Jack Abramoff, on how to clean up Washington
The notorious lobbyist Jack Abramoff, convicted on federal corruption charges, has literally written the book on Washington corruption. Titled “Capitol Punishment,” it reportedly details how Abramoff, who initially saw lobbyists as “guys in the $2,000 suits who sucked the lifeblood out of our nation,” became one of those guys himself.
As Politico reports, the book also includes some suggestions on how to clean up the mess:
In the 3½ years he spent at Cumberland Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Md., Abramoff says he paced the track at the medium security prison day after day, “consumed” by the problem of how government can be cleaned up.
One of the conclusions he draws is to entirely eliminate any campaign contributions by lobbyists, those bidding for federal contracts and anyone else who stands to benefit financially from public funds.
Lobbyists should not only be banned from making campaign donations, but they should also not be allowed to give gifts, he argues.
“Instead of limiting the amount of money a lobbyist may spend on wining and dining congressional members and staff, eliminate it entirely,” says Abramoff, himself guilty of once having lavished contributions, meals, event tickets, travel, golf and jobs on federal officials. “No finger food, no snacks, no hot dogs. Nothing.”
The ex-lobbyist also proposes eliminating the “lure of post-public service lobbying employment,” suggesting anyone who served in Congress or as a congressional aide should be “barred for life” from lobbying the government.
“That may seem harsh — and it is,” he says, but nonetheless adds, “If you choose public service, choose it to serve the public, not your bank account. When you’re done serving, go home. Get a real job.”
Sounds like a plan to me.
– Jay Bookman
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
99 comments Add your comment
Kamchak
November 2nd, 2011
3:44 pm
Lobbyists should not only be banned from making campaign donations, but they should also not be allowed to give gifts, he argues.
Translation: Don’t do as I did, do as I say.
Loser.
Lord Help Us
November 2nd, 2011
3:44 pm
Let’s see how many in the Tea Party agree…
Brosephus
November 2nd, 2011
3:51 pm
That’s not something I’d expect to hear from someone like Abramoff. Maybe if we started giving hard time to all these corrupt jackasses many more would contemplate changing their ways.
Peadawg
November 2nd, 2011
3:53 pm
“Sounds like a plan to me.” – I 2nd that.
Adam
November 2nd, 2011
3:54 pm
Wow. Surprisingly sound advice. Interesting that a number of us downstairs were saying exactly this right before this was posted. The public consciousness must be on a similar wavelength.
Logical Dude
November 2nd, 2011
3:56 pm
But Jaaaaaaaayyyyyy. . .
Can’t think of any good snarky comebacks. I just wanted to be the one to say “But Jaaaaaaaayyyyyyy”
DebbieDoRight
November 2nd, 2011
3:59 pm
SoCoBro: Maybe if we started giving hard time to all these corrupt jackasses many more would contemplate changing their ways
DIdn’t he get Federal Time? If so, then he didn’t learn much. They should’ve put him into the same cell with Rick James while he was going through withdrawal. Or maybe a skin head who hate Jews, Blacks, People with orange hair, People with eyes, etc. — THAT would’ve rehabilitated him big time.
ty webb
November 2nd, 2011
3:59 pm
it’ll never happen…take the money out, then pols will just be bought with different “currency”. They’re human therefore they’re corruptible. The answer is far simpler…Robots!
Adam
November 2nd, 2011
3:59 pm
Logical Dude:
It’s all Obama’s fault.
Soros, Solyndra, Socialism.
Climate Change isn’t real, and anyway if it is real we’re not causing it, and anyway if we’re causing it there’s nothing we can do about it.
Evolution is wrong because it doesn’t explain the whole of time, space, and things beyond our imagination.
What’d I miss?
AmVet - Read my lips. No new neo-cons.
November 2nd, 2011
4:00 pm
The GOP, and the Dems to some lesser extent, would go apoplectic.
Money is free speech.
And the dirtier, the more they love it…
AmVet - Read my lips. No new neo-cons.
November 2nd, 2011
4:02 pm
Will Tom Delay get Jack’s old cell?
Kamchak
November 2nd, 2011
4:02 pm
What’d I miss?
Liberals are gonna make everybody get ghey married, then force ‘em all to get abortions.
AmVet - Read my lips. No new neo-cons.
November 2nd, 2011
4:02 pm
And is Ralph Reed praying non-stop the Indians don’t find him?
DebbieDoRight
November 2nd, 2011
4:03 pm
Adam: What’d I miss?
The Dingo Ate My Baby.
Ronnie Raygun
November 2nd, 2011
4:06 pm
@Lord Help Us -”Let’s see how many in the Tea Party agree…”
Aren’t the tea geezers a little busy mixing up their ricin so they can do their whole “overthrow the govenment” thing?
Brosephus
November 2nd, 2011
4:06 pm
DDR
I’d agree somewhat. There are some Fed lockups that I wouldn’t want to even set foot in the visitor’s center. He probably would have done much more soul searching had he been Pookie’s cell mate though.
