Abramoff's 60 minutes interview

[revelarts]

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"...the whole systems corrupt.."

"...I'm sure most congress people justify in their own minds that they are not being bought..."

[fj1200]

As I recall, there have been studies and meta-studies that show that money doesn't change voting patterns which would mean Congress folk receive contributions based on their inherent views. The "corruption" is deeper and buried in the general incompetence of Congress in crafting good law and general incompetence of regulators in carrying out said laws and writing the regulations.

But Abramoff wouldn't be justifying his own behavior would he?

[revelarts]

As I recall, there have been studies and meta-studies that show that money doesn't change voting patterns which would mean Congress folk receive contributions based on their inherent views. The "corruption" is deeper and buried in the general incompetence of Congress in crafting good law and general incompetence of regulators in carrying out said laws and writing the regulations.

But Abramoff wouldn't be justifying his own behavior would he?

did you watch it?

[fj1200]

No.

[logroller]

did you watch it?
Could you post a link as well; video didn't embed properly for my phone.

[revelarts]

Jack Abramoff: The lobbyist's playbook - 60 Minutes - CBS News

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7387331n

[logroller]

"So persuasive, he could talk a dog off a meat truck." :lol:

[revelarts]

"Buying a congressional hearing



Congressional hearings are the "grand show of Washington," Jack Abramoff tells Lesley Stahl, explaining how lobbyists use hearings to push their own agenda.?"

He offered Jobs to committee chiefs of staffs and asked if they would "run a hearing" on people that were causing him trouble or in competition, lobby wise, to slow them down and get them off they game.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7387340n&tag=segementExtraScroller;housing

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"I'm mad at you." That's what 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl says to Jack Abramoff, one of the most notorious lobbyists of our time, on 60 Minutes this week (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57459874/jack-abramoff-the-lobbyists-playbook/).

On 60 Minutes Overtime, Lesley explains her reaction and how stomach-turning it was to hear the nuts and bolts of how a lobbyist corrupts our political leaders. Abramoff described how he lavished congressmen and senators with gifts, access to private jets, and junkets to the world's great golf destinations like St. Andrews in Scotland. He treated them to free meals at his own upscale Washington restaurant and the best tickets to all the area's sporting events, including sky boxes at Washington Redskins games.

"I think the public's going to be furious watching this," she said of her Abramoff report. "The story just shows you that our system really, really is in trouble."
Abramoff served more than three years in prison for his crimes, and when he was released, 60 Minutes producer Ira Rosen was eager to get him on camera to explain his secrets of the lobbying game and how he worked to undermine our democracy.
"This is a guy who was a player in Washington and can describe how politics in Washington works," Ira told Overtime, "and what the interfacing is between a lobbyist and a politician and how they work together-- not necessarily for the public good."

[revelarts]

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web extra,
one line from it
Lessle Stall:"did you ever have a congressmen who you wined and dined took to the games etc that said to you after all that, 'well my conscience will not allow me to vote that way.' ?"
Abramoff: "no"