Jack Abramoff

Jacked! Reform Movement Splits On How To Handle Abramoff

Ryan J. Reilly | February 7, 2012, 5:51AM

Jack Abramoff speaks before Public Citizen, a consumer rights advocacy group, in Washington, DC on February 6, 2012.

If one thing was clear at a Monday event held by the nonprofit watchdog group Public Citizen, it's that good government types are split into two camps on the subject of Jack Abramoff. There are those who think his perspective as the world's most notorious lobbyist give him valuable ideas on how to fix the system, and there are those who think he's - frankly - full of it.

Six cameras, about as many photographers and rows of reporters packed into a room at Public Citizen lined with historic photos of founder Ralph Nader (a connection Abramoff found ironic, given how he'd opposed Nader's work during his career) for a chat between President Rob Weissman and Abramoff.

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Jack Abramoff

Corruption 101: Abramoff Takes His New Reforming Zeal To Harvard

Eric Lach | December 7, 2011, 8:54AM

Lawrence Lessig, and Jack Abramoff (Associated Press / Roll Call)

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- On Tuesday night, disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff was in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an invited guest of Harvard University's Edmond J. Safra Center For Ethics, for the first event in a series at the center featuring interviews with "the guilty, not the innocent or inspirational."

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Jack Abramoff

Jack Abramoff Doesn't Care If Reformers Think He's Sincere

Ryan J. Reilly | November 28, 2011, 11:15AM

Jack Abramoff is a man who knows his audience.

On his promotional tour touting his new book, he customizes the message depending on the crowd. Speaking at his World Net Daily book party? He'll crack wise about the "bolsheviks" at MSNBC. Speaking on MSNBC? He'll have a go-to quote about what he calls Newt Gingrich's corruption.

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Jack Abramoff

Jack Abramoff's Rehabilitation Tour Hits D.C.

Ryan J. Reilly | November 16, 2011, 6:02AM

"My life has taken a bit of a turn," lobbyist-turned-felon-turned-reform advocate Jack Abramoff told the crowd assembled in Tucker Carlson's living room in Northwest D.C. on Tuesday night. "I used to be a right-wing guy who sort of disdained the New York Times, 60 Minutes and Michael Moore. Now, I'm happy to be on 60 Minutes, I love the pieces in the New York Times and Michael Moore is my new best friend."

Meet Abramoff 2.0. Sixteen months after his prison term from the most infamous Washington corruption case in recent memory ended, Abramoff was addressing an audience of journalists and friends about how his world has been turned upside down. In the midst of a publicity tour for his book Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth About Washington Corruption From America's Most Notorious Lobbyist -- Twitter feed, Facebook page, snazzy website, the works -- Abramoff said he knows his new stances on reform aren't earning him any friends.

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Lobbyists

Lobbying Watchdogs Have A Good Laugh Over Newt Gingrich's 'Historian' Line

Ryan J. Reilly | November 10, 2011, 12:53PM

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA)

Good government types are getting a kick out of Newt Gingrich's claim at Wednesday's debate that he wasn't a lobbyist for Freddie Mac but was rather hired for his skills as an historian.

"I have never done any lobbying," Gingrich said, adding that he only offered "advice as an historian."

For some context, a full-time professor of history made an average of $63,119 per year around 2006. Newt racked up $300,000, or about 4.75 times as much.

But to get at a larger point, lobbying watchdogs say Gingrich's justification shows just how weak lobbying disclosures are and how easy it is to avoid registering.

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Jack Abramoff

Abramoff: Hill Staffers Should Be Banned From Becoming Lobbyists

Ryan J. Reilly | November 7, 2011, 9:07AM

Convicted felon Jack Abramoff took his recommendations for lobbying reform to 60 Minutes on Sunday night, arguing that Capitol Hill staffers shouldn't be allowed to become lobbyists.

"I would say or my staff would say to him or her at some point, 'you know, when you're done working on the hill, we'd very much like to consider coming to work for us.' Now the moment I said that to him, or any of our staff said that to him, that was it. We owned them," Abramoff told CBS's Lesley Stahl.