DebbieDoRight
November 2nd, 2011
4:07 pm
What’d I miss?
Liberals are gonna make everybody get ghey married, then force ‘em all to get abortions
Right after they force their religion on them by throwing holy water into their eyes and screaming, “May the Demon of Liberalism Leave This Body!!” and “Commie Sympathizer!!
Ooops forgot one, “Wealth ENVY!!!”
Parade of Knuckleheads
November 2nd, 2011
4:07 pm
`
Herman Cain has a 9% brain.
Kamchak
November 2nd, 2011
4:09 pm
The back cover of the book’s $25.95 hardcover edition —
The only people that are bigger losers than this asshat, are the ones shelling out $30 for his book.
I suspect it will be found in the $5 pile soon enough.
carlosgvv
November 2nd, 2011
4:09 pm
You do not have to pace a prison track for 3 1/2 years to know that money driven politics is sucking the lifeblood out of our nation. And, since money talks and BS walks, it doesn’t take much time to realize that this problem is next to impossible to fix. It will take far more than thousands of people occuping our cities to pry the politicians away from their Big Business sponsors. A viable third party that does not take one dime of corporate sponsor money is, I think, the only sensible way out of this mess. Unfortunately, the odds of this happening seem to be about zero. Enjoy.
DebbieDoRight
November 2nd, 2011
4:10 pm
He probably would have done much more soul searching had he been Pookie’s cell mate though.
Yeah, Pookie, Nut-Nut, BayBay and T-Boy. I’d even throw in Anne Coulter — after 5+ years staring at that souless bag of bones, he’d come out either repentent or suicidal.
Granny Godzilla
November 2nd, 2011
4:12 pm
Democratic Sens. Tom Udall of New Mexico and Michael Bennet of Colorado introduced a constitutional amendment on Tuesday that would overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
The decision gave corporations and unions the ability to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections, so long as their actions are not coordinated with a candidate’s campaign.
“As we head into another election year, we are about to see unprecedented amounts of money spent on efforts to influence the outcome of our elections,” Udall said. “With the Supreme Court striking down the sensible regulations Congress has passed, the only way to address the root cause of this problem is to give Congress clear authority to regulate the campaign finance system.”
Go No Go
November 2nd, 2011
4:15 pm
I used to work at the same law firm where Abramoff was a lobbyist. Guy’s a D-bag of note. However, he’s right on this, but I’d go further – take all money out of politics; give candidates for office a set – and the same – amount of $$; they can spend it where and how they choose, but once it’s gone, that’s it. Money is the root of all evil and it is destroying our country.
DebbieDoRight
November 2nd, 2011
4:16 pm
Good one Granny – but I’d bet those scaredy cat Dems in the House and Senate would buckle under the pressure of someone saying something nasty about them. You know how weak some of those Dems constitutions are; they’d catch the vapors and faint if someone actually wanted them to FIGHT for their beliefs!
Marie
November 2nd, 2011
4:16 pm
@DDR and Brosephus — what proof do either of you have that he isn’t rehabilitated?
As to his suggestions regarding lobbyist — it will never happen. Politicians love lobbyists and some even have their own family members working for lobbying firms. This is a good ol’ boy system that showers the good ol’ boys (and girls) with all kinds of goodies.
Good little liberal
November 2nd, 2011
4:16 pm
Bad article Jay. No liberal has anything to say about this because everyone knows that they are worse than as Republicans. in fact, the little weasel, Tom Daschle was married to a lobbyist.
pat
November 2nd, 2011
4:17 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gBrHkxqNT7s
LOL!!!
If you don’t get it, as I suspect at least half of you won’t, the jokes on you…Libs: Nothing like an absence of reason the driving policy.
carlosgvv
November 2nd, 2011
4:18 pm
But…..but…..but…….Granny, we all know those miserable Democrats are as dependent on Corporate money as the Republicans. I mean, that’s what all the compassionate conservatives here say. And they wouldn’t lie, would they? Huh? Would they?
Good little liberal
November 2nd, 2011
4:18 pm
Granny Godzilla
Herman Cain has about 6 million.
Obama is working on his second hundred million and has a goal of one billion.
Yes, please lets stop this criminal act of election buying.
Good little liberal
November 2nd, 2011
4:19 pm
carlosgvv
Not as dependent. The numbers say much, much, much, much more dependent.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
November 2nd, 2011
4:20 pm
Well, if I want to know how to rob a bank, I ain’t going to no FBI agent. And if I want to know how to bribe my Congressman, I sure ain’t going to no cop. I’m going straight to somebody like this Abramoff.
Still, he’s got some great ideas. Just once I’d like to see a campaigning Congressman thumbing a ride, instead of passing me in a limo. And maybe saying “Brother can you spare a dime?” instead of hanging out at some swanky country club and laughing at working folks.
Oh, well, another expert ruint. We’ll never know all the tricks he could of taught us. If in another 40 or 50 years I make it up to lobbying for the beer industry I’d want somebody like Abramoff to teach me the ropes. But there ain’t nothing worse than a reformed sinner, and I’ll stay away from him now, thank you very much.
