posted on February 13, 2006 05:11:58 AM new
White House Acknowledges Abramoff Photo
Sunday, February 12, 2006 10:02 PM EST
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Sunday acknowledged the authenticity of the first photograph made public that shows President Bush and embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff, while stressing it does not mean the two had a personal relationship.
The photo, published by The New York Times and Time magazine, shows Bush shaking hands with an Abramoff client, chairman Raul Garza of the Kickapoo Indian tribe in Texas. Abramoff's bearded face appears in the background, small and slightly blurry.
White House spokesman Allen Abney said the photo was taken in 2001, when the president dropped by a meeting of about two dozen state legislators to thank them for supporting tax relief.
Originally, the White House said it had no record of Abramoff's attendance at the meeting.
"We now know that Mr. Abramoff attended this meeting," Abney said Sunday. "The president has taken tens of thousands of pictures. This does not mean he has a personal relationship with each individual that is in those pictures."
The White House would not release the photo or any others that Bush had taken with Abramoff, who helped raise more than $100,000 for the president's re-election campaign. Abramoff has since pleaded guilty to federal charges related to an influence-peddling scandal on Capitol Hill.
Bush has said that he had his picture taken with Abramoff an unknown number of times, but he doesn't remember any of them.
BUSH AND CONSERVATIVES ARE BEYOND SHAME IN THEIR EFFORTS TO FEED THE RICH AND INDUSTRY
posted on February 13, 2006 06:02:14 AM new
DUMBO, always the life of the coke&JB party, does his famous Sgt Schultz imitation: "I know nut-thing...NUT-THING!"
posted on February 13, 2006 07:31:10 AM new
Hey Bear,
Tell you what. When you give me $100,000 dollars and give lots of my friends thousand upon thousand of dollars. I WILL MAKE SURE I KNOW WHO YOU ARE !!!!!!
posted on February 13, 2006 08:35:39 AM new
Photos confirm Bush doesn't know Jack
Posted: February 13, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern
Ever since George W. Bush said he couldn't remember meeting with Jack Abramoff, there have been rumors that several photos exist showing Bush cozying up to the busted D.C. lobbyist, who is now singing like a drunken canary on Karaoke night.
Time Magazine has now become the first mainstream media organization to release photos of this "meeting." Simply put, Democrats haven't had a letdown of this magnitude since Walter Mondale said "I proudly accept my party's nomination."
Time shows three pictures. Abramoff appears in only one of the three photos, and Abramoff's distance from Bush in the one photograph in which he does appear is almost comical. If you have trouble finding Abramoff back there, call NASA and rent some observational time on the Hubble telescope. If you look closely and use your imagination, you can also see Sasquatch, Nessie, D.B. Cooper, and the missing 18 minutes of Watergate tapes.
How quickly is this story going to go away? Faster than Bubba can get a City College cheerleader out the back door when Hillary opens the front door. The media can't fuel this story all on their own. They need some people on the inside, and they're not getting much help from congressional Democrats who, when the time comes to fan the flames against Bush, usually come running with a Zippo and a can of kerosene.
On any other day, when congressional Democrats smell blood in the Bush White House, they're in an attack frenzy. Look at the wiretap story, Abu Ghraib, court picks and many other situations for examples as to how Democrats will relentlessly – and often embarrassingly – go after Bush. With the Bush-Abramoff photo story, congressional Democrats have been suspiciously quiet.
Why is Bush's alleged relationship with Abramoff not being pushed hard by Democrat members of Congress?
A couple of weeks ago, a New York Post editorial helped explain part of the reason:
As smoking guns go, surely these photos are far less incriminating than, say, the one taken at a White House Christmas party in which then-first lady Hillary Clinton posed with Jorge Cabrera – just three weeks before he was arrested and charged with smuggling 6,000 pounds of cocaine.
He later pled guilty, amid reports that his $20,000 check to the Democratic National Committee came from an account replenished with cash from coke sales.
For that matter, back in the '70s, then-First Lady Rosalynn Carter posed one-on-one with a Chicago Democratic precinct captain named John Wayne Gacy. Moreover, the photo was personally inscribed: "To John Gacy, Best Wishes – Rosalynn Carter."
