White House Frat Pack

The Abramoff scandal continues to expand. Recent email disclosures suggest an even greater connection between convicted felon Jack Abramoff and the White House. Then White House staffer Ken Mehlman (now head of the RNC) apparently did direct favors for Abramoff clients in exchange for political contributions.

In one case, it appears Mehlman got a State Department employee fired for his efforts to improve working conditions in the Northern Mariana Islands--a US territory and Abramoff sweat-shop client.

In another case, it appears Mehlman got millions of tax dollars allocated to build on Native American land a jail that was previously deemed unnecessary by the government. The tribe was a big Abramoff client.

Whatever Jack Abramoff wanted, Ken Mehlman seemed to get for him--as long as Abramoff’s clients kept throwing money at Republican campaigns.

To truly understand the sleazy, corrupt nature of these operatives and their backroom deals, just read some of their emails. As Peter Wallsten of the LA Times reports:

When Justice Department officials relented and released the money for the jail, giddy Abramoff associates planned to host agency officials in a suite at a Dave Matthews concert.

"I have the suite filling up with DOJ staffers who just got our client $16 million," one wrote. Another replied that the agency officials deserve any reward they want, "opening day tickets, Skins v. Giants, oriental massages, hookers, whatever."

As a fourteen-year veteran of Wall Street trading floors, I can personally attest to the love wealthy Republican players have for hookers, strippers, limos and such. So it’s easy for me to imagine the kind of back-slapping, locker-room mentality that Mehlman, Abramoff and their associates cultivated and operated in.

Only when Republicans lose their lock on power will the pigs in Washington stop feeding at the public trough. And given the latest poll numbers, that day could come right soon. It won’t be soon enough.

- JT Compton