Monetary Influence of Jack Abramoff - Campaign Contributions To Be Kept

Campaign Contributions To Be Kept

Some politicians who received campaign contributions from Abramoff's clients, but not from Abramoff himself, have decided to keep donations.

President George W. Bush (R)

On January 4, 2005 President George W. Bush announced that his campaign will donate $6000 to the American Heart Association. The $6000 is the sum of the donations by Abramoff, Abramoff's wife, and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. The more than $100,000 in Bush Pioneer money raised by Abramoff, but not directly contributed by Abramoff will not be returned.

U.S. Rep. J.D.Hayworth (R-AZ)

Rep.J.D. Hayworth the largest single recipient of Abramoff related money and co-chairman of the Congressional Native American Caucus, has received more than $150,000 from Indian tribes once represented by Abramoff. These donations Hayworth has said he will keep because they were given independently of Abramoff's influence. He donated to charity $2,250 he got directly from Abramoff.

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL)

Senator Martinez has so far decided not to return $250,000 raised at a fundraiser co-chaired by Abramoff.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)

Sen. Patty Murray received $35,000 from tribal donors who once used Abramoff's services. Murray will not return the donations, saying in a letter to the Seattle Times, "I will not rush to scapegoat those tribes who have already been victimized by Jack Abramoff."

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Sen. Harry Reid received $61,000 from Indian tribes represented by Abramoff's firm, Reid's office confirmed, and has decided not to return any donations.

U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)

Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem, who received $36,000 in donations from Abramoff clients, says he's keeping the money. A Rangel spokesman says Abramoff's guilty pleas won't affect Rangel's decision.

U.S. Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA)

Rep. John Doolittle, who is the fifth highest recipient of Abramoff-directed money and has gotten more money from this source than any two Democrats combined, has refused to return the donations, explaining that the money is his.

U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA)

Rep. Randy Forbes was not a major receiver of funds, but has kept the $2,000 from the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, $1,000 from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and $1,000 from the Tigua Indian Reservation.

U.S. Rep Charles H. Taylor (R-NC)

Over several years, Taylor's campaign received approximately $3,000 total in donations from now convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, his firm, and one of his clients. Several editorials in the Asheville Citizen-Times have called on Taylor to explain his relationship with Abramoff, which he has so far chosen not to do, other than to claim he did nothing wrong and wasn't going to give up the money he received from Abramoff.