maybe there is another reason why hastert was against the fbi raid.....

[AR182]

i think it's time for the american people to back up the paddy wagons & put all 600 or so of our representatives out of business....maybe they should guard the borders....

Officials: Hastert "In the Mix" of Congressional Bribery Investigation

May 24, 2006 6:24 PM


Brian Ross Reports:

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, is under investigation by the FBI, which is seeking to determine his role in an ongoing public corruption probe into members of Congress, ABC News has learned from senior U.S. law enforcement officials.

Federal officials say the information implicating Hastert was developed from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government.

Part of the investigation involves a letter Hastert wrote three years ago, urging the Secretary of the Interior to block a casino on an Indian reservation that would have competed with other tribes.

The other tribes were represented by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff who reportedly has provided details of his dealings with Hastert as part of his plea agreement with the government.

The letter was written shortly after a fund-raiser for Hastert at a restaurant owned by Abramoff. Abramoff and his clients contributed more than $26,000 at the time.

The day Abramoff was indicted, Hastert denied any unlawful connection and said he would donate to charity any campaign contribution he had received from Abramoff and his clients.

A spokesman for Speaker Hastert told ABC News, "We are not aware of this. The Speaker has a long history and a well-documented record of opposing Indian Reservation shopping for casino gaming purposes."

This week, Hastert has been outspoken in his criticism of the FBI for its raid on the office of another congressman under investigation, Democrat William Jefferson of Louisiana.

"My opinion is that they took the wrong path, Hastert said of the FBI. "They need to back up, and we need to go from there."

ABC News' Rhonda Schwartz and Richard Esposito contributed to this report.

 

[smurphy]

Congressmen seem to reach a point where they feel they are above the law and deserve special treatment. I wouldn't say dump all of them - but I do think it would be a good idea to raid all of their offices and refrigerators and see what turns up.

 

[AR182]

I do think it would be a good idea to raid all of their offices and refrigerators and see what turns up.

the fridge comment cracked me up...very funny...

i knew a book in ny who kept some money also in the oven...but of course he was single..

what makes you think that only congressmen think that they're above the law.....

term limits is the real answer....but our reps are the ones that vote on it....so you know it will never happen....

 

[smurphy]

term limits is the real answer....but our reps are the ones that vote on it....so you know it will never happen....

Yeah, kind of an ironic rule. Perhaps there should be a group of pro-bono citizens who have the authority to decide on rules for Congress - such as pay, term limits, vacations, etc. That would be nice.

 

[AR182]

i would volunteer to be one of those "pro-bono citizens"...


i have free time until football season....

 

[smurphy]

How do we get this grass roots effort going?

 

[AR182]

Feds: House Speaker Hastert Not Under Investigation

Feds: House Speaker Hastert Not Under Investigation

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

WASHINGTON ? The Justice Department took the unusual step Wednesday of declaring that it was not investigating House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

The statement by department spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos came in response to a broadcast report that Hastert was being investigated as part of a lobbying scandal and amid the furor surrounding the weekend raid on the offices of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La.

Hastert had sharply criticized the raid and called on Justice Department officials to return all the documents that had been seized.

Asked if he was being investigated, Hastert said late Wednesday that he has not received any notice from the Justice Department that he's being investigated as part of the Jack Abramoff probe.

"You'll have to ask the Justice Department," he told reporters, as he walked from his office to the House chamber. "Somebody leaked it out."

Pressed by reporters, Scolinos said: "Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department."

Hastert was among nearly three dozen lawmakers who pressed the Interior Department to block a Louisiana Indian casino's casino application. An Associated Press review of campaign reports, IRS records and congressional correspondence found that Hastert and the other lawmakers had collected large donations from Abramoff and his tribal clients.

Between 2001 and 2004, Hastert collected more than $100,000 in donations from Abramoff's firm and tribal clients. He also had used Abramoff's restaurant to hold fundraisers.

 

[djv]

If your bad boys they should raid what ever they want to. Just follow the law.

 

[danmurphy jr]

Hastert is demanding the FBI to return all the papers taken from Jefferson's office and the money returned to the freezer.

 

[Chadman]

Keep your eye(s) on the Public Financing of Elections movement, which is really gaining some legs. I sure don't understand how it all would work, but it is an interesting idea. Not sure how the freedom of speech thing and personal and corporate backing of individuals would be - like hosting rally's etc., taking out an media ad individually, etc., but it's interesting.