Pombo(R Ca) also getting caught up in Abramoff scandel. Whopee!

[caligirl]

From Josh Marshall at TPM this morning.http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

I'll post links to other threads on Pombo and the Mining lands he is trying to sell off.

A name now coming up more and more frequently in Abramoff investigation news is that of Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Resources.

That was prime territory for Jack Abramoff, seeing as the Resources Committee has jurisdiction over Indian tribal affairs, Pacific island territories as well as environment and natural resources -- pretty much one-stop shopping for a guy like Jack.

So I went back through our stack of unpublished Team Abramoff emails to see how often folks from Pombo's office showed up on the Abramoff skybox freebie list.

Pretty often, it turns out.

Here's what we found for the year 2000, with the event in question, the Pombo staffer and the number of skybox seats they bagged.

February 15th, 2000, Capitals/Avalanche Hockey Game
Todd Willens, Legislative Director, 4 tickets

March 24th, 2000, Circus
Douge Heye, Press Secretary, 2 tickets

April 30th, 2000, WWF Backlash Live
Doug Heye, Press Secretary, 2 tickets

August 6th 2000, WWF Attitude (with appearances by The Rock, Triple H, The Big Show, Chyna, Chris Jericho and the Undertaker), MCI Center.
Doug Heye, Press Secretary, 2 tickets

October 2nd, 2000 WWF Raw Is War, MCI Center.
Doug Heye, Press Secretary, 2 tickets.

Bear in mind that in 2000, Pombo wasn't chairman, but only a junior member of the committee. After the 2002 election, Tom DeLay stunned fellow committee members by promoting Pombo to Chairman, despite the fact that he was only the 10th most senior member of the committee.

"The vote came down to Pombo and Gallegly," wrote a local paper at the time, "but in the end, Pombo was buoyed by strong support from House Republican Leader Tom DeLay and others, said several Republicans involved in the selection process."
-- Josh Marshall

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2236995
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2251865

[realFedUp]

1. maybe a list should be started of those UNTOUCHED by Abramoff

might be easier to keep track of.

[texpatriot2004]

2. www.pombointheirpocket.org

www.pombointheirpocket.org

[sinkingfeeling]

3. I hope it happens quickly, before Pombo can do more damage.

[David__77]

4. Contra Costa is key in defeating him.

Pombo is very much not the sort of man that even the more conservative parts of Contra Consta County would send to Congress. If there is a well-funded Democrat (I'm talking multi-million $), then this seat can be won. Also key is registering voters in San Joaquin County who are underrepresented, such as Latinos.

[caligirl]

5. I thought CC had a growing dem voter base.

[David__77]

6. You are correct.

And that is why it is key in defeating Pombo. During redistricting, he gave up parts near Stockton and got the less progressive parts of Contra Costa--though it was an even swap in terms of party registration, the new district is less friendly to right-wingers.

[NVMojo]

7. good, cuz I think he's a bought and paid for whore on the public lands

and mining reform act with Jim Gibbons (R) NV. someone needs to investigate their campaign contributions.