Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

Ralph Reed now insists he had no idea where the money funneled to him for the Christian's Coalition's agenda was coming from.

Time magazine reported that approximately $32 million from the Coushatta Indian Tribes were paid to Abramoff and Scanlon.  It is suggested that approximately $11.5 million wound up lining the pockets of Abramoff and Scanlon.

From court documents filed by Abramoff in his plea agreement, the creative schemes he devised to defraud the Coushattas, along with three other Indian tribes, were vividly outlined.

Abramoff also revealed that he funded the Family Network, a nationwide organization whose goal was claimed to be "moral fitness".  This organization was almost entirely funded by Abramoff's clients.  Edwin Buckham, the organization chief, made large sums of money in the role of, as he allegedly called himself, a "consultant".  

Buckham's firm hired DeLay's wife at a salary of $3,200 a month.  Every client benefited from Tom DeLay's vote.

Another nice sounding organization, Capital Athletic Foundation, claimed to have been created to help "inner city" kids.  It was used to launder money bilked from Indian tribes.  Think tank organizations were given legitimate sounding names for their so-called "public policy" organizations.

Amazingly, I recall Ohio Republican Congressman Bob Ney speaking on the House floor on behalf of the team wanting to buy out Gus Boulis' gambling ship empire.  He declared Boulis was a "bad apple".

Since when did the halls of Congress serve the purpose of calling names of businessmen you want to buy out?

At this point, Bob Ney is dramatically declaring for the media, "I have done nothing wrong!"  However, in Abramoff's indictment Bob Ney is significantly mentioned for having provided "official acts and influence" in exchange for gifts, travel, meals and campaign contributions.

If this revelation in Abramoff's indictment is proven to be true, wouldn't it be appropriate to call Congressman Bob Ney "a very bad apple!"?

Then there was Adam Kidan, who joined Abramoff in an effort to buy some Florida gambling ships.  Adam Kidan has pleaded to "fraud" in connection with this deal.

But even worse, one of Kidan's associates was indicted for the murder of Greek immigrant Gus Boulis.

I saw Gus Boulis once at Martha's, his restaurant in Hollywood, Florida.  The restaurant was located in front of the intercoastal waterway where his Sun Cruz gambling ships were docked.  The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported how Boulis died.  

Boulis left work in downtown Fort Lauderdale and was followed by a couple of cars.  One stopped in front of him on a dark street.   The other car drove beside him.  A rain of bullets emerged from the car beside that of Boulis.  He was shot to death in an obvious mob style hit.  

Kidan and his associates could not come up with the money they had promised for Boulis' gambling empire, and this is how this business transaction ended.  Stay tuned and we will find out who was behind the cold-blooded murder of Gus Boulis.    

At this point, the White House won't talk about any meetings Bush or his staff may have had with Abramoff.

Strange, when Bush wants to talk about something, he won't stop talking.  When he wanted to switch Social Security so individuals could take the risk of investing their funds in the stock market, instead of trusting the government control over their Social Security funds, Bush used Air Force One to chase around the nation to 50 speaking engagements.

But now, he won't talk!

On January 18, 2006, the headlined caption in the Seattle Times reads:  "The White House won't reveal details of Abramoff meetings with staff."  The article, written by Nedra Pickler for the Associated Press, states, "The White House is refusing to reveal details of lobbyist Jack Abramoff's visits with President Bush's staff."

This is significant.

The article goes on to state, "Abramoff was one of Bush's top fundraisers, having brought in at least $100,000 for the Bush-Cheney '04 re-election campaign and earning the honorary title `pioneer'."

We know how low Abramoff went at long last, but we don't know how high he went up the White House ladder in his quest for total power in the bribery mode.  Stay tuned.  Eventually it will all come out!