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“People who have more money should be free to buy more cars, more homes, more vacations, and more gizmos than the rest of us. They should not be able to buy more democracy." -Bill Moyers |
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For Release: January 31, 2006 WATCHDOG CALLS ON PRESIDENT TO RELEASE PIONEER FUNDRAISING INFO Seeks Source of Contributions From Pioneers Ken Lay, Jack Abramoff, Brent Wilkes, Others President Bush should use tonight's State of the Union address to come clean on all his dealings with Pioneer fundraisers Jack Abramoff, Ken Lay, Brent Wilkes, and others, according to nonpartisan campaign watchdog TheRestofUs.org. "The President cannot discuss the state of the Union without a frank discussion of corruption in the nation's capital," said Ned Wigglesworth, analyst for TheRestofUs.org. "And that cannot take place without the President fully disclosing the extent of the relationship he and members of his Administration have had with Jack Abramoff, Ken Lay, and other Bush Pioneer fundraisers." To date, the Bush White House has refused to reveal or release the following information related to Pioneers: (1) the ostensible source for campaign contributions funneled through Bush Pioneers and Rangers; (2) any contacts the Administration's Energy Task Force had with Ken Lay and other executives of energy companies; (3) any meetings between Jack Abramoff and President Bush, Karl Rove, or other members of the Administration; and (4) photographs of Jack Abramoff with President Bush. The stonewalling by the nation's chief executive has to stop before the American public can regain confidence that their government is not for sale, said the watchdog group. "President Bush's refusal to release information on his dealings with Jack Abramoff is just the latest in a long line of stonewalling efforts by the White House," said Derek Cressman, analyst for TheRestofUs.org. "The American public has a right to candor from our President, including a statement of whether Jack Abramoff's campaign contributions bought access within the Administration and whether any of those contributions were illegal." The watchdog also released a letter sent today to Attorney General Albert Gonