Abramoff: A Republican-Only Scandal

Republican talking points about the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal claim that Democrats, as well as Republicans, are involved. It's evident that many media pundits are picking up on this highly inaccurate characterization. Here, DNC Chair Howard Dean and CNN's Wolf Blitzer discuss the Abramoff story with Wolf trying his best to assert that Dems also took money from Abramoff. Dean flattens him:

BLITZER: Should Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, who has now pleaded guilty to bribery charges, among other charges, a Republican lobbyist in Washington, should the Democrat who took money from him give that money to charity or give it back?

DEAN: There are no Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, not one, not one single Democrat. Every person named in this scandal is a Republican. Every person under investigation is a Republican. Every person indicted is a Republican. This is a Republican finance scandal. There is no evidence that Jack Abramoff ever gave any Democrat any money. And we've looked through all of those FEC reports to make sure that's true.

BLITZER: But through various Abramoff-related organizations and outfits, a bunch of Democrats did take money that presumably originated with Jack Abramoff.

DEAN: That's not true either. There's no evidence for that either. There is no evidence...

BLITZER: What about Senator Byron Dorgan?

DEAN: Senator Byron Dorgan and some others took money from Indian tribes. They're not agents of Jack Abramoff. There's no evidence that I've seen that Jack Abramoff directed any contributions to Democrats. I know the Republican National Committee would like to get the Democrats involved in this. They're scared. They should be scared. They haven't told the truth. They have misled the American people. And now it appears they're stealing from Indian tribes. The Democrats are not involved in this.

BLITZER: Unfortunately Mr. Chairman, we got to leave it right there.

Notice how quickly Blitzer ends the exchange when his take on this is completely refuted. You can watch a video of this exchange on Crooks and Liars.

We need to repeat these facts every chance we get. The Abramoff corruption web is entirely a Republican corruption web. Period. This isn't to say that all Democrats are lilly-white in the money for influence department. Far from it. But in what may well be one of the biggest illegal money for influence schemes in our history, it's Republicans and Republicans alone who set up Abramoff to create the intricate web of illegal payoffs and tradeoffs, and it's Republicans and Republicans alone who benefited from the huge sums raised and paid.

Here's a comprensive post on Daily Kos that includes excellent suggestions for effectively countering the Republican spin on this.

As the Senate hearings on the Samuel Alito appointment to the U.S Supreme Court begin today, forewarned is forearmed. It's obvious that Republicans are prepared to do almost anything to change the subject from the Abramoff mess. According to a detailed Time Magazine cover story on the White House reaction to the crimes:

Republican officials say they are so worried about the Abramoff problem that they are now inclined to stoke a fight with Democrats over the confirmation of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court in an effort to turn the page from the lobbying investigation. Outside groups plan to spend heavily, and the White House will engage in some tit for tat with Democrats as the hearings heat up.