HOWARD DEAN ADMITS THAT HARRY REID AND OTHER DEMOCRATS HAVE A ‘BIG (ABRAMOFF) PROBLEM’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             CONTACT:  Chris Gulugian Taylor

January 30, 2006                                                                                               702-258-9182

Statement by Nevada Republican Party Chairman Paul Adams on Howard Dean acknowledging that Senator Reid and other democrat Senators have big Abramoff problems. 

"Howard Dean described Harry Reid to perfection when he said it would be a ‘big problem’ if Democrats lined their pockets with money from disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff to help Abramoff affiliated Indian tribes.  Reid took tens of thousands of dollars in campaign cash from Abramoff’s affiliates and took action to help Abramoff’s lobbying interests.  Reid’s veteran legislative aide worked for Abramoff, managed all six of the Abramoff tribes that Reid assisted and held fundraisers for Reid in Abramoff’s offices.  The hypocrisy of Howard Dean and the Democrats is second only to Harry Reid’s outrageous conduct.”

DNC Chair Dean: If Any Dems Wrote Letters On Behalf Of Indian Tribes Jack Abramoff Represented "That's A Big Problem":

Fox News' Chris Wallace:  "[I]f We Find That There Were Some Democrats Who Wrote Letters On Behalf Of Some Of The Indian Tribes That Abramoff Represented, Then What Do You Say, Sir?" (Fox News' "Fox News Sunday," 1/29/06)

• DNC Chair Howard Dean:  "That's A Big Problem, And Those Democrats Are In Trouble, And They Should Be In Trouble, And Our Party, If The American People Will Put Us Back In Power In '06, We Will Have On The President's Desk Things That Outlaw All Those Kinds Of  Behaviors." (Fox News' "Fox News Sunday," 1/29/06)

FACT:  Democrat Leaders Did Write Letters On Behalf Of Indian Tribes Jack Abramoff Represented:

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV):  "Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid Of NevadaSent A Letter To [Interior Secretary Gale] Norton On March 5, 2002 ... The Next Day, The Coushattas [An Indian Tribe Represented By Abramoff] Issued A $5,000 Check To Reid's Tax-Exempt Political Group, The Searchlight Leadership Fund." (John Solomon, "Lawmakers Pressured Interior While Getting Large Donations," The Associated Press, 11/18/05)

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA):  "Harkin Wrote At Least Three Letters In 2003 Pressing The Government To Release Federal Money To Help The Sac & Fox Tribe In His State Cope With The Temporary Closing Of Its Casino Due To A Tribal Dispute, According To Interior Department Documents Obtained By The Associated Press And Records Provided By Harkin's Office." (Sharon Theimer, "Lobbyist Helped Sen. Write Tribal Pleas," The Associated Press, 12/3/05)

• "[Team Abramoff Lobbyist Michael D.] Smith Met With The Senator And Also Offered Suggestions For The Letters, Harkin Spokeswoman Allison Dobson Said. 'Absolutely, He Did Contribute To Those Letters,' Dobson Said, Adding That She Wasn't Sure What Smith's Suggestions Were." (Sharon Theimer, "Lobbyist Helped Sen. Write Tribal Pleas," The Associated Press, 12/3/05)

• "The Letters To The Interior Department And National Indian Gaming Commission Between June And November 2003 Came As Harkin's Campaign And Political Action Committee Harvested Donations From Smith And Greenberg Traurig Tribal Clients." (Sharon Theimer, "Lobbyist Helped Sen. Write Tribal Pleas," The Associated Press, 12/3/05)

"Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., Who Was Engaged In A Tight Re-Election Race In 2002, Sent Her Letter March 6, 2002. That Same Day, The Coushattas Sent $2,000 To Her Campaign And She Received $5,000 More By The End Of That Month. By Year's End, The Total Had Grown To At Least $24,000." (John Solomon, "Lawmakers Pressured Interior While Getting Large Donations," The Associated Press, 11/18/05)

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI):  "[There Were] Half-Dozen Letters Written Or Signed By 14 Lawmakers On Behalf Of The Tribes. One Was Written Jan. 23, 2003 By [Democrat Sen.] ... Debbie Stabenow ... On The Saginaw's Behalf." (Sharon Theimer, "Lawmakers Helped Abramoff Tribes Get Federal Money, Collected Donations," The Associated Press, 11/25/05)

• "Stabenow Got $2,000 From The Saginaw In March 2002, Around The Time [Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT)] Sent His First Letter Requested By The MichiganLawmakers. She Later Thanked Burns In A Senate Speech For His Help. She Received $2,000 More From The SaginawAbout Six Months After Her 2003 Letter." (Sharon Theimer, "Lawmakers Helped Abramoff Tribes Get Federal Money, Collected Donations," The Associated Press, 11/25/05)

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI):  "[There Were] Half-Dozen Letters Written Or Signed By 14 Lawmakers On Behalf Of The Tribes. One Was Written Jan. 23, 2003 By [Democrat Sen.] Carl Levin ... On The Saginaw's Behalf." (Sharon Theimer, "Lawmakers Helped Abramoff Tribes Get Federal Money, Collected Donations," The Associated Press, 11/25/05)