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Jack Abramoff

Jack Abramoff: Dan Snyder Isn't A 'Brat,' He's An Awesome Guy

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2011, 5:10PM

There aren't all that many public figures in Washington with a worse reputation than Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder. Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff is one of those figures.

So it's unlikely to help Snyder that, according to Abramoff's new book, the media has given the Redskins' owner a bum rap. Abramoff writes that he found Snyder "decent, honest and straightforward" and not the "imperious brat the media had portrayed him to be."

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Jack Abramoff

Tucker Carlson On Hosting Jack Abramoff Book Party: 'What He Did Is Hardly Out Of The Ordinary For Washington'

Ryan J. Reilly | October 25, 2011, 4:30PM

The birther website World Net Daily might have gotten the publishing rights to Jack Abramoff's forthcoming memoir, but Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller gets to host the book party.

Invites are out for a Nov. 15 event at Carlson's D.C. home, where they'll toast Abramoff's new book: Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth About Washington Corruption From America's Most Notorious Lobbyist, which drops Nov. 1.

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Kevin Ring

DOJ Wants Kevin Ring Sentenced To Two Months More Than Jack Abramoff

Ryan J. Reilly | October 12, 2011, 2:15PM

Federal prosecutors are asking a federal judge to send Jack Abramoff associate Kevin Ring to jail for four years and two months when he's sentenced on Oct. 26.

The Justice Department argued in a Tuesday filing that Ring should serve three years probation after his release and perform community service in lieu of a fine. Ring -- who was convicted of conspiracy, paying of an illegal gratuity and three counts of honest services fraud -- had asked for five years probation for his role in the Abramoff scandal.

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Public Campaign

Watchdogs Want Bright Light On 'Super Committee's' Activities

Susan Crabtree | August 4, 2011, 3:07PM

Two dozen public interest, consumer, and government watchdog organizations want to shine a bright light on the activities of the newly established super committee tasked with finding $1.5 trillion in additional deficit reduction this fall.

Specifically, the groups want members of the joint Congressional committee to put a halt to all political fundraising while they conduct their work and provide details of any and all meetings and contacts with with lobbyists and outside parties.

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Lobbyists

Rail Industry Carts In Big Lobbying Dollars To Fight Regulation

Ryan J. Reilly | July 7, 2011, 5:45AM

As the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee drafts major legislation to overhaul government regulations on the transportation industry, railroad companies are speeding up their lobbying efforts to rollback regulations on the business.

Since 2007, railroads, affiliated companies and industry trade groups have spent more than $152 million on federal lobbying, according to a report to be released Thursday by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

CREW's report points to news reports that indicated Osama bin Laden thought trains made good targets for a possible terrorist attack and contrasts that with the railroad industry's efforts to reduce the frequency of locomotive inspections and place a cap on their liability when carrying substances labeled as Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH) materials.

The report finds that at least four former members of Congress -- two of whom have sons currently serving on the railroad subcommittee -- are lobbying on the legislation and that contributions from the railroad industry to current committee members jumped over 25 percent between 2008 and 2010.

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Shadow Congress

Shadow Congress: Nearly 200 Ex-Lawmakers Work For Lobbying Shops

Ryan J. Reilly | June 14, 2011, 5:45AM

With historic numbers of congressional Democrats thrown out of office in the 2010 midterms, the stage was set for another surge of ex-lawmakers to go through the revolving door into the lobbying business. So we figured it was time to update our ongoing "Shadow Congress" project in which we chart state-by-state which former lawmakers are now lobbying.

With the addition of recently defeated lawmakers, there are now at least 195 former lawmakers cashing in on their public service, according to an updated list compiled by TPM. That's up from 172 the last time we checked.

Check out the members of this so-called "Shadow Congress" on our updated interactive chart.

