Last Friday, the DOJ's Inspector General
released a IG Report on Abramoff's involvement in political manipulation on Guam. Not surprisingly, Bush's IG narrowly defined the issues and then presented evidence to absolve the Bush Administration of any wrongdoing. The 41 page report relies on slight of hand and misdirection to such an extent that it could be sold to David Copperfield for his next show in Vegas.
It is very strong evidence that the Bush Administration is incapable of investigating itself. As we return from our 4th of July break, we need to join the demand for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor to investigate all of the Abramoff related corruption on Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
Back on Oct. 6, 2005 Rep. John Conyers, Jr. and Rep. George Miller called for the appointment of a special prosecutor. We need to support and revive this effort.
But don't take my word for it. I'll publish Abramoff's 10-1-2001 e-mail on the jump and let Jack convince you...
Quiet things happen on the Friday before a Holiday when everybody is leaving town. It is a great day to dump stuff.
So it was not a surprise that Glenn Fine, the Inspector General for Bush's Department of Justice, would release the report of his investigation into the allegations of Frederick Black concerning his demotion and the influence of Jack Abramoff on corruption on Guam and CNMI. Black charges included that Abramoff was involved in blocking an appointment for Black and suppressing a security report harmful to Jack's clients.
It was also not a surprise that the IG would narrow his report to the aspects of Black's allegations that fit into the narrative that he wanted to tell. And of course that narrative painted Abramoff as a liar and exonerated the White House of any involvement in the Black Affair.
Of course, Paul Kiel over at TPMmuckraker offered a great review of the IG report. He nailed a key aspect hidden in the misdirection (emphasis added):
First, I have to say that the IG's findings on the narrow question of Abramoff's responsibility for Black's demotion seem rock solid. It seems he really didn't have anything to do with it.
But there is a broader point that shouldn't be missed. The report makes clear that if Abramoff had needed to take out Black, he could have -- he had the access. It just so happened by a happy coincidence that Abramoff didn't have to go to the trouble.
What the report did was to focus on a narrow question: Did Jack Abramoff have a direct hand in deciding who would be appointed as the Attorney General for Guam and CNMI?
After that straw man is set-up, they knock it down. I'll let Paul explain:
Who is Frederick Black?
Black was the interim U.S. Attorney for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands from 1991 until his demotion in May of 2003; that made him the chief federal prosecutor in Abramoff's playground and so a natural enemy. Back in August of last year, the LA Times broke the story that Black had been demoted from his position the day after he'd issued a grand jury subpoena as part of an investigation into Abramoff's lobbying for the Superior Court of Guam.
In October, Bloomberg News added another wrinkle to the story. Black had requested a Justice Department report on the national security risk posed by the immigration policy on the Northern Mariana Islands, but the report, which strongly urged more federal control over the Marianas, never saw the light of day (until earlier this month). Though completed in May of 2002, it was suppressed, and everyone who'd had anything to with it had been either demoted or transferred out of their assignment.
In his investigation, the IG found that the report had been leaked to Abramoff in June of 2002 by someone in the Department of Interior, and that Abramoff had been on the war path to have it squashed. Since that whole affair was outside the rather narrow scope of his investigation, he states in the report that he's made a referral to the FBI to investigate the matter.
But I'll get into that in my next post. Let's concentrate on Fred Black. The IG found that Black's removal had nothing to do with the DoJ's report on the Marianas or the investigation of Abramoff. How could it be that Abramoff had no part in removing such a thorn in his side? Simple -- Black had plenty of other enemies on the islands. And they got to him first.
I am looking forward to Paul's post on the suppression of the May 2002 Security Report (you can read the Report at TPM document collection).
The security report was the subject of this recent diary, WOW! No wonder Rove & Abramoff block the 2002 CNMI/Guam Security Report and Sherlock Google's Diaries have been on top of this scandal for a long time.
Another writer who has been on this case is Walter Roche, of the LA Times. He broke the story almost a year ago. And over the weekend he was one of the few mainland reporters to write about the IG Report, including the many connections Jack had into the Bush White House:
Although the inspector general's report said Abramoff had nothing to do with Black's ouster, it did find that the lobbyist had a pipeline into the White House through which he learned of Rapadas' impending nomination and other matters involving Guam.
Leonard Rodriguez, a Bush aide, told the inspector general's office that then-White House political director Ken Mehlman "recommended or suggested that I reach out to make Jack aware" on Guam issues.
The connections to the Bush White House are glossed over in the IG Report. As is an October 1, 2001 email from Abramoff mentioned in an October 2005 Bloomberg article. The IG Report mentions the email in a footnote, but it was clear that they either ignored on never read the e-mail. If they had, they would have written a different report. Unless the goal was to politically protect the Bush White House and the GOP.
It is a pretty damning email. It was part of the documents released by the CNMI Office of Public Auditor to support a 2001 audit of lobbying expenses.
After 9-11 the economy of CNMI was hit pretty hard. Tourism and shipments of garments to the US stopped. Tom DeLay's Petri Dish of Capitalism was on the skids. In a September 30, 2001 Abramoff's contact on CNMI wrote to let Jack know that they would not have the money to renew his contract and would have to let him go.
