DNC: Abramoff Documents As Incomplete As A Half Full Skybox

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=65589

DNC: Abramoff Documents As Incomplete As A Half Full Skybox

WASHINGTON, May 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Democratic National Committee Press Office:

This evening, Secret Service documents detailing White House visits made by convicted Republican superlobbyist Jack Abramoff, were obtained by Judicial Watch after it won a US District Court ruling last month. However, the "Secret Service records made public Wednesday show just two White House visits in the past five years by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff." (AP, 5/10/06) This record is clearly incomplete, as the White House has acknowledged that Abramoff attended a number of meetings with White House staff, a few holiday receptions and has appeared in photos with President Bush attending at least one event with his clients.

"It is clear that these records are incomplete and do not detail the full extent of Abramoff and his associates' access to the Bush White House," said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. "What is this White House hiding? The Bush Administration needs to quit stonewalling and tell the American people how many times convicted former Republican superlobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates visited the White House and with whom they met. Abramoff and his associates are central figures in the Republican scandals in which policy outcomes were traded for political cash, and influence peddling. The American people deserve the truth, not stonewalling about the Republican culture of corruption."

The DNC also filed a lawsuit this week asking for more comprehensive records related to Abramoff and his associates. The DNC's lawsuit seeks the release of all other documents requested in its January 30, 2006, FOIA request, including Secret Service records detailing the entry and exit to and from the White House Complex between January 20, 2001 and May 12, 2005 for Abramoff, Grover Norquist, Ralph Reed, Patrick Pizzella, Michael Scanlon and David Safavian.