Tag: Scandals

FL Prosecutors Reportedly Implicate DeLay in Abramoff-Related SunCruz Murder — Gov. Bush and Feds May Have Obstructed Their Investigation

Jon Ponder

“The story behind the story: DeLay’s involvement with Florida gangland mobsters probed by prosecutors [was] stymied by withheld FBI interview forms and obstruction from George W. and Jeb Bush.”
— Wayne Madsen Report

Prosecutors have preliminary evidence that SunCruz was wrested from Boulis to enable laundering hundreds of millions in cash from the casino boats into Bush and DeLay election campaigns.

Earlier I suggested that disgraced Republican Rep. Tom DeLay’s resignation yesterday may have been triggered by the guilty plea to corruption charges last week by his former staffer, Tony Rudy. Conventional wisdom indicates that Rudy could have ratted out DeLay on bribery and corruption charges in order to receive a lesser sentence.

Now comes word of a development that, if true, could implicate DeLay in the gangland murder of Gus Boulis, the former owner of SunCruz casino cruise ship line in Florida.

The news comes via an April 4, 2006, story in the Wayne Madsen Report, starting with a generally overlooked but possibly stunning development in the Boulis murder trial in Miami last week. Prosecutors say they belatedly learned that one of the accused murderers, Gambino family associate, Anthony “Big Tony” Moscatiello, was an FBI informant for 15 years:

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Buh-bye Tom. Hello to the New Jack Abramoff

Trish

While I applaud Tom DeLay’s decision to resign the House of Representatives, his threat to find new ways to save the world from Democrats bothers me.

“My love for the Republican Party has played no small part in this decision,” he said.

I predict Tom will be the new Jack Abramoff. Older, uglier, and more obnoxious maybe, but just as rotten to the core.

Democrats retaking Congress, he said, would be disastrous, replete with tax hikes, a cut-and-run stance in the war on terror and antics such as a presidential impeachment gambit.

See what I mean? Much as I’d like to rejoice with abandon, I’m afraid we haven’t heard the last of Tom.

“After many weeks of personal, prayerful thinking and analysis, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to close this public service chapter of my life,” DeLay said.

“It’s time to begin opening new chapters and pursuing new opportunities to engage in the important cultural and political battles of our day from outside the arena of the United States House of Representatives,” said DeLay.

Hmmm. You know he took long enough from all that “prayerful thinking” to include a little “planning and scheming thinking” in there too.

Now that Tommy will no longer be a public “servant,” he will be free of many of those cumbersome restrictions on accepting and using the funds raised for his PAC to run the DeLay household and pay off his allies. Big Pharma and foreign governments, start making those withdrawals! I predict Tom will be the new Jack Abramoff. Older, uglier, and more obnoxious maybe, but just as rotten to the core.

Yes indeed, the sky’s the limit. No wonder Tom’s future is so bright he’s gotta wear shades.

…I’m excited about the future, which holds as always America’s brightest days and mine, too. Thank you and may God bless you all. He has certainly blessed me.”

Or maybe you’re just living proof that nice guys finish last.

Bush’s Chief Domestic Policy Advisor Resigns to Spend More Time With His Family — Scamming Target

Trish

If, unlike my friend Cathy, you haven’t been involved with exposing abstinence education for the evil, judgmental, pregnancy- and STD-producing sham that it is, the name Claude Allen might not mean that much to you.

On the other hand, it should.

Claude, also hailed as the New Clarence Thomas, was until recently George Bush’s chief domestic policy advisor. Shortly after Democrats blocked Allen’s nomination for an appeals court judgeship, Bush appointed him to his staff. Bill Berkowitz summed Allen up nicely.

“The man was then seen selecting merchandise throughout the store and placing items in the Target bag…The man then went to guest services where he produced a receipt and received a refund for the items he had just selected from the store shelves.

Careerwise, Claude Allen has come a long way from honing his political chops as the first African American aide to Jesse Helms, North Carolina’s long-time rabid right wing Senator. But he hasn’t moved very far from the politics or ideology of his former boss…Now, after nearly four years serving as Tommy Thompson’s Deputy Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, Allen has been promoted…

In a recent piece for the LA Weekly, veteran journalist Doug Ireland described Allen as “a notorious homophobe, a ferocious enemy of abortion and an opponent of safe-sex education who for years has been one of the AIDS community’s principal enemies.” Allen is also an outspoken opponent of abortion, even in cases of rape or incest, and a champion of abstinence-only sex education programs.

When Allen announced his resignation last month — citing the old chestnut about spending more time with his family — speculation was far and wide but not even Wonkette could anticipate the ridiculous reality.

It’s possible Allen left on his own accord, but the abruptness makes it rather unlikely. We have no clue, actually, why the hell he’d be forced out, especially now, when one might think Bush would want to refocus on “morality” in preparation for a midterm election which has thus far looked pretty lousy for the party…

But hell. He’s a morality-issues Christian-right Republican. So he’s probably a drug-addicted gambling gay adulterer with illegitimate children. But if anyone has proof (or a different theory, or idle speculation), we’re dying to hear it.

Oh, so close! But truth is stranger than fiction, Wonkette.