Brosephus
November 2nd, 2011
4:21 pm
what proof do either of you have that he isn’t rehabilitated?
The same proof that he IS rehabilitated, his word. Frankly, being an ex-con kinda cheapens his word, doesn’t it? It seems to keep others from getting any decent job or anything else in society, so why should he be treated any different?
Jefferson
November 2nd, 2011
4:22 pm
A bribe is a bribe. Freedom of speech — the more money you have, the louder the voice, eh ?
Only someone who can vote should be able to donate, with limits and disclosure so you know who is buying who.
Good little liberal
November 2nd, 2011
4:22 pm
Go No Go
the correct phrase is ” Love of money is the root of all evil,” but I really like your idea.
And how about stopping the setting president from using Air Force One as his own campaign bus?
Bruno
November 2nd, 2011
4:22 pm
give candidates for office a set – and the same – amount of $$; they can spend it where and how they choose, but once it’s gone, that’s it.
Go N Go–Thank you for putting forth a reasonable solution. It’s refreshing to see someone–anyone–working toward a solution here on the JB blog. The name calling gets tired.
Per your solution, the problem I see with it is how do we define who is a legitimate candidate. If I can get my hands on millions of dollars, then I may just declare myself a candidate for President. How would you go about qualifying candidates??
Stonethrower
November 2nd, 2011
4:22 pm
If you are looking for this book, it’s listed under “fiction”.
Barbarella
November 2nd, 2011
4:23 pm
Georgia militia sounds redundant.
Bruno
November 2nd, 2011
4:25 pm
This is a good ol’ boy system that showers the good ol’ boys (and girls) with all kinds of goodies.
Looks like we need some good old fashioned political competition then. If one party voluntarily stops accepting gifts, the other party will be forced to join in.
Not to throw more dirt on Obama’s political grave, but didn’t he renege on his pledge regarding campaign dollars once he saw that he was out-collecting McCain?? Maybe some of you Repub haters here can defend that.
Brosephus
November 2nd, 2011
4:25 pm
Thank you for putting forth a reasonable solution. It’s refreshing to see someone–anyone–working toward a solution here on the JB blog. The name calling gets tired.
I’ve stated that same position for a while now. Seems like you should read a bit more…
AmVet - Read my lips. No new neo-cons.
November 2nd, 2011
4:26 pm
“Souless bag of bones”
Damn, Granny! That one cracked me up.
(But I suspect rag, among others, is not amused. She is his fire starter when he is “barbequing” alone…)
Bruno
November 2nd, 2011
4:26 pm
GLL–Hadn’t chatted with you in a while, but glad to hear that life is better for you now that you left Atlanta. Moving to Columbus has been great for me.
TaxPayer
November 2nd, 2011
4:27 pm
Republicans should be jumping at the opportunity to implement legislation making anything lobbyists do illegal if they truly believe that the Democrats are more on the take than they are. Go for it.
Good little liberal
November 2nd, 2011
4:27 pm
Barbarella
The vast majority of militia groups are in the North West along with most white supremacy groups. You know: Washington and Oregon . . . blue states.
Jefferson
November 2nd, 2011
4:27 pm
Used to, the politicians would have BBQs and bribe voters, now they have $1000 a plate fund raisers and you bribe them…
Joe COOL
November 2nd, 2011
4:28 pm
-GOP pollster makes Herman Cain accusation-
A veteran Republican pollster and former National Restaurant Association employee said Wednesday morning that Herman Cain sexually harassed a woman at an Arlington, Va. restaurant in the late 1990s.
Chris Wilson, now the principal of an Oklahoma-based GOP consulting firm, said in an interview on Oklahoma City’s KTOK radio station that the episode took place in the neighborhood where Cain kept an apartment when he headed the restaurant trade group.
WAIT….did i miss something? I thought all this hoopla was cuz he was black.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67473.html#ixzz1ca8Vsidt
pogo
November 2nd, 2011
4:29 pm
Labor Unions should also be banned from making contributions. Modern unions are nothing more than corporations wherein the leaders get rich at their workers expense. And they most certainly have lobbyists who promise millions of their dues-paying members dollars (whether the member’s want to contribute or not) upon their favorite nominee. You talk about corruption.
Good little liberal
November 2nd, 2011
4:29 pm
Bruno
Good for you. Columbus is a good town. I’m up here in the sticks, but I love it. Also built the house I have wanted for so long. Of course, because of that, i’ll be driving the old chevy for quite a while.
Jefferson
November 2nd, 2011
4:30 pm
Unions, NRA, GE — if you can’t vote, you can’t give.
Good little liberal
November 2nd, 2011
4:30 pm
Joe COOL
Another story in Politico. Shocker!!!
deegee
November 2nd, 2011
4:31 pm
“Lobbyists should not only be banned from making campaign donations, but they should also not be allowed to give gifts, he argues.”
And it took him how long to come to this obvious conclusion?