The Book On DeLay's Hand Picked Majority Leader...

The Book On DeLay's Hand Picked Majority Leader...Blunt Plugged Into DeLay's Fundraising Machine...Blunt's and DeLay's PACS Swapped $$...Provided Access To Abramoff In Connection With Marianas Islands...
Public Citizen Posted January 14, 2006 10:00 PM
READ MORE: Tom DeLay, Jack Abramoff


From Public Citizen's new report on Rep. Blunt:
• Blunt tapped DeLay's fundraising machine. To raise money for his political committees, Blunt hired the Alexander Strategy Group, which was founded by former DeLay Chief of Staff Ed Buckham. He also hired Jim Ellis, who managed two PACs tied to DeLay. (Ellis has since been indicted, along with DeLay, for money laundering in Texas in connection with his management of Texans for a Republican Majority, or TRMPAC, which was founded by DeLay). Blunt's PACs paid Alexander Strategy Group $485,485 from 1999 to 2002, and Blunt's federal PAC paid Ellis at least $94,000 from 2003 to 2005.

• Political committees controlled by DeLay and Blunt have swapped funds. DeLay's PAC have transferred $165,000 to Blunt's PACs. Blunt's committees have contributed $20,000 to DeLay's legal defense fund and $17,000 to a charity controlled by DeLay. A DeLay PAC also contributed $50,000 to the Missouri Republican Party to aid Blunt's son Matt's race to be secretary of state.
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• Blunt provided access to Abramoff and his employees. On at least four occasions in 2000 and 2001, Blunt or his aides met with Abramoff or other representatives of his law firm in connection with Abramoff's representation of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The CNMI, which has "political union" status with the United States, employed Abramoff to beat back a movement to impose U.S. labor standards on it, including the minimum wage. At least one of these meetings was between Blunt and a member of Abramoff's Mariana lobbying team.

• Blunt enjoyed "Friend of Owner" free meal status at Abramoff's restaurant. Abramoff owned Signatures, a pricey restaurant near Capitol Hill, where he maintained a list of individuals who could dine for free. Blunt was among the lawmakers given this "Friend of Owner" status.

View the full report here.