Bush Cover-Up Exposed

[For months, President Bush and his henchmen have been downplaying his contact with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Not unlike Bush's attempts, after the collapse of Enron, to deny his close relationship with Ken Lay, who was W's single largest campaign contributor. But the truth is out: Bush just loves felons.

Now the truth is out - from a GOP-controlled committee in Congress, no less.]

Abramoff and Rove Had 82 Contacts, Report Says

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 — A bipartisan Congressional report documents hundreds of contacts between White House officials and the corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his partners, including at least 10 direct contacts between Mr. Abramoff and Karl Rove, the president’s chief political strategist.


The House Government Reform Committee report, based on e-mail messages and other records subpoenaed from Mr. Abramoff’s lobbying firm, found 485 contacts between Mr. Abramoff’s lobbying team and White House officials from 2001 to 2004, including 82 with Mr. Rove’s office. The lobbyists spent almost $25,000 in meals and drinks for the White House officials and provided them with tickets to numerous sporting events and concerts, according to the report.

Mr. Rove has described Mr. Abramoff as a “casual acquaintance,” but the records obtained by the House committee show that Mr. Rove and his aides sought Mr. Abramoff’s help in obtaining seats at sporting events, and that Mr. Rove sat with Mr. Abramoff in the lobbyist’s box seats for an NCAA basketball playoff game in 2002. After that game, Mr. Abramoff described Mr. Rove in an e-mail message to a colleague: “He’s a great guy. Told me anytime we need something just let him know."