Adding to the New York Post's list, there's also a photo out there that allegedly shows Howard Dean with a producer of gay porno movies. Nothing criminal, of course, but it could help explain where "The Scream" came from. This supposedly was taken while Howard was running for the Democrat nomination for president and was willing to do anything for financial support of his campaign.
Not to be outdone, Bill Clinton and Al Gore have rubbed elbows with Ukrainian mob boss Vadim Rabinovich.
Then, of course, there's Georgia Representative Cynthia McKinney, who had her picture taken with Michael Jackson. From a political standpoint, this is incredibly stupid – I can't believe Jackson was dumb enough to allow his picture to be taken with somebody like McKinney.
The list goes on.
This all brings us back to the Bush-Abramoff photo(s). Going to D.C. and capturing a lobbyist in the same photo as a politician is as common as the cold. A politician at a campaign event appearing in a group photo that didn't contain a lobbyist would be a rarity – like having your picture taken in the New York Yankees locker room and somehow avoiding getting pinstripes in the shot.
The reason why the media continues to push the Bush-Abramoff story – and those inside the Beltway don't – is that almost all of them have at least one picture they'd love to be able to carve out of the photo album and toss into the fireplace, not to mention some money they'd like to pretend they never received. But, as they say in Washington, "hindsight is 20/50," so somebody is bound to raise a stink in spite of the risk of self-incrimination.
or the most part, however, the Bush-with-Abramoff "blockbuster" has become the 8-track-tape of stories in Washington, and without help in D.C., along with photographic evidence that does not involve using an electron microscope for clarification, the media's attempt to drive this "story" will founder.
Hey, look at that "Time" picture once more. I think I finally found Waldo.
"“More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they don’t get the New York Times over there.”—Jay Leno".
posted on February 13, 2006 08:47:34 AM new
"From a political standpoint, this is incredibly stupid – I can't believe Jackson was dumb enough to allow his picture to be taken with somebody like McKinney."
posted on February 13, 2006 08:49:49 AM new
Bear,
You are so DESPERATE I ALMOST feel sorry for you. But then I remember it was people like you this has brought this mess to America.
CONSERVATIVES LIKE BEAR ARE BEYOND SHAME IN THEIR EFFORTS TO FEED THE RICH AND INDUSTRY
posted on February 13, 2006 09:22:25 AM new
Sheepa, you ARE so DESPERATE like any leftwinger, scraping the bottom of the barrel to find anything to use against Pres Bush especially since he has done nothing wrong concerning Abramoff.
What about the idol of the demonicratic party, Harry Reid accepting $$$$$$$ from Abramoff & writing letters on his behalf?
And hasn't Reid REFUSED to give back those funds? Seems like it is the demoncrats who are getting rich.
"“More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they don’t get the New York Times over there.”—Jay Leno".
posted on February 13, 2006 10:55:29 AM new
Bear-ya ever notice something-when ever the democrats post a photo,its to prove a point-when the Republicans post a photo..we're desperate LOL
posted on February 13, 2006 12:15:36 PM new
KRAFT, Gore is way bigger than he used to be. He better watch it or he will wind up like Cheney with a full time ambulance flowing him around 24/7.
Bear,
No matter what you post. You along with everyone else on this board knows the Abramoff matter is primarily a CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN ISSUE.
HEY BEAR, BUSH AND HIS CONSERVATIVE GANG OF THIEVES HAS BROUGHT VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS TO AMERICA. YOU ARE MAKING YOURSELF LOOK LIKE A FOOL TRYING TO DEFEND THIS BUNCH OF MONEY HUNGRY THIEVES.
CONSERVATIVES LIKE BEAR ARE BEYOND SHAME IN THEIR EFFORTS TO FEED THE RICH AND INDUSTRY!!!
posted on February 13, 2006 12:30:25 PM new
Hey Bear, as tOMWiii would rightly say
OINK! OINK! OINK!
GOP Backer Faces Ohio Corruption Charges
Monday, February 13, 2006 1:59 PM EST
The Associated Press
By JOHN SEEWER
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A coin dealer and prominent GOP fund-raiser was charged Monday with stealing at least $1 million from a controversial state investment in rare coins that has embroiled Republicans in scandal during an election year.