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Newt Gingrich

Gingriches Rang Up Big Tiffany & Co. Bill While Jeweler Was Lobbying Her House Committee

Ryan J. Reilly | May 24, 2011, 6:20PM

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) with wife, Callista.

Tiffany & Co. was actively lobbying the House committee Newt Gingrich's wife Callista was working for at the time the couple had a $250,000 to $500,000 interest-free revolving charge account with the famed jeweler, SpyTalk blogger Jeff Stein reports.

Newt Gingrich has previously touted his Tiffany's bill as evidence of his fiscal responsibility because he paid it off in full. Newt Gingrich also claimed the revolving charge account with Tiffany & Co. came interest-free, but the high-end jewelery company doesn't appear to offer such a deal to your average Joe, the Washington Post reports.

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Lobbyists

What The Lobbyists' Lobbyist Is Lobbying For

Ryan J. Reilly | April 21, 2011, 3:45PM

Howard Marlowe

Howard Marlowe thinks disclosure is important. Technically, the longtime lobbyist will tell you, he didn't even have to register on behalf of the American League of Lobbyists (ALL), since his position as president is on a volunteer basis. But register he did, on behalf of his own lobbying firm Marlowe & Company, a few months after taking over ALL in January.

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John Ensign

Former Ensign Love Triangle Aide Indicted For Post-Senate Lobbying

Susan Crabtree | March 24, 2011, 6:06PM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

Federal prosecutors have charged the husband of Sen. John Ensign's (R-NV) former mistress with breaking criminal revolving-door lobbying laws.

The indictment, issued Thursday afternoon, charges Doug Hampton, a former top aide to Ensign, with seven counts of violating conflict-of-interest laws, according to a Justice Department release.

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Jack Abramoff

Abramoff's Partner Doesn't Want to Cough Up Ill-Gotten Millions

Susan Crabtree | March 16, 2011, 10:03AM

Michael Scanlon

Michael Scanlon, Jack Abramoff's partner in crime, doesn't want to pony up the ill-gotten millions he owes to Abramoff's former lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig, and he doesn't think he has to, his attorneys said Tuesday in a court filing.

Scanlon, who worked hand-in-glove with Abramoff, pleaded guilty to defrauding a group of Native American tribes out of tens of millions of dollars and last monthwas sentenced to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay Greenberg for its losses. Greenberg has settled a series of actual and threatened lawsuits from the tribes that Scanlon and Abramoff defrauded, and now the K Street giant is demanding that Scanlon make good on the court-ordered compensation payments and pay the firm more than $17 million.

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Michael Scanlon

Former Abramoff Partner Michael Scanlon Appeals Prison Sentence

Melissa Jeltsen | February 23, 2011, 3:49PM

Michael Scanlon

A little less than two weeks after a U.S. District Judge sentenced Michael Scanlon to 20 months in federal prison and 300 hours of community service, the former lobbyist filed an appeal. Scanlon was a major player in the wide-ranging Jack Abramoff scandal, which defrauded several Native American tribes of tens of millions of dollars.

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LIbya

Livingston Group Lobbied for Libya, Qaddafi Charity

Susan Crabtree | February 22, 2011, 6:43PM

Saif al-Islam Kadhafi

The Livingston Group, one of the main lobbying firms working on behalf of Egypt and former President Hosni Mubarak, also was paid $2.5 million in 2008 and 2009 to influence Washington on behalf of the government of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi and a charity run by his son Saif Al Islam Al Qaddafi.

"In 2008, the lobbyists held several meetings with members of Congress and their staff 'concerning the legislative status of amending a statutory provision against U.S. trade with Libya,' in an effort to boost foreign investment in the country," reports the Sunlight Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to government transparency. "Around the same time as the meetings the Senate lifted the sanctions on the nation imposed after U.S declared Libya a terrorist state in the 1980s."

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Jack Abramoff

Scanlon Could Be Ordered To Pay $20 Million to Tribes and K Street Firm

Susan Crabtree | February 11, 2011, 9:39AM

Michael Scanlon and Jack Abramoff

A U.S. district court judge is poised to order Michael Scanlon, Jack Abramoff's partner in a wide-ranging lobbying sandal, to cough up more than $20 million to compensate several Indian tribes, as well as Abramoff's former lobbying firm, for his role in defrauding them.

