GOP Rep. Rohrabacher Goes to Bat for Abramoff

by Jonathan Singer, Fri Dec 30, 2005 at 06:27:48 PM EST

Earlier this week, the profile of disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff penned by Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi of The Washington Post was much discussed around the blogosphere, with many complaining about the reporters' decision to play down Abramoff's relationship with former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. When perusing the article, however, a different graf jumped out to me.

A friend of two decades, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), defended Abramoff: "I think he's been dealt a bad hand and the worst, rawest deal I've ever seen in my life. Words like bribery are being used to describe things that happened every day in Washington and are not bribes."
While some Republicans are doing all they can to distance themselves from Jack Abramoff, downplaying the Scottish golfing expeditions and free tickets to sporting events, at least one Republican is not only admitting to maintaining a relationship with Abramoff but even attempting to defend him. Let's, for a moment, take a look at the substance of this defense.

Rohrabacher, whose campaign committees have received at least $7,500 in Abramoff-related donations in recent years, all but states that Abramoff's activities are simply par for the course inside the Republican-dominated Beltway. Abramoff, Rohrabacher claims, did not commit acts of bribery; rather, he just did "things that happened every day in Washington."

Read another way, this statement appears to be the strongest indictment of Republican stewarship by anyone so intimately involved in the political system. Rohrabacher implicitly admits that the types of shady influence peddling scams implemented by Jack Abramoff "happenened every day in Washington." I'm not sure I could have put it better myself. It sure makes the Democrats' job much easier when Republicans offer up this kind of material.

Update [2005-12-30 19:30:22 by Jonathan Singer]: With reports that Abramoff is nearing a plea agreement with the Justice Department that could help investigators "build criminal cases against up to 20 lawmakers and their staff members," I wonder if Rohrabacher will keep up his defense of his lobbyist friend.




Tags: Republicans (all tags)

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Rohrabacher's A Piece of Work (3.00 / 1)

I live about half a mile outside a sliver of his district that runs along the Long Beach shore.  

For some time, I had a picture up in my office of him in the field with the Taliban.  It was a picture he himself used proudly back in the 80s. After 9/11, he never apologized for that, either.

by Paul Rosenberg on Fri Dec 30, 2005 at 07:01:08 PM EST

Re: Rohrabacher's A Piece of Work (none / 0)

Drunk With Power:

In politics, there are few images funnier than Rohrabacher; nothing--not even an angry Bob Dornan--tops an apparently intoxicated Rohrabacher wearing a red-white-and-blue Uncle Sam hat and a drunk's smile. He grabbed the podium with both hands and stared at the overflow crowd as if trying to focus. Before he hooted and danced around the stage, Rohrabacher screamed, "We just saved America! . . . Kick ass! . . . America is back! Bin Laden is history!"

Next up was a pale, unnaturally slim Newport Beach Congressman Christopher Cox, who flashed his famous upside-down smile and tried to be funny. "I heard that Michael Moore is filming a new documentary," he said. The crowd booed and then the nine-term congressman completed his joke: "And it's about how John Kerry won!"

People actually laughed.

"This is a great night for the future of America," Cox said. "Republicans are all about peace, prosperity and security."

Rather than grab his next beer, Rohrabacher wobbled back to the podium.

"What does this election mean?" he yelled. "The people of the United States don't care if the people of Germany and France are behind us. We are totally leading the world to a tremendous tomorrow! It means we're going to keep God in the pledge! People expect honest leadership, and . . . [he looked momentarily lost here] they know where they can go. George W. Bush is back to the White House! The people in Afghanistan are going to enjoy democracy! It's a peaceful world! Thank you for staying strong and giving hope to America! Orange County leads the way. We are leading the country!"

Rohrabacher turned to leave but had a second thought. Pounding his fist in the air, he chanted, "USA! USA! USA!"


by Gary Boatwright on Fri Dec 30, 2005 at 10:29:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Rohrabacher's A Piece of Work (3.00 / 1)

An amazing display of what alcohol and mental illness can do....
by Pericles on Sat Dec 31, 2005 at 01:26:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Rohrabacher's A Piece of Work (none / 0)

Rohrabacher is one of Orange County's finest examples of alcohol enhanced mental illness. I believe Dana may have overcome stiff competition from B-1 Bob for Orange County's Annual Republican Booby Prize.
by Gary Boatwright on Sat Dec 31, 2005 at 08:26:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Foghorn Leghorn (none / 0)

Another unrepentant sinner in the Abramoff fiasco is Arizona's JD Hayworth (or, as we affectionately call him, Foghorn Leghorn).  He is currently trying to position himself as the Bullhorn of the Wackos on immigration.

Despite a lengthy expose in the Arizona Republic of his extensive financial dealings w/Smilin' Jack, he defiantly came out this week and says he will not return Abramoff's dough (he was one of the top recipients of Jack's largesse.)  While he correctly makes the point that he has for some time had good relations with various tribes, several of whom he directly represents, it is also true that he held not one, not two, but five fundraisers in Jack's now-infamous suite at the MCI Center.  

Hayworth "chickened" out of a presumed run this year against Gov. Janet Napolitano.

by Jalapeno on Fri Dec 30, 2005 at 07:25:20 PM EST

Sucking up? (none / 0)

Rohrbacher may just be trying to avoid being one of the 20 lawmakers that Abramhoff is reportedly squealing about.
by peacemonger on Fri Dec 30, 2005 at 07:54:08 PM EST

Diggin' dat hole all the live long day (none / 0)

Yo! DeLay, Rohrbacher keep digging dat hole. Here's shovel to help ya dig deeper....

Get it good and deep and we honest Americans will just push it on you and the rest of the ReThugs.

Bury the whole Republican Party the Party of Corruption, Treason and Death for a generation.

by Pericles on Fri Dec 30, 2005 at 08:15:46 PM EST

Mr. Ethics (none / 0)

Dana is the guy who told the CNN audience, "If a nuclear weapon goes off in Washington, DC, or New York or Los Angeles, it'll burn the Constitution as it does."

So, what can you say about someone who has apparently taken a false oath to protect and defend something which he acknowledges really has no value?

I love this "everyone does it" defense.  It didn't work when my kids used it either.

by troqua on Fri Dec 30, 2005 at 09:54:20 PM EST

It Just Goes To Show (none / 0)

that our country isn't being run by juvenile deliquents.

It's being run by infantile deliquents.

by Paul Rosenberg on Sat Dec 31, 2005 at 12:41:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]


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