Republican control of the Senate

[rubberneck]

This story is could get really interesting in the near future.

According to ABC, Jack Abramoff has given the justice department the goods on "6 to 8 seriously corrupt Democratic Senators". Seeing what has happened to Bob Ney and Duke Cunningham it isn't out of the possibility that if this story is true there are some Senators who's careers are likely to come to an end quickly.

If one or two are from states with Republican Governors the Senate may swing back to Republican control. With that will come charges of a vast right wing conspiracy. One of Senators to keep an eye on is the new Senate Majority leader Harry Reid. He has been linked to Abramoff in the past.

Abramoff Reports to Prison Tomorrow; Offers Testimony on Democratic Senators

November 14, 2006 4:13 PM

Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz Report:

Abc_abramoff2_061114_nr Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is scheduled to report to federal prison tomorrow, over the objections of federal prosecutors who say they still need his help to pursue leads on officials he allegedly bribed.

Sources close to the investigation say Abramoff has provided information on his dealings with and campaign contributions and gifts to "dozens of members of Congress and staff," including what Abramoff has reportedly described as "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators."

The sources say Abramoff was about to provide information about Bush administration officials, including Karl Rove, "accepting things of value" from Abramoff.

Rove has denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Abramoff. But the lobbyist visited the White House at least seven times, according to Secret Service logs obtained by Judicial Watch.

Abramoff has been meeting almost daily in secret locations around Washington with Justice Department investigators who are examining thousands of e-mails and documents, according to sources close to the investigation. The convicted lobbyist was spotted in downtown Washington, D.C., yesterday, carrying a computer laptop case.

But the prosecutors' easy access to Abramoff has now ended.

After granting several delays, the federal judge in Florida, who sentenced Abramoff to six years for fraud in a casino boat gambling scheme, has ordered him to report to prison tomorrow.

ABC News has learned that the court has granted a request from prosecutors that Abramoff be incarcerated at the closest prison to Washington, D.C., the Federal Correction Institute in Cumberland, Md., where Abramoff is expected to report tomorrow.

[Pete]

No big deal. The press and libs will cry "Framed", "All Lies", "No big deal", "so What" while the Republicans will try and make it an issue.

The libs will then claim it's just "sour grapes, move on, get past the election" and "You Lost".

[Goggles Pizano]

Originally Posted by Pete

No big deal. The press and libs will cry "Framed", "All Lies", "No big deal", "so What" while the Republicans will try and make it an issue.

The libs will then claim it's just "sour grapes, move on, get past the election" and "You Lost".

Agreed. To the MSM Republican/conservative=nefarious and loathsome while Democrat/liberal=mistaken and misinterpreted.

[GreenSalsa]

Even if all of the senators that Abramoff names are convicted, they would be replaced by state governments. I would bet they would be replaced one for one with Democrats. So in the end no change to leadership.

[rubberneck]

GreenSalsa, in most states a vacancy in the US Senate is filled by a person appointed for the balance of the remaining term by the Governor of that state. When John Corzine was elected Gov of NJ he appointed that dirtbag Bob Menedez to replace him. When Dem Senator Paul Wellstone died Jesse the body Ventura appointed a libertarian to replace him. IIRC when Repbulican Senator John Heinz died he was replaced by a Democrat Governor Bob Casey with another Democrat John Wofford.

If just one of 6 to 8 democrats comes from a state with a sitting Republican Governor the balance of the Senate could easily swing back to Republican control. I am pretty sure one of those Senators is Harry Reid and the Governor of Nevada is a Republican.

[GreenSalsa]

Agreed that the Governer does the appointing...but with the recent political atmosphere and the Democrat take over--I doubt many Republican Governers would have the stones to appoint a "party" replacement over the election results...the media would have a field day "reporting" how the Republican Party once again "stole" the election.

Hey I can't tell you how much I hope I am wrong...but I that is simply my observation.

[rubberneck]

The plot thickens. The really sad part of this is that this Ross clown from ABC was all over the Mark Foley scandal leading up to the elections yet he sat on these stories at the same time. How's that for unbiased journalism.

Abramoff Reports to Prison; Officials Focus on Reid, Others

November 15, 2006 1:23 PM

Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz Report:

Reid_nr As convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff reported to federal prison today, a source close to the investigation surrounding his activities told ABC News that Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was one of the members of Congress Abramoff had allegedly implicated in his cooperation with federal prosecutors.

A spokesperson for Reid, elected yesterday as the Senate Majority Leader, said the senator had done nothing illegal or unethical.

"We have no idea what Abramoff is telling prosecutors to save his skin, but I do know that these kind of old allegations are completely ridiculous and untrue," Sen. Reid's spokesman Jim Manley told ABC News.

A source close to the investigation says Abramoff told prosecutors that more than $30,000 in campaign contributions to Reid from Abramoff's clients "were no accident and were in fact requested by Reid."

Abramoff has reportedly claimed the Nevada senator agreed to help him on matters related to Indian gambling.

The Associated Press reported earlier this year that Reid wrote at least four letters helpful to the tribes that had contributed money to his campaign.

Reid has denied there was any connection between the letters and the contributions and has said he is a longtime opponent of certain kinds of Indian reservation gambling.

The AP reported that Reid acknowledged "routine contacts" with Abramoff's lobbying partners and intervening to block rival tribal casinos.

The AP also reported that Abramoff's billing records showed extensive contact with Reid's office over a three-year period in which Reid collected more than $68,000 from Abramoff's firm, partners and clients.

Prosecutors have said that Abramoff's cooperation is essential to the corruption investigation, but, so far, they have brought only one prosecution against a member of Congress connected to Abramoff, Republican Bob Ney of Ohio, who resigned.

The source said prosecutors do not intend to rely solely on Abramoff's account of events, and his allegations against Reid and others will not necessarily result in criminal charges.

Sources close to the federal investigation say Abramoff has offered testimony about his contacts with "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators" and an ever larger number of Republican members of Congress.

In addition to Reid, the sources say Abramoff has been most closely questioned about his contacts with Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), who was defeated in last week's election.

"Being defeated may have been one of the best things that ever happened to Burns," said a source close to the investigation. "There is much more interest in members of Congress who are still in office," the source said.

Burns, who received more than $150,000 in Abramoff-connected campaign contributions, has strongly denied any wrongdoing and returned the money.

Sen. Reid has been an outspoken critic of the connections between Abramoff and Republican legislators.

In a speech earlier this year, Sen. Reid described it as "a program where the lobbyists paid and the Republican members of Congress played."

The Justice Department said it would have no comment on the ongoing Abramoff investigation.