The Abramoff Black Hole

Can the Democrats gain control of the House and/or even the Senate in 2006. If you look at history you have to think it's unlikely but there are a number of things that would lead you to believe there is a possibility. There is the unpopular war and an unpopular Republican President who has lost the trust of the American people. A majority of Americans think the country is going in the wrong direction. The biggest factor may be what the Christian Science Monitor refers to as The other cloud on Republican horizon. Rather than a cloud I think Abramoff is more like a black hole that sucks in another Republican almost weekly.

WASHINGTON – Of all the pending controversies in Washington, few may be as perilous for the Republican majority as the one swirling around former powerhouse lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
At issue: Did he bilk, with partner Michael Scanlon, six Indian tribes of at least $80 million, evade taxes, and violate lobbyist disclosure rules? Mr. Abramoff has been indicted on fraud charges in Florida in a case related to his $147.5 million purchase of a gambling casino. He also faces probes by two Senate panels and a federal grand jury, which may yield criminal charges.

But what gives this scandal so much scope is the number of members of Congress, federal officials, and top conservative activists it potentially involves. More than just the saga of a rogue lobbyist, it opens a window on a high-stakes, high-fee lobbyist culture that is transforming Beltway business.

"We don't know yet how big a genuine scandal it may be. But with more indictments [expected] in six to eight months, it creates a perfect storm for the Bush administration. Endemic corruption plus public unhappiness over other policies: It's a very combustible combination," says Norman Ornstein, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a generally conservative think tank in Washington.

It comes at a time when corruption is already front and center and trust nearing an all time low. Even Tom DeLay has a less than 50% approval rating in his own "safe district".

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