Despite denials, records show close relationship between Rep. Don Young and Jack Abramoff
Rep. Don Young (R-AK) is already facing federal investigations. He has spent in excess of $1 million on legal fees already -- from his campaign account. When CREW named Rep. Young one of the most corrupt members of Congress in our report, Beyond DeLay, Jack Abramoff was one reason:
Rep. Young’s ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff are the subject of a grand jury investigation. In September 2002, Rep. Young and Ohio Rep. Steve LaTourette sent a letter to the General Service Administration (GSA) urging it to “give preferential treatment to organizations such as Indian tribes” during the development of the Old Post Office Pavilion in Washington, D.C. Mr. Abramoff was representing the tribes hoping to secure lease space in the building. Just weeks after sending the letter to the GSA, Rep. Young’s PAC received $7,000 from Mr. Abramoff’s tribal clients and another $5,000 before the end of 2002.
Members of Rep. Young’s staff have also been linked to Mr. Abramoff. When Duane Gibson left his position as Rep. Young’s chief of staff to join Mr. Abramoff, he recommended that Mark Zachares be given a job with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which Rep. Young chaired. In April of 2007, Mr. Zachares pleaded guilty to bribery charges. In his plea agreement, Mr. Zachares admitted that his intent was to use his position in the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee to steer clients toward Mr. Abramoff’s firm with the promise that eventually Mr. Abramoff would hire him.
After claiming that he had no relationship, personal or professional, with Mr. Abramoff it was discovered that in 2000, Rep. Young had used Mr. Abramoff’s MCI skybox tickets for two events, which he did not report to the FEC until after the Abramoff scandal broke.
Yesterday, the Anchorage Daily News revealed extensive records showing a close relationship between Rep. Young and Jack Abramoff:
"Abramoff is, and has been, inconsequential to my work in Congress," Young wrote in 2006 in response to a Daily News editorial linking him to the lobbyist. "I have never had any personal or professional relationship with Abramoff."
But as more information surfaces in the Abramoff lobbying scandal, the connections to Young only deepen. Among that new information was a private memo written by Abramoff himself to the governor of the Mariana Islands, expressing concern that Young was being forced by term limits to give up his Resources chairmanship in 2001.
"The loss of Chairman Young's authority cannot easily be measured -- or replaced," Abramoff wrote on Jan. 4, 2001, in crediting Young with blocking reform legislation. "We have lost major institutional memory and friendship."
As we've said before, a close relationship with Jack Abramoff doesn't really bolster one's career as a public official.
Log This Cheerleader Boy
You did and you will. Isn't the point here that Bush and his rat pack are not immune to our laws. Beside who decided that the public wanted to know about the Christians who visited the President. I believe that everyone on the face of our planet knows how The Bush Boy was and is in such a state of disarray that he resorted to calling every religion he could find to cover his butt.
We don't care about his being a religious freak we only want to know how many Homosexuals and hookers paid the whitehouse a visit.
Making Secret Service White House Visitor Log Public Informatio
The Federal Government wants to be all in our lives (airport security, wiretapping, security everywhere) for terrorist attack deflation they allege, so why can't we see what's going on in the White House (for terrorist attack protection)?
White House Visitor Log
Exactly. We are paying for the mistakes of those who are making thousands of dollars a year in salaries. Because they let these nuts into the country, take flying lessons, board our planes and kill (round figure)3,000 people, WE have to pay for national security. So OUR lives have to be turned upside down because of their mistakes!!! This is rediculous. I resent being asked to practically get naked to fly and airplane because someone making $90,000 a year f..... up! Why are these FBI and CIA and DEA and Texas Rangers, and all of these supposedly ELITE assholes being paid? At this point their being paid to f....... our lives up. We have to now worry about being stopped on the highways just for GP, and having our phones bugged just for GP. The last presidential election was rigged in front of the whole country and no one said a word. Anyone of any other race or culture or other than a white male has never been president of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA. Only a couple of times has anyone other than a white male ever ATTEMPTED to run for this office. Kennedy was the first catholic, but if he had been Black or Hispanic or a Woman catholic, it never would have happened!! Does anyone wonder why? So yes, it's PAST time to take a look at what is going on in the White House for terrorist attack protection among other things!!
White House visitor log
The Bush regime works in secret, supposely to keep America safe. But the public is an open book, if the white house needs to have thier privicy proctected, so should the citizens have the same right. No! All the records for the goverment should be transparent. Especially the logs, so we can see who is influencing the White House policies.
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White House Visitor Logs
Do you ask about ethics of Obama and his lies about being on welfare, Rev Wright and his multi-million dollar house while bashing whites? Do you really think a lame duck President has much power anymore to set policy? I think you really need to examine what Obama and Hillary stand for and how it will affect our country rather than worrying about who is visiting the President and if they are Christian. Will you also give as much scrutiny for a Democrate that hosts enemies of the US?
I doubt it. You people are such hypocrits.