Scanlon faces sentencing Friday morning, and in the weeks leading up to it, former congressional aides and lobbyists stung by the scandal have griped about the tens of millions of dollars Scanlon has amassed and sunk into extensive real estate holdings in Dewey Beach, Del. and D.C. His attorneys have argued that Scanlon should not have to pay the full $19 million he had agreed to when he pled guilty five years ago because of the extensive damage the scandal has done to his earning potential and his role as a father of two boys.

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John Ensign

Senate Ethics Committee Moves Forward In Ensign Investigation

Rachel Slajda | February 1, 2011, 10:32AM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

The Senate Ethics Committee has appointed a special counsel to handle the committee's preliminary investigation into Sen. John Ensign (R-NV).

The committee announced today that it has hired Carol Elder Bruce, a partner at K&L Gates LLP. Bruce will lead the investigation into whether Ensign broke Senate rules and/or federal law.

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Paul Magliocchetti

Despite Donations To Girl Scouts, PMA Lobbyist Gets 27 Months

Ryan J. Reilly and Alex Sciuto | January 7, 2011, 6:17PM

Former super-lobbyist Paul Magliocchetti was sentenced today to 27 months in prison, a spokesman for the Justice Department told TPM.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia, told TPM that the hearing, which began at 1 p.m., lasted until 5:30 p.m.

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Paul Magliocchetti

Shrink Says PMA Lobbyist Could Commit Suicide If Imprisoned

Ryan J. Reilly and Alex Sciuto | January 5, 2011, 8:40AM

Lawyers for Paul Magliocchetti, the big time lobbyist who pleaded guilty in September to making hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions and giving false statements to a federal agency, are asking a federal court to grant leniency to their client, who's set to be sentenced on Friday.

Dr. David Blackmon, a licensed psychologist in Jacksonville Beach, Florida performed a neuropsychological evaluation on Magliocchetti and lawyers have requested he testify in court this week.

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Kit Bond

Kit Bond Heads To K Street

Ryan J. Reilly | January 4, 2011, 12:39PM

Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO)

Outgoing Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO) is becoming a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP, where he'll advise clients on issues including international trade, biotechnology, agriculture, cyberlaw and transportation, the firm said in a statement.

Bond will also consult with clients to bring economic development and job opportunities to Missouri, and he'll work from both Missouri and Washington, D.C.

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Alabama

Amid Bingo Bribery Scandal, Alabama Institutes Lobbying Reform

Ryan J. Reilly | December 28, 2010, 11:20AM

Gov. Bob Riley (R-AL)

The Alabama state legislature last week approved a package of ethics bills that supporters say will change state politics for the better amid the unfolding bingo legislation bribery scandal. But as the Birmingham News reports there's "disagreement on whether those changes are giant leaps or small steps."

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Alan Mendelsohn

Major Florida GOP Donor Pleaded Guilty In Fraud Scheme

Ryan J. Reilly | December 10, 2010, 11:32AM

Alan Mendelsohn

A Florida doctor who raised millions of dollars for Republicans and advised Gov. Charlie Crist pleaded guilty Thursday to tax fraud, mail fraud and making false statements for his role in a fraud scheme involving lobbying and fundraising for political candidates and organizations.

Alan Mendelsohn admitted that he and his co-conspirators siphoned approximately $330,000 from the political entities -- both directly in the form of third-party payments -- for Mendelsohn's benefit from 2003 through 2008, according to the Justice Department.

Some of that money was used to buy a love-nest for him and his mistress, as well as a car for the mistress, prosecutors had charged. Mendelsohn also admitted to failing to report $82,000 in political donations that he secretly gave to a former state senator. All in all, Mendelsohn underreported his taxable income by over $600,000, said DOJ.

