Vitter involved in Abramoff scandal?

[AnnInLa]

This is from TPM (Talking Points Memo) Café today:
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/8/16/143026/809

DAVID VITTER (R-LA)

* In April 2002, Vitter opposed Gov. Mike Foster's agreement to let
the Jena Choctaw Band of Indians put a big new casino in Vinton.
Vitter said he wanted to reduce casino expansion. (Times-Picayune,
10/15/04)

* In September 2003, Abramoff hosted a fundraiser for Vitter's
senatorial campaign. Two months prior, Vitter inserted a provision into
an interior spending bill vetoing the expansion of a new Jena Choctaw
casino. Abramoff represents the Coushatta Tribe, a rival of the Jenas,
and did not want to see the expansion take place. Critics argue Vitter
was lobbied by Abramoff to veto expansion for the benefit of the
Coushatta. (Times-Picayune, 10/15/04)

* In October 2004, Vitter received political assistance (a mailer
and phone bank) from the Committee Against Gambling Expansion. The
group was created by Michael Scanlon to stop the expansion of the
Jenas. Vitter claimed to not have known this. Vitter said that had he
known the political work was sponsored by a casino, he would not have
used it, "I thought I did my due diligence at the time."
(Times-Picayune, 10/15/04)

* In March 2005, Vitter claimed that he did not insert the
provision in the spending bill because of Abramoff, "I've only met the
guy once, and I couldn't pick him out of a lineup." "I've literally
never talked to him about this stuff." (The Advocate, 3/2/05)










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[funkybutt]

1. oooo! I thought of that when i first learned of the Abramoff indictment

"I've literally never talked to him about this stuff."

yeah right! you're slime David Vitter

[AnnInLa]

2. Vitter's connection was reported some months back

but, evidently TPM Cafe is saying that there are 6 congress people that the feds are really looking at, and Vitter is one of them. god, we can only hope!

[...of J.Temperance]

3. 'Um

I hope you don't mind me pushing in. But I needed to comment that I HATE Vitter and I hope he gets taken down, so that next time someone at least halfway decent can get that seat. Chris John WASN'T perfect, in particular him being anti-choice, but at least he could have been counted on to give us another vote for Senate Majority Leader.

I can't believe we failed to get Vitter into a runoff, I bet we'd have won from a runoff ala Landrieu vs Terrell.

I should also have pointed out, I like that you like David Lynch films.

eom.