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Bribery in Congress

November 30, 2005

(Archive)
Guest: Faiz Shakir, Deputy Editor of the Progress Report at the Center for American Progress
As the Jack Abramoff payoff scandal widens, it seems that many Republican Members of Congress in the highest positions of power were on the take, including the chairmen of powerful committees. It’s not just Former Majority Leader Tom Delay…

The honor roll of shame includes:
Republican Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham of San Diego (who has already plead guilty to bribery and resigned was on the Intelligence Committee)
Republican Congressman Bob Ney of Central Ohio (Chairman of the powerful House Administration Committee, the man who worked hard to prevent Congressional mandating of fraud-proof voting systems)
Republican Congressman John Doolittle of Rural Northern California (on the pork-distributing Appropriations Committee)
Republican Senator Conrad Burns of Montana (chairman of the pork-distributing agricultural appropriations committee
And let’s not forget the ethical problems/investigations of Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and the one Democrat being investigated: Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana.

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  • Robt December 3, 2005 5:35 am

    Mark,
    In attempting to playing catch up from the last couple of days missing the shows I found alot of info most Americans rather not hear.
    Your guest spelled out a very interesting yet dirty Government that alot of folks feel is there, although helpless to do anything of it.
    As I said your guest spelled “details”.
    Somehow pessimism lurks in the shadows of my outlook of justice. As with Tom Delay, and you said it yourself of his “power”. As the way Delay has attacked the prosecutor, and judges in Texas for this matter. With some success I shall add. For Delay to really feel justice in Texas, his home state of laundered money to state legislatures seated by that money at present. All the Corporate potentates that gave the money in Texas. That my friend is alot of influence. Not to mention the US Congress of allies and debts owed to Delay.
    To the point, I do not think Delay will face Jail! By no means do I think he should not face jail. It would come down to the poor American people would lose faith in their government if this man who was Speaker of the house of Represenatives of this here United States of America was sentenced to jail and went. If found guilty he will probably pay some fine and step down. As if that would be Justice. I find a large gap between Delay’s money grabbing and a poor man stealing for existance, (IE after Katrina!).
    As self evident I am in negative expectations of my government I continue to hope and vote and persuade some to hold a high standard of our government leaders. Do you think Dan Rostonkowsky was as corrupt as Republicans made
    him out to be? How would Rostonkowsky match the level of Delay? Or would he?
    If Delay is found guilty of laundering the money and funneling it back to Texas to unseat democrat state legislators, replacing them with laundered money republicans. You know that they won’t correct those Texas elections directly effected by that Delay laundered money, Or do you??
    Very interesting, Yet repubs won’t investigate themselves. Even if enough constituents write their representatives?
    I do plan to take your advice and replay this for some repub friend, and democrat freinds
    as well………….