On October 1, 2001, Jack responds with a long strategy memo. First he tells his contact that he understands their dilemma. Then he goes on to discuss a number of projects he was working on and how they might proceed forward without him. The memo really worked for Abramoff as the cash strapped CNMI government found the money to keep Jack employed for months following his outline of the work he was doing.
It is one of those rare looks into the mind of Abramoff and how he got things done in Washington. In it he is not a cartoon, he is a serious, partisan GOP operative who knows how to wield power. But I'll let you be the judge.
For your 4th of July edification, here is Jack's 10-1-2001 e-mail (emphasis added):
--Original Message--
From: abramoffj
To: maya
Cc: govcounsel
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 10:18 AM
Subject: RE: Lobbying Contract
Thanks Maya. I certainly understand the difficulty you guys are in. I received your message on the phone and can still call you if you want (just let me know by return email). The tragedy has certainly made a tough situation worse for you guys and I can certainly understand that our continued retention as of tomorrow is probably not happening. I feel very badly, not because we lost a client, but because you guys are having to go through such financial difficulties. I hope they reverse soon.
Given that we are going to have to pull back, I still obviously want you guys to be OK, so I thought it might help to give a road map to you of what you can expect and where the fight is holding. Perhaps you can put some pressure on Babauta to do his job and take care of the CNMI interests in DC for the next few months. There are, frankly, a lot of crises right now, and a few opportunities you guys need to jump on. The pressures will be as follows:
We are told that the White House is near agreement with the Ds to include Kennedys minimum wage package on the supplemental. Babauta needs to pick up the ball from us and push the WH to get Kennedy to drop the CNMI provision. This will take a lot of meetings with Justice (they are in this mix, oddly), Commerce (they are an engine) and mainly the WH, both political and policy shops. Also, he will need to get the Senate Republican leadership to weigh in heavily with the WH that this provision is unacceptable to them (we have found that the best approach is to get a letter signed by the Senate leadership and other key Senators up for re-election, Smith, Hutchinson, Sessions, who they care about). He also needs to get the House leadership to weigh in big time and fast on this. They can do so through the legislative folks at the WH, but remember that they are fighting at times (and the House is particularly upset that WH leg affairs does not include them) so he has to walk this very carefully and assess each personality in the leg shop at the WH and how he/she fits in with the House guys.
If he does not keep the WH from including Kennedy with the CNMI provision (which he probably won't), then he has to launch a major effort on the Hill among the Republicans to push the Administration on this and make sure they don't do it. He also needs to get the conservative Ds (Blue Dogs) to weigh in on this. Breaux is particularly important. We just hired his Legislative Director and she spent a good deal of time getting them ready to support us on this. He will need to get a couple of op eds published, the talk radio folks activated, and the conservative movement guys screaming and kicking. The travelers to the CNMI of the past would be the best base of support (though, honestly, they really don't like Babauta; they do have some working knowledge of Ben Filial, but I would imagine he is quite busy right now).
The other immediate (next two weeks) challenge is the Justice Department. Last week the bad guys who still work there (the ones who got that bad letter on Murkowski issued) started a drum beat that the CNMI had to be taken over, because it was a loophole in the federal immigration network, and that, as such, was a threat on terrorism. They have been spending a week or so telling everyone who will listen that the CNMI, if it is not taken over, will be a major entry point for terrorists. This, of course, is patently ridiculous, actually just the opposite, and we have been working to counter this, but they are not backing down. We had the COS of the Justice Department in our box at today's Redskins game and it seems that there might be a classified document floating in the department which deals with this matter. Making it classified, if that is indeed the case, was a good idea by our opponents, since that means we cannot get it. Hopefully Babauta has some connections there and can get a copy (perhaps at least on a redacted version), which he can pass on to you to draft a response. If this is at a stage where it is gaining momentum, he will need to leak into the press that they are considering this and how it is exactly the opposite of what should be happening. This is a real potential threat. It will require some major action from the Hill and a press attack to get this back in the bottle. He should just follow the example we have used in the past, where we get the press out front carefully and push the Administration back.
I am supposed to see the Attorney General next week (the Thursday after Simchas Torah) and Kevin was slated to play basketball with him before then. We will both mention this to him. The AG will be fine, but the underlings are a worrisome matter. I am not sure what to suggest on this one, other than well pass on what we get from the COS, and you guys should do your best to hook up with as many of the Asst AGs as possible and the political folks there. There are, I believe, some former travelers (folks who visited the CNMI during Froilans time) among them. Well hope that the higher ups will take some time to squash this on their own. If not, it could get to be a fire fight.
The final immediate issue to watch (though we don't know that there is yet a problem) is the Murkowski bill. The rumor last week from inside Interior was that Senator Bingaman (the new chair of ENR) is going to move the bill through the Senate or push to get it on the supplemental, as a favor to Akaka. Given the position paper floating at Justice on the terrorism threat, this could be a major source of problems.
