Report Details Close Links Between Bush Administration, Abramoff

In a draft report [PDF] to be issued by the House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles, Calif.), that details the close ties between the Bush administration and disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and associates.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released a "proposed" report this morning finding that Jack Abramoff did indeed have "personal contact with President Bush" and that Abramoff and cohorts were "held in high regard" by White House officials.

The proposed report also finds that Abramoff and his associates "influenced some White House actions" and gave White House officials "expensive tickets and meals."

Among those who accepted gifts from Abramoff, the report finds, was Carlos Bonilla, then-Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. He currently serves served as an economic adviser for John McCain.

On October 18, 2001, Kevin Ring sent an unknown number of tickets to an unknown event to Mr. Bonilla by courier. In addition, in response to an offer from Kevin Ring, Mr. Bonilla requested and was provided with two tickets to sit in the Abramoff suite for the November 20, 2001, Washington Wizards game.

The report also confirms the politically-motivated removal of the Alan Stayman at the behest of Abramoff's team.

One action that White House officials took at the request of Mr. Abramoff was to intervene to force the removal of a State Department official, Alan Stayman. In a previous position at the Office of Insular Affairs in the Department of the Interior, Mr. Stayman had advocated positions opposed by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, then a client of Mr. Abramoff. Mr. Stayman was appointed to his position at the Department of State during the Clinton Administration.

In a recent Committee deposition, Monica Kladakis, then-Deputy Associate Director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel (OPP), confirmed that OPP became involved in Mr. Stayman's removal after White House officials were contacted by Mr. Abramoff's team.

Also in the report: White House aides sought the "fruits" of their labor for Abramoff. "Fruits" was the code word for sports tickets or other gifts.

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