Senator John McCain Attacks the Way Congressman Blunt Does Business in Washington August 10th 2010

New McCain Ad Targets the Very Worst of Washington, Calls out Opponent for his Relationship With Jack Abramoff

This week, Senator John McCain released a new ad attacking his opponent’s ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. While the ad names McCain’s primary opponent, JD Hayworth, it tells a story about Washington insiders and their relationship convicted felon lobbyist Jack Abramoff – a story Congressman Blunt knows all too well.

“You know it’s bad when one of the most respected leaders of Congressman Blunt’s own party attacks the way he has done business for 14 years in Washington,” said Linden Zakula, Robin Carnahan’s spokesman. “John McCain’s ad is directly aimed at politicians like Congressman Blunt who are the very worst of Washington because of their records of wasteful spending and corruption.”

McCain’s Ad Slams Hayworth for Doing Favors For Abramoff - So Did Cong. Blunt:

Ø  Congressman Blunt Joined Hastert, Delay To Back Abramoff Effort: Abramoff lobbied DeLay’s office to organize a June 10, 2003 letter to Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton endorsing a view of gambling law benefiting the Coushattas. The letter was eventually co-signed by DeLay, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Deputy Whip Eric I. Cantor (R-VA). [Washington Post, 9/28/04;Think Progress]

Ø  McCain Aide, Investigators Alleged That One of the Blunt Indian Affairs Letters May Have Been Drafted By Abramoff Himself. In 2005, Senate Indian Affairs Committee staff suggested that investigators were examining three 2003 letters with identical wording sent to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, including two letters signed by Rep. Roy Blunt. [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 11/4/05]

Ø  The Letter Blunt Signed Was Called “Incredibly Unusual”: V. Heather Sibbison, a lobbyist at the time for the Jena Band, told the Washington Post: “I do this for a living, and I have never seen a letter like that before. It was incredibly unusual for that group of people, who do not normally weigh in on Indian issues, to express such a strong opinion about a particular project not in any of their home states.” [Washington Post, 9/28/04]

Ø  Blunt Helped Abramoff By Asking Interior Department To Block Casino Proposal From Indian Tribe Competing With Abramoff’s Client. As reported by The Wall Street Journal’s “Washington Wire” column, “Sen. McCain’s Indian Affairs Committee hearing next week exploring the lobbyist’s work for a Louisiana tribe may bring unwelcome attention to new House Majority Leader Blunt. Along with predecessor DeLay and Speaker Hastert, Blunt helped Abramoff by asking the Interior Department to block a rival tribe’s casino.” [Wall Street Journal, 10/21/05]

McCain’s Ad Hits Hayworth For Taking Money From Abramoff – So Did Cong. Blunt:

Ø  Jack Abramoff Gave Thousands of Dollars to Cong. Blunt. Between 1999 and 2004, Abramoff gave $7,000 to Blunt’s Rely On Your Beliefs leadership PAC (ROYB) and $1,500 to his campaign committee.  [FEC.gov]

McCain’s Ad Says “Character Matters” – But Cong. Blunt’s Character Has Been Questioned

Ø  CREW Names Blunt “Crooked Candidate”: The nonpartisan watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) put Congressman Blunt on the top of their “Crooked Candidates” list of “some of the lousy politicians vying for federal office in 2010.” According to CREW, the list includes “candidates who have engaged in criminal or unethical conduct.” CREW’s release highlights Blunt’s record of using his office to help family members, donors, and even convicted felon lobbyist Jack Abramoff.  [CREW, 7/20/10]

Ø  Blunt Named One of 13 Most Corrupt Members of Congress. In 2005, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), named Blunt one of the 13 most corrupt members of Congress. CREW named Blunt because of his alleged “misuse of his position for the benefit of his family.” The report cites Blunt’s involvement in pushing legislation that it says benefited Philip Morris and United Parcel Service. Blunt’s wife, Abigail Perlman, is a lobbyist for the Altria Group, which owns Philip Morris, and a son, Andrew Blunt, lobbies for UPS in the Missouri Statehouse. [Joplin Globe, 9/27/05]