Ironically, it might not even be Beirne or Murkowski pushing this. Babautas staff should do everything they can to monitor this and, if it is moved or placed on the supplemental, they need to get to Hansen and House leadership to stop it. That will take a major effort within the Congress, but they have a lot of staff in their office and they really should get to work. Were only talking about three months (until the predicted December recess). Surely they can do something?
On the positive side, even though you did not authorize us, Kevin and I did start the team on getting funding for you guys from Defense (it was a rather bizarre twist, but was working oddly), Commerce and Justice. Interior is bone dry. I had dinner with Norton last week and she said they are stripping away their money, so we switched the guys to other departments. Even Energy has some money we think we might be able to have tapped, but Commerce is actually the biggie. They are doing a ton to help the economy and our friends there (their top ASs were at the game with us today too) included some travelers. There are millions there, Babauta just needs to figure out the road map to get them and get in there. He really needs to get out of the CNMI and return here. Of course, it is not something I can tell him.
Another idea is to get Mark Zachares, if he is named to the OIA, to get to DC as soon as possible and do as much of this as he can. I would imagine" that Babauta and his staff are, frankly, incapable of making most if not all of this happen. Actually, I am not certain that his staff is with us anyway on these issues, though I understand that he lately has been more positive to the interests of the CNMI. It would be a disaster, as you can well imagine, if you were to tell him that I was behind any of these suggestions. Just tell him that this is what you picked up from friends. Hopefully you can convince him to do this. After all, it is his job for which he has been getting a ton of money from you guys for years.
I wish we could continue with you, of course, but I certainly understand the financial situation you guys are in. Similarly, I am sure you can understand that the firm, once I inform them tomorrow of the situation, is going to have to re-deploy my team to other clients. As you can imagine, our defense clients have all doubled and tripled their representations with the new availability of funds to fight the terrorism. Just last week, I personally landed three clients who make some rather exciting communications devices and early bio-terrorism detection systems. I'll see, if the feds fund, if we can get you guys included in the program, if that will help.
Again, I am sorry that the situation has brought us to where we are. I will personally do anything in my power to help you, but I just cannot ask my team to do additional work (the firm, again, will undoubtedly be assigning them tomorrow to other urgent tasks) since their paychecks depend on billing hours for clients who are paying. Nevertheless, I will ask them to keep an eye out and report to me anything they see in the course of normal business. Again, I will do anything I can do. Unfortunately, a one-man band can only play so much music. But, I will play as fast and furious as I can. Just let me know if Babauta or anyone can pick up the major efforts so things do not collapse. I wish the situation was not as critical as it is, but unfortunately, our enemies have not gone away, just been beaten back, they have not stopped their attempts even in the face of the tragedy of 9-11.
Please let me know if you want to chat. As you know, as of tomorrow (Monday) night through Wednesday night my time, I'll be out of commission because of Succos. Hope you are doing as well as can be expected.
Jack
The e-mail worked. Before the end of October 2001, the cash strapped CNMI government found the money to keep Jack and his merry band on the payroll. And one of Team Abramoff's go-to-Congressmen was John Doolittle. As an extra treat, I want to call out Paul Kiel's TPMmuckraker post on the growing trouble for Mr. And Mrs. Doolittle:
The more facts that come out, the more it looks like the Doolittles are going to have to fight felony charges.
It is another great post from the Muckrakers. I can not give these folks enough props. They are creating a new form of journalism: rapid, cutting edge and rooted in reality. Soon they will be the model to imitate.
As for Jack, his 10-1-2001 email shoots Friday's IG Report full of holes. It makes it clear that Abramoff was working to suppress the Security Report as it was being drafted. And that Jack had contacts in the DOJ (if you count AG John Ashcroft and his staff) as well as the DOI. In fact, it seems like Jack has contacts wherever the Bush Administration and the GOP Congress is planning to spend any money.
Jack didn't have to push the Bush White House to take out Frederick Black because taking out any oversight was/is job one in Bush world.
The only way to get answers is to demand a Special Prosecutor (ala Patrick Fitzgerald) to run the endless scandals connected to Jack Abramoff to ground.
Friday's report proves that the Bush Department of Justice is incapable of the task.
Jack's own words confirm it.
We need to talk about the 10-1-2001 email and how it refutes Friday's IG Report.
The suppression of the Security Report and the abuse protected by the GOP should be a National campaign issue. The Republican Party has some explaining to do.
We need to shame the GOP into action.
They used their offices and positions to protect abuse and promote injustice. They put the Government of the United States of America in the business of supporting sweatshops, human trafficking, force prostitution and forced abortion. And they did it for money and power.
We need to talk about this. We need to make this an issue for 2006. The more we talk about it the less likely it is that the Bush political appointees will be able to sweep the Abramoff/DeLay abuse investigation under the rug (as this report tries to do).
Every member of the GOP Caucus who worked to block legislation extending US labor, immigration and custom laws to CNMI should be put on the defensive. The crimes were real and the evidence has been presented to Congress since before 1994.
It is time to hold these folks accountable: both as co-conspirators and at the ballot box.
2006 is now. Let's take our Country back!