Papers show Bush allies' inside access (Norquist and Reed)

[chat_noir]

WASHINGTON - Republican activists Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed landed more than 100 meetings inside the Bush White House, according to documents released Wednesday that provide the first official accounting of the access and influence the two presidential allies have enjoyed.

The White House released the Secret Service visit records to settle a lawsuit by the Democratic Party and an ethics watchdog group seeking visitors logs for the two GOP strategists and others who emerged as figures in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

Earlier this month, the White House suggested to the judge in that lawsuit that such records need not be disclosed because the information was privileged and might reveal how Bush and his staff get private advice, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.

White House officials said Norquist, who runs the nonprofit Americans for Tax Reform, was cleared for 97 visits to the White House complex between 2001 and 2006, including a half-dozen with the president.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060920/ap_on_go_pr_wh/abramoff_white_house

[SpiralHawk]

1. How embarassing for the corrupt BushCo republicon cronies

The republicons really have Ye Olde Greazy-Palm Kickback-Backslap Thing down pat, don't they?

No honor. No public service. Just crass republicon Greedola.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. I have a feeling.

That feeling is that the spread in the 2006 mid-term elections just widened a bit.

[Roy]

18. It depends on our leaders....

We know the alphabet media, especially the cable outlets, will not spoil the beautiful minds of the public with this or anything else exposing this culture of corruption.

Democrats will have to force this into the conversation and not allow it to be sidelined while connecting the dots for those not glued to the tube.

[ck4829]

3. Norquist and Reed were 2 members of something called the Triumvirate

There was a third member. Do you know who he was?

It was Jack Abramoff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff#Long-standing_college_political_alliances

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Abramoff-linked duo visited White House dozens of times (AP/CNN)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican activists Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed totaled more than 100 visits to the Bush White House, according to
documents released Wednesday that provide the first official accounting of the access and influence the two presidential allies have enjoyed.

The White House released the Secret Service visit records to settle a lawsuit by the Democratic Party and an ethics watchdog group seeking visitor logs for
the two GOP strategists and others who emerged as figures in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

Earlier this month, the White House suggested to the judge in the lawsuit that such records need not be disclosed because the information was privileged and
might reveal how Bush and his staff get private advice, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.

White House officials said Norquist, who runs the nonprofit Americans for Tax Reform, was cleared for 97 visits to the White House complex between 2001
and 2006, including a half-dozen with the president.

Reed, former executive director of the Christian Coalition and an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in Georgia earlier this year, got 18 meetings,
including two events with Bush.
***
more: http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/20/white.house.abramoff.ap/index.html

edit to add: Be sure to scroll down to where they mention "deliberative process privilege" -- this was Bu**sh**'s flimsy excuse for not releasing the data earlier. Expect to hear it used again.

on 2nd edit: notice the quote from a Clinton, who seems perplexed that anyone would see a need to keep such records secret.

Oops, dupe post, see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2522066

[gully]

5. So is the Christian Coalition being taxed yet?

eom

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. If giving our taxes to them means being taxed...

...then, Yes.

[rodeodance]

6. yoh ho-glad to see his name and this issue in the Headlines again!

[rodeodance]

8. Much better headline

[glitch]

9. Only 100 meetings? Didn't Jeff Gannon have over 200?

How second-tier.

[apnu]

13. but that was only to the WH press pool. Grover got to go right to the top

nt

[glitch]

15. Weren't Gannon's visits were NOT as part of the press pool? Wasn't that

the fuss, he was there when there wasn't a press conference?

[Judi Lynn]

10. White House logs show GOP activists’ access

White House logs show GOP activists’ access
Conservative Norquist visited 97 times between 2001 and 2006

Updated: 7 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - A visit to the White House would be considered a once-in-a-lifetime treat for most Americans. For conservative tax strategist Grover Norquist it could be considered a common event.

White House officials say Norquist, who runs the nonprofit Americans for Tax Reform, was cleared for 97 visits to the White House complex between 2001 and 2006 — a couple of times a month if spread evenly over the five-year period.

A half-dozen of the visits were to events that involved the president.

The Bush administration on Wednesday released Secret Service visit records to settle a lawsuit by the Democratic Party and an ethics watchdog group seeking visitors logs for Norquist, fellow Republican activist Ralph Reed and other figures in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
(snip/...)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14934024/

[donheld]

11. How many visits did Jeff Gannon have?

:shrug:

[SpiralHawk]

12. "Money talks. Everybody else shut up." - republicon motto

Lacking in all honor, set against the interests of the American people to line their own crony pockets -- republicons.

[underpants]

14. LOL- this quote by Dana Perino needs to be highlighted.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, however, it was possible some of Norquist's meetings might have been directly with Karl Rove, the president's longtime confidant and political strategist.

"He is one of a number of individuals who worked to advance fiscal responsibility, which is one of the key aspects of the president's agenda," Perino said.

[mtnester]

16. When the dust shakes, and this corrupt regime is in the courts being

prosecuted...Karl Rove will be the first person they throw under the bus. Whe it comes time to save their own skins, oh yes they will PUSH him in front of the bus.

[eppur_se_muova]

17. "advance fiscal responsibility" -- GUFFAW!

This is just Onionesque in its unreality.:crazy: Unless they're trying to educate us to the dangers of fiscal IRresponsibility by providing a comprehensive counterexample ?:shrug: