Senate Panel: Former Democratic Lobbyist, Partner Pocketed $6.5M From Tribe

A former Democratic lobbyist and his partner pocketed $6.5 million of the $7.7 million in consulting fees they received from a Mississippi Indian tribe in 2001 while congratulating themselves on their 'gimme five' relationship, according to e-mails released today by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

The hearing is the third held by the committee examining the practices of Jack Abramoff, formerly one of the most prominent Democratic lobbyists in Washington, and his partner Michael Scanlon, a public relations consultant and former spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada). Abramoff also is at the center of a Justice Department investigation into the tens of millions of dollars in lobbying fees he and Scanlon received from tribes around the country.

'Today's hearing is about more than contempt,' said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the chairman of the committee, who called on the Justice Department to investigate materials released today for possible mail and wire fraud. 'It is simply and sadly a tale of betrayal.'

Your tinyurl didn't work, so I looked for the real link. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/ 2005/06/22/AR200... and surprise, surprise .... you are a big LIAR!!

The first paragraphs of that article read:

A former Republican lobbyist and his partner pocketed $6.5 million of the $7.7 million in consulting fees they received from a Mississippi Indian tribe in 2001 while congratulating themselves on their 'gimme five' relationship, according to e-mails released today by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

The hearing is the third held by the committee examining the practices of Jack Abramoff, formerly one of the most prominent Republican lobbyists in Washington, and his partner Michael Scanlon, a public relations consultant and former spokesman for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). Abramoff also is at the center of a Justice Department investigation into the tens of millions of dollars in lobbying fees he and Scanlon received from tribes around the country.