islands scandal. Jack Abramoff was a director for the group from the early 1990s until 2004, and served a few terms as chairman of the board. Staff member Elie Pieprz worked for Grover Norquist at Americans for Tax Reform until joining Toward Tradition in approximately 2000.

I'd love to see this bunch in jail, and they certainly do deserve it, but the way Republicans stick together it's probably more likely they'll be claiming tomorrow that they have a drinking problem and head off to join Bob Ney and Mark Foley in rehab.

Posted by Becky at October 13, 2006 02:58 PM