Abramoff Not Equal Money Dispenser; Even Donated to Swift Boat Liars

Republicans try to spin Abramoff as supporting both Democrats and Republicans, but his choice was clear. While Republicans claim he donated to both parties, Bloomberg reports that this is untrue:

U.S. President George W. Bush calls indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff “an equal money dispenser'’ who helped politicians of both parties. Campaign donation records show Republicans were a lot more equal than Democrats.

Between 2001 and 2004, Abramoff gave more than $127,000 to Republican candidates and committees and nothing to Democrats, federal records show.

The Washington Post provides some information on his background:

Born in Atlantic City, N.J., Abramoff, 46, graduated from Brandeis University and Georgetown University Law Center. He was a leader of the College Republicans where he met Kidan; anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist; and Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition who now is a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in Georgia.

Wikipedia provides more information on his college years:

In college, Abramoff organized Massachusetts campuses for Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign. He graduated from Brandeis University in 1981 and earned his JD at the Georgetown University Law Center in 1986.

After a campaign managed by Grover Norquist and aided by Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Abramoff was elected chairman of the College Republican National Committee. “It is not our job to seek peaceful coexistence with the Left,” Abramoff was quoted as saying in the group’s 1983 annual report, “Our job is to remove them from power permanently”. Abramoff “changed the direction of the committee and made it more activist and conservative than ever before,” notes the CRNC.

The Washington Post also reported on how Abramoff bragged about his White House ties.

Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff bragged two years ago that he was in contact with White House political aide Karl Rove on behalf of a large, Bermuda-based corporation that wanted to avoid incurring some taxes and continue receiving federal contracts, according to a written statement by President Bush’s nominee to be deputy attorney general.

Finally, if there’s not already enough reason to dislike him, Forward reports that Abramoff had contributed to the Swifties!