Out of My Mind

Mitt Romney really has the Midas Touch. The Massachusetts Governor and Chairman of the Republican Governors Association has decided that the organization will give $500,000 from newly-minted-felon Michael Scanlon to charity. But they're not in any rush. Since that's apparently what they're now running the organization on, they're going to spread the give-back over two years.

-- Josh Marshall

Reed Uncensored
By Paul Kiel
From: Auction House

You can learn a lot about a person from his sense of humor. Take, for example, this so far unnoticed gem in Ralph Reed's correspondence with Jack Abramoff (pages 52-53). It took place on April 11, 2001, as Reed was mounting a campaign for the chairmanship of the Georgia Republican Party:

Jan 10, 2006 -- 12:09:06 AM EST

Reed writes:

"Jack, would you be willing to contribute personally to my state chair campaign? This race is costing me $50-100K, and i'm asking my friends to help."
Abramoff responds:

"Sure. Give me the name of the entity."

Reed deadpans:

"The actual committee is "The Reed Family Retirement and Educational Foundation." It is a 501(c)(3). The address is 200 Bay Drive, Grand Cayman, BCI, R59876."
Abramoff:

"Ha ha ha. Make sure you get me the proper committee name."
After Reed responded with the real name ("Reed for Chairman"), Abramoff wrote:

"Seriously, I'll get you the $10K this week or next from a source which owes me money."
The "source," you'll be unsurprised to hear, was the Mississippi Choctaw. In early April, the Choctaw cut a $150K check to the American International Center, one of the fake foundation slush funds Abramoff had set up with Michael Scanlon. On 4/12/01, Abramoff wrote to his assistant instructing $10K of the $150K check to be sent on to Reed's campaign (see page 54).

Reed says his campaign only got $5,500 from Abramoff and unsurprisingly claims complete ignorance about the true source of the funds.

Unfortunately for Reed, his fortunes seem to be declining lately. A recent poll showed him trailing his Republican challenger, and Sen. Cornyn (R-Tex.) on Meet the Press yesterday accused Reed and Abramoff of "bilking their Indian clients for millions of dollars."

Luckily, Reed has his sense of humor to see him through these difficult times...and maybe also a stash in the Caymans? In a less conspicuously named account, of course.

# posted by The Seditionist @ 1/15/2006 05:55:00 AM