Rove tied to Malaysian-Bush visit
Abramoff reportedly called adviser to get leader into Oval Office
By Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten, Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times; staff writer Stephen Braun contributed
Published February 15, 2006
WASHINGTON -- When the government of Malaysia sought to repair its tarnished image in the U.S. by arranging a meeting between President Bush and its controversial prime minister in 2002, it called on lobbyist Jack Abramoff for help.
It was a tall order. A few years earlier, the prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, had been chastised by the Clinton administration for making anti-Semitic statements and jailing political opponents. But it was important to the Malaysians to get a meeting with Bush, according to an Abramoff associate who attended meetings with the Malaysian ambassador and Abramoff.
Abramoff contacted presidential adviser Karl Rove on at least four occasions to help arrange a meeting, according to an eyewitness to the activities.
Finally, this former associate said, Rove's office called to tell Abramoff personally that the Malaysian leader would get an official White House invitation. In May 2002, Mahathir met with Bush in the Oval Office.
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