The 53 charges against Tom Noe conclude a 10-month investigation by state and federal prosecutors into the $50 million rare coin investment Noe managed for the state insurance fund for injured workers.
The investigation led to sweeping changes at the state workers' compensation bureau, an agreement by Gov. Bob Taft and two former aides to plead no contest to ethics charges and pending charges against two other former Taft aides.
Noe is accused of stealing from the investment by writing checks, sometimes for hundreds of thousands of dollars each, knowing the money was not his to use.
His attorney has acknowledged a shortfall of up to $13 million of the money Noe invested for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.
Prosecutor Julia Bates would not say how much money Noe is accused of stealing. But one of the charges in Monday's indictment accuse him of stealing at least $1 million. The state attorney general has accused Noe of stealing up to $6 million.
Noe, 51, already faced charges of using colleagues and associates to illegally funnel $45,000 to President Bush's re-election campaign. The new counts include forgery, theft, money laundering and tampering with records.
Defense attorney Jon Richardson entered pleas of not guilty on each count on behalf of Noe, who surrendered to authorities Monday and was being held until he can post $500,000 bail.
Although Noe could face up to 172 years in prison if convicted on all counts, a much lower sentence would be likely. The most serious charge of engaging in corrupt activity carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence.
The investigation was started after The Blade newspaper reported in April that the workers' compensation bureau had invested $50 million in rare coins with Noe.
Last year, Taft pleaded no contest to accepting golf games and other gifts he did not report. Last week, Douglas Talbott and Doug Moormann became the third and fourth former Taft aides charged with ethics violations over their relationship with Noe.
Moormann was a spokesman for Lt. Gov. Maureen O'Connor and then Taft's executive assistant for business and industry. He was charged with failing to mention on an ethics form that Noe lent him $5,000 in 2004.
Talbott was Taft's director of boards and commissioners. He was accused of failing to report that Noe lent him $39,000 in 2002.
Talbott was also charged with failing to mention his participation in what investigators dubbed the "Noe Supper Club," a frequent steakhouse gathering of state officials hosted and paid for by Noe. In addition, Talbott was accused of illegally funneling $1,960 received from Noe into the campaigns of three Ohio justices.
posted on February 13, 2006 12:59:55 PM new
No, tom oinks a heck of a lot better than that peepee.
I suggest that you leave the oinking to a professional like him.
posted on February 13, 2006 03:30:25 PM new
piinthesky, no question Tom is the original at pointing out CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN PIGS AND HE LABELED THEM OINK! on this board.
I am just pointing out yet another CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN PIG AT THE TROUGH BEAR CAN TRY TO DEFEND.
posted on February 13, 2006 04:17:29 PM newRepublicans post a photo..we're desperate LOL
Classic, it seems posting a article is lost on Sheepa (guess the words are too big for him to read without moving his lips) so a cartoon is the only thing he understands
"“More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they don’t get the New York Times over there.”—Jay Leno".
posted on February 13, 2006 08:16:08 PM new
Bear,
The only thing you CAN'T understand is you your DUMBO President and his gang of CROOKS are not believable any longer.
Your efforts to defend DUMBO and his gang is like pissing into a West Texas wind, ya get all wet.
BTW Bear, why don't you Goggle the latest poll out today on Dumbo's popularity and trust? The more Dumbo is out of his protective bubble the less trust Americans have for him and his Conservative government.
CONSERVATIVES ARE BEYOND SHAME IN THEIR EFFORTS TO FEED THE RICH AND INDUSTRY
posted on February 14, 2006 04:12:49 AM new
Bear,
If you want to count replacing 3 million good paying jobs with low paying jobs without benefits the economy is good.
Bush has handed out lots of corporate welfare and Hugh tax breaks to the rich who now has more money than ever. If you want to count all the laws CONSERVATIVES made that only benefit corporations and the rich yes the economy is good for a select few.
If you want to IGNORE national debt,trade balance,Iraq war,50 million without health insurance,high cost of gas and heating fuel, everything is just peachy you fool.
CONSERVATIVES LIKE BEAR ARE BEYOND SHAME IN THEIR EFFORTS TO FEED THE RICH AND INDUSTRY
