Burns returns Abramoff donation to his crony

[cal04]

Kos:This doesn't seem like a good way to return Abramoff donations...

Sen. Conrad Burns vowed last month to return most of $146,700 in campaign contributions connected with confessed felon Jack Abramoff to its original donors, but most of the money went to the Montana Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council, whose lobbyist is a former Burns staffer.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/14/121030/369

Former Burns staffer is lobbyist for group that received returned Abramoff cash
Burns said money would be returned to original donors

WASHINGTON D.C. (LEE) — Sen. Conrad Burns vowed last month to return most of $146,700 in campaign contributions connected with confessed felon Jack Abramoff to its original donors, but most of the money went to the Montana Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council, whose lobbyist is a former Burns staffer.

A Burns campaign official said legal questions kept Burns from using his re-election funds to return to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Michigan Indian tribes, all former clients of Abramoff, the money they originally contributed to a different Burns account, which no longer exists. But at least one tribe originally wrote its check to Burns’ principal re-election account before the contribution ended up in the now-defunct account.

Burns decided to give the $101,000 in question to charity and donated it to the Montana Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council. Stan Ullman, who was Burns’ legislative assistant and worked in his Washington office for four years, is registered as that group’s only lobbyist.
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/01/14/montana/a05011406_02.txt

[havocmom]

1. So ol Conrad gives the $$ to group using his ex-staffer as lobbyist

indtead of giving back to the original donors? Hmmm, rinse, lather & repeat?

From the Helena Independent Record article linked in OP:

In his Dec. 15 statement, Burns had said: “I intend to return all campaign contributions associated with Mr. Abramoff, his associates and his clients … With the exception of contributions received directly from Mr. Abramoff and his associates, each contribution will be returned to its original donor.”

One Louisiana tribe had originally written a $25,000 check to Burns’ campaign account, but the money ended up in Burns’ soft money account and so will not be returned.

What a racket! Take the $$. Promise to give it back to the original donors. Give it, instead to a different group which just happens to employ your former legislative aide.

Anybody wanna give me odds on the likelihood the $$ will find its way back into Burn's coffers after a bit of a tour through some other accounts and organizations?

Money laundering, it's not just for drug dealers anymore.

Give up, Conrad. You are going down buddy. No point ordering up any bumper stickers this year. Grab your fly rod and set your sights on some fishing. Your days of glad handing and money grubbing are OVER! We've got your number and we are getting it out there.
Re-tired is the word for you man. Washed up and tossed out is what the tea leaves say.

[LaBanty]

2. This Isn't The First Time

Conrad Burns has been taking payoffs from the Native Americans for casinos for years. This amount of money directly linked to Abramoff is just the latest in years of fleecing the tribes in Montana. There's probably hundreds and hundreds of thousands that have gone into defunct acconts long before this ever happened. He thinks if he returns the money it erases the fact he never should have taken it.

He's always been a filthy, racist, simpleton asshole. He's been on the oil committees for BushCo, besides. Another crooked flag-waver that weeps and wails about God and church and keeping America safe from terrorism blah blah blah - while he takes payoffs, humps Abramoff's leg, and robs his state blind.

It used to be a pretty cushy arrangement...