CONRAD BURNS (R-MT) WAS THE BIGGEST RECIPIENT OF ABRAMOFF DIRTY MONEY. THERE IS NOW A LIST OF THE TOP 20 SLEAZE-BAGS

Jack Abramoff, a virtual consigliere for Tom DeLay's crime syndicate, has been funneling millions and millions of dollars into Republican campaign coffers for many years-- and, less legally, into the hands of crooked Republican politicians for nearly as long (that would be bribes). Right now he is being investigated in only one specific area: his rip-off with help from the religionist right, of American Indian tribes in a casino scandal that saw over $5,000,000 go from the hands of 8 tribes into the hands of dozens of politicians. Today's WASHINGTON POST has some cool charts and a list of the 20 scumbag politicians who were on the take in this instance. I emphasize "in this instance" because it only scratches the surface of the myriad criminal activities Abramoff was involved with-- primarily with DeLay-- over the last half dozen or so years.

The POST article points out the 20 biggest recipients of the specific Abramoff dirty money stolen from the Indians, 14 Republicans (including, of course, Bush, who always gets to dip his beak in all GOP illicit operations) and 6 Democrats.

DeLay is certainly the overall biggest beneficiary of Abramoff's efforts, both personally and politically-- and he certainly told Abramoff who to give money to-- but in the specific Indian casino capers, the biggest beneficiary was the ethically challenged Republican senator from Montana, Conrad Burns. Disgracefully, the second biggest recipient was Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), who, like Burns and the rest of the bribe takers, should look for a different line of work. It just boils my blood when Democratic politicians act like lowlife Republicans and take bribes like this, allowing Republicans to point out to voters that "See, they all do it, not just Republicans."

The next half dozen sleaze merchants are all well-known Republicrooks in the House and Senate : J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), Speaker Dennis Hastert, best known for accepting bribes from Turkey to screw over Armenian-Americans, (R-IL), John Doolittle, whose name seems to surface in every single financial scandal in DC (R-CA), Tom DeLay (R-TX), of course, Thad Cochran (R-MS), and, of course again, Bob Ney (R-OH), who is also implicated as an accessory in the murder by Abramoff and his partners of Konstatinos Boulis in a business venture that went south.

Also in on the pay-offs are two former Democratic leaders, Tom Daschle and Richard Gephardt, as well as the man in the running for sleaziest member of the House of Representatives (after DeLay): Richard Pombo (R-CA). Just from the Indian caper-- so not counting all of Abramoff's other illicit activities-- $3.41 million went to Republicans and $1.88 million went to Democrats.

(If you're looking for the obvious art for this piece... well, all I can do is apologize. Again, my art staff is sleeping it off after a drunken HOLIDAY party. You might click this to see appropriate art and read a very related story.)


WENESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: BURNS ISN'T GIVING UP THE $150,000 IN BRIBES

Although many of the crooked politicians caught up in Abramoff's web of corruption and deceit have been rushing to return the tainted money he bribed them with-- Katherine Harris, for example (no model of ethical behavior) just returned it all-- as well as the bribes she got through the Cunningham-related defense contractors. But one lowlife scumbag whose greedy little hands are tightly clenched has announced he's not giving back a dime. Any guesses? If you guessed it is the ultra-corrupt Republican Senator from Montana, you win. Today's MISSOULIAN reports today that the biggest known bribe taker in the Abramoff casinos scam, Conrad Burns, spent the money and he's not givin' it back. If what has happened in Cunningham's case is any indication, Burns will be returning the bribes and a lot more when he is indicted and threatened with the 30 year prison sentence he has earned.