Prosperity Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 The DeLay-Abramoff Money TrailNonprofit Group Linked to Lawmaker Was Funded Mostly by Clients of Lobbyist By R. Jeffrey Smith Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, December 31, 2005; Page A01 The U.S. Family Network, a public advocacy group that operated in the 1990s with close ties to Rep. Tom DeLay and claimed to be a nationwide grass-roots organization, was funded almost entirely by corporations linked to embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to tax records and former associates of the group. During its five-year existence, the U.S. Family Network raised $2.5 million but kept its donor list secret. The list, obtained by The Washington Post, shows that $1 million of its revenue came in a single 1998 check from a now-defunct London law firm whose former partners would not identify the money's origins. Two former associates of Edwin A. Buckham, the congressman's former chief of staff and the organizer of the U.S. Family Network, said Buckham told them the funds came from Russian oil and gas executives. Abramoff had been working closely with two such Russian energy executives on their Washington agenda, and the lobbyist and Buckham had helped organize a 1997 Moscow visit by DeLay (R-Tex.). The former president of the U.S. Family Network said Buckham told him that Russians contributed $1 million to the group in 1998 specifically to influence DeLay's vote on legislation the International Monetary Fund needed to finance a bailout of the collapsing Russian economy. A spokesman for DeLay, who is fighting in a Texas state court unrelated charges of illegal fundraising, denied that the contributions influenced the former House majority leader's political activities. The Russian energy executives who worked with Abramoff denied yesterday knowing anything about the million-dollar London transaction described in tax documents. Whatever the real motive for the contribution of $1 million -- a sum not prohibited by law but extraordinary for a small, nonprofit group -- the steady stream of corporate payments detailed on the donor list makes it clear that Abramoff's long-standing alliance with DeLay was sealed by a much more extensive web of financial ties than previously known........ rest of the article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/30/AR2005123001480.html?nav=rss_email/components Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 More money laundering by Delay and Co. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chomerics Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 More money laundering by Delay and Co. Yea, but this time, there is a direct link to the money coming from Russia. . . funny how nobody wants to condem them huh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Yea, but this time, there is a direct link to the money coming from Russia. . . funny how nobody wants to condem them huh. I just noticed the Oil and Gas, btw Chom 8000 posts! :notworthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Let this all play out and I hope they get about 30+ of them if were lucky... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueTalon Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Quotes from the article: "...the contribution of $1 million -- a sum not prohibited by law..." "There is no evidence DeLay received a direct financial benefit..." "No legal bar exists to a $1 million donation by a foreign entity..." I find it interesting that the same people wanting to make a huge deal out of this said nary a peep when Clinton's DNC was getting wheelbarrows of money from the People's Republic of China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted January 1, 2006 Author Share Posted January 1, 2006 Quotes from the article:"...the contribution of $1 million -- a sum not prohibited by law..." "There is no evidence DeLay received a direct financial benefit..." "No legal bar exists to a $1 million donation by a foreign entity..." I find it interesting that the same people wanting to make a huge deal out of this said nary a peep when Clinton's DNC was getting wheelbarrows of money from the People's Republic of China. Also funny how the people that got mad over that aren't saying a peep over this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cskin Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 I find it interesting that the same people wanting to make a huge deal out of this said nary a peep when Clinton's DNC was getting wheelbarrows of money from the People's Republic of China. Just another example of what's good for the goose not being good for the gander. Liberty is right... the Repubs were mad as hornets at Clinton for taking money from the China govt. Additionally, let's not forget that Clinton received that money IN EXCHANGE for us selling them our military weaponry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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