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Lobbyists

The Surprise Consequences Of Lobbying: Colorado Bans Low-Alcohol Beer In Bars

Rachel Slajda | December 7, 2010, 12:06PM

In January, Colorado will begin enforcing a law that forbids bars, restaurants and liquor stores from selling low-alcohol beer -- usually low-calorie beer like Michelob Ultra, Heineken Light and others. Even Guinness may qualify as low-alcohol and be booted from Irish pubs. How did this happen?

In Colorado, convenience and grocery stores can only sell low-alcohol beer. Bars, restaurants and liquor stores can sell full-strength beer, plus wine and liquor. It's a two-tier system that was designed in order to keep full-strength beer away from fake-ID-toting minors who frequent convenience stores.

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John Ensign

Read Ensign's Legal Defense Fundraising Letter

Rachel Slajda | August 13, 2010, 5:04PM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) has begun soliciting contributions for his legal defense fund.

Ensign established the fund in June and then took the unusual step of registering it as a political organization.

In the letter, he writes, "As I am sure you are aware, I admitted last year to making the worst mistake of my life."

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PMA Group

Former Head Of PMA Indicted

Rachel Slajda | August 5, 2010, 2:14PM

The late Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)

Paul Magliocchetti, the founder of the now-defunct lobbying group PMA, has been indicted on eight federal charges for making illegal campaign contributions and false statements.

PMA, which closed down last year, was an influential defense lobbying group at the center of a scandal that threatened to take down at least seven Democratic lawmakers, including the late Rep. John Murtha, chair of the defense appropriations subcommittee. The House ethics committee last year cleared all the members of wrongdoing, and today's indictment does not implicate any lawmakers.

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John Ensign

Ensign Registers Legal Defense Fund As Political Org

Rachel Slajda | August 3, 2010, 5:53PM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

Roll Call reports today that Sen. John Ensign has registered his legal defense fund as a 527 political organization.

A 527 is tax-exempt, but Ensign must report contributions to the IRS.

As Roll Call notes, it's an unusual move:

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John Ensign

Ensign Is Paying Staffers' Legal Bills

Rachel Slajda | July 16, 2010, 9:18AM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) is paying the legal bills of some of his staff as they face questioning over Ensign's sex-and-lobbying scandal.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports today that the payments to law firms are listed on Ensign's campaign's latest FEC reports. Questioned about the payments, Ensign's spokeswoman confirmed that they were for staff members.

"Senator Ensign's campaign is paying for the legal bills accrued by staff as a result of cooperating with the ongoing ethics investigation," spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper told the Review-Journal.

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Islamic American Relief Agency

Ex-Rep Pleads Guilty In Case Of Lobbying For Group With Terrorism Ties

Jillian Rayfield | July 7, 2010, 2:08PM

Former Rep. Mark Siljander (R-MI)

Former Rep. Mark Siljander (R-MI) pleaded guilty today to obstruction of justice and "acting as an unregistered foreign agent," in connection with his work as a lobbyist for a group with terrorism ties.

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Mark Siljander

Conservative Ex-Rep In Court For Alleged Ties To Terrorism Ring

Jillian Rayfield | July 7, 2010, 12:22PM

Former Rep. Mark Siljander (R-MI)

Former Rep. Mark Siljander (R-MI) will be in court today for a plea hearing on charges of money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice in connection with his alleged ties to an international terrorism ring. The trial is set to begin next Monday.

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John Ensign

Report: Staffers Tell Ethics Panel Ensign Knew He Was Breaking Lobbying Ban

Rachel Slajda | June 23, 2010, 9:47AM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

The Hill reports that staffers for Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) have told the Senate Ethics Committee that their boss knew he was breaking a one-year lobbying ban when he helped a former staffer set himself up as a lobbyist.

In depositions to the committee, Ensign's staffers said several aides openly discussed helping to get lobbying gigs for former staffer Doug Hampton, after Ensign had an affair with Hampton's wife. The aides also discussed that such help apparently violated a one-year ban on Congressional staffers moving to K Street, sources close to the investigation told The Hill.

