Thursday, November 10, 2005

Prez Bongo please meet Prez Bush... for $9 Million

NYTimes: Jack Abramoff asked for $9 million in '03 from Pres Omar Bongo of Gabon, a W African nation, to arrange a meeting w/Bush and directed his fees to a MD company now under fedrl scrutiny. WH and State Dept officials described Bush's meeting w/Bongo (which took place in the Oval Office on May 26/04, 10 months after Abramoff made the offer) as "routine and part of the prez's outreach to Africa." Bongo's govt is regularly accused by the US of human rights abuses, yet documents from Abramoff's files shows that in the summer of 03 he pushed to sign Bongo as a client, even offering to travel to Gabon immediately after an Aug golfing vacation to Scotland "w/ the congressmen and senators I take there each yr." Documents also show that Abramoff drew up a contract w/ Bongo dated Aug 7/03, asking that $9 million in lobbying fees be paid thru wire transfers (three transfers of $3 million each) to GrassRoots Interactive instead of the DC offices of Greenberg Traurig, the large lobbying firm where he did most of his work. The agreement promised a "public relations effort related to promoting Gabon and securing a visit for Bongo w/ Bush." What did Bongo & Bush sit and discuss? Favorite torture techniques? Or how much they just love a criminal lap-dog like Abramoff?
Posted by Tina :: 12:23 AM :: 0 Comments:

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