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While Texans Vote His Fate, DeLay Hits on Lobbyists

Trish

Texans could vote to end the reign of Tom DeLay today. Let’s all send good vibes their way.

How is DeLay spending what could be the day that ends his reign? Like all the others: trying to get more money from lobbyists

Meanwhile, how is Tom spending this day? Pretty much like all his other days in office: trying to get more money from lobbyists.

DeLay, a Houston-area Republican, faces three opponents in the Republican primary.

It’s his first election since being forced out of his job as House majority leader amid corruption and campaign finance scandals…

DeLay won’t be campaigning Tuesday, a spokeswoman said he’ll be casting votes. He’ll also be attending a Washington fundraiser being held by lobbyists.

Katherine Harris Says Campaign is A-OK as She Cancels Stops and Grabs a Bus with Sean Hannity

Trish

While her U.S. Senate campaign rains down in chunks around her head, Florida U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris proves she can be as untethered to reality as the man she put in the Oval Office.

At the same time she cancelled campaign stops in Southwest Florida, Harris placed a conference call to supporters telling them things are so great, she�s practically picking out wallpaper for her new office.

She said television talk show host Sean Hannity is planning a Florida bus tour with her. “The campaign is really off to the races,” Harris said.

�Harris described a campaign on a roll and gaining momentum daily. She said prominent politicians, such as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., hosted a fundraising event for her in Washington last week, proof all is well.

Back in the real world, evidence that Harris accepted bribes from the same defense contractor as California’s Rep. Duke Cunningham (whose new address is c/o Federal Prison, Taft, Calif.) continues to erode her already tenuous GOP support.

“She can’t hide and expect this to go away,” said David Johnson, a Republican political consultant�

Harris’ campaign staff declined to comment and gave no explanation of why Harris canceled the trip. They did not say how many other events were taken off her schedule.

Trying to avoid reporters is the hands-on favorite possible explanation. Harris has always had a poor relationship with the press, accusing it of doctoring live T.V. coverage during the 2000 presidential election swindle so that her makeup looked bad.

Once again, she claims the only problem is journalists.

“There is nothing to it except for the press trying to be negative.”

Yeah, that. And bribery.

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Rumors, Allegations Fly about GOP Reps in the Dukester-MZM Scandal

Jon Ponder

Now that former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, has started his eight year sentence for taking bribes from defense contractor MZM Inc., the capitol is awash in rumors about the next targets for the chopping block. Preemptive Karma has unconfirmed scuttlebutt about four powerful House Republicans from California:

Meanwhile, Katherine Harris, the Queen of Sleaze, will headline at a Christian conclave to discuss how to “reset the wildly spinning moral compass of our great land.”

A DC political operative has told me that Brent Wilkes, one of the individuals charged with bribing Republican Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham, has struck a deal with prosecutors to testify.

Wilkes will implicate four more Republicans for possible criminal activity: Richard Pombo, John Doolittle, Duncan Hunter, and Jerry Lewis.

The operative says that they are “highly certain” that this information is accurate. This hasn’t hit any media outlets as far as I know so I have no way of second sourcing it.

So who are these guys?

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Katherine Harris is Named as “Representative A” in Cunningham Bribe Case

Trish

Over one year ago, PR reported on U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Stolen Elections) trying to divest herself of the same illegal contributions which former California Representative Duke Cunningham is going to jail for accepting.

“The congressman who got the most money is going to prison,” McLaughlin said. “The one who got the second-most money wants to be a senator. I would hope voters would look at that”

If you missed it the first time around, Harris took somewhere near $50,000, funneled through employees of defense contractor MZM Inc., whose employees also favored Duke.

After the employees complained about coercion, Harris offered — in the style of the DeLay-linked — to return the payola. Now the horse manootey is hitting the fan, and Harris’ new name is in legal circles is “Rep. A.”

Harris’ campaign attempted to return the campaign contributions to MZM employees but never received a response, the release said.

Harris acknowledged having contact with Wade and his firm…

Cunningham, a Vietnam veteran who represented a southern California district, resigned from Congress in November and pleaded guilty to accepting $2.4 million in bribes from Wade and MZM in exchange for help securing Pentagon contracts. Cunningham faces up to 10 years in prison.

In Wade’s guilty plea on Friday, the court document stated “Representative A” received $46,000 in “illegal contributions” from employees and spouses at Wade’s firm.

Harris is “Representative A.”

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Pentagon Chief Says If You Speak Out About the Port Deal, You’re Threatening National Security

Trish

I’ve heard it all now. CNN:

…the second in command at the Pentagon…said Thursday that people who publicly oppose allowing a Middle Eastern company to take over management of some U.S. ports could be threatening national security.

Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told the Senate Armed Services Committee that blocking the deal could ostracize one of the United States’ few Arab allies.

“The terrorists want our nation to become distrustful,” England said. “They want us to become paranoid and isolationist, and my view is we cannot allow this to happen. It needs to be just the opposite.”

Because, you know, our government has been so open and fearless up to now. Their willingness to say absolutely anything — no matter how convoluted and incredible — just to get their own bread buttered, is stunning.