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Jack Abramoff

Jack Abramoff Gets A New Gig

Megan Carpentier | June 22, 2010, 6:42PM

Jack Abramoff

Disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, mere months after serving his debt to society for bribing Congressmen and related shenanigans, is making mad dough these days in his new job.

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Office of Congressional Ethics

Reports: OCE Probe Focused On Fundraisers, Auto Dealer Exemption

Rachel Slajda | June 16, 2010, 12:14PM

Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC)

The House Office of Congressional Ethics investigation into eight lawmakers is focusing on fundraisers held in the two days before the final vote on financial reform legislation, according to news reports.

According to The Hill, the OCE is specifically looking into a fundraiser held for Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) two days before he pulled an amendment that could have hurt certain auto dealers.

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Office of Congressional Ethics

Report: OCE Asks Lobbyists For Info On Eight Congressmen

Rachel Slajda | June 14, 2010, 2:57PM

K Street in Washington, DC

The Hill reports today that the House Office of Congressional Ethics has asked lobbyists for information and documents relating to eight House members: five Republicans and three Democrats.

The members are Reps. John Campbell (R-CA), Joe Crowley (D-NY), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Christopher Lee (R-NY), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Tom Price (R-GA) and Mel Watt (D-NC). All of them serve on either the Financial Services Committee or the Ways and Means Committee.

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Financial Reform

Report: 56 Financial Lobbyists Once Worked For Lawmakers Now Negotiating Financial Reform

Eric Lach | June 11, 2010, 1:10PM

United States Capitol

Dozens of financial industry lobbyists have ties to lawmakers serving on the conference committee negotiating financial reform legislation, according to data reported by Public Citizen and the Center for Responsive Politics. Among them are seven former chiefs of staff and a total of 16 former employees of Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL).

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Shadow Congress

SHADOW CONGRESS: More Than 170 Former Lawmakers Ply The Corridors Of Power As Lobbyists

Justin Elliott and Zachary Roth | June 1, 2010, 8:41AM

It's not exactly breaking news that Washington is stuffed to the gills with lobbyists. One good government group recently tallied 8 lobbyists for every member of Congress during the health-care reform debate. But what doesn't get as much attention is that, over the last few decades, a vast army of what might be called uber-lobbyists has taken shape in the capital, made up of retiring lawmakers eager to cash in on K Street after a lifetime of making do with public sector salaries.

We've compiled a close-to-comprehensive list of former members of Congress currently working on behalf of private interests in Washington's influence-peddling industry. We count 172 of them -- almost one-third the number of current members of Congress.

See an interactive graphic of the Shadow Congress here.

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Lisa Murkowski

Murkowski, Oil Lobby Block Effort To Make Industry Fully Pay For Spills

Zachary Roth | May 14, 2010, 10:01AM

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Even in a Washington as dominated by corporate money as today's, it's not often that you see a lawmaker side with financial backers over the public interest as brazenly as Alaska's senior senator did yesterday.

In the wake of last month's catastrophic Gulf Coast oil spill, Sen. Lisa Murkowski blocked a bill that would have raised the maximum liability for oil companies after a spill from a paltry $75 million to $10 billion. The Republican lawmaker said the bill, introduced by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), would have unfairly hurt smaller oil companies by raising the costs of oil production. The legislation is "not where we need to be right now" she said.

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Rick Berman

Complaint Spotlights 'Dr. Evil' Campaign Against Drunk-Driving Protections

Zachary Roth | May 13, 2010, 11:35AM

Rick Berman

Not too many people oppose efforts to keep drunk drivers off the road. But then, not too many people are known to enemies and friends alike as "Dr. Evil," and revel in their role as the poster boy for deceptive astroturf corporate lobbying.

We're talking, of course, about TPMmuckraker favorite Rick Berman, who has built a lucrative business by creating a string of industry-funded front groups that have fought efforts to fight smoking, drinking, and obesity without revealing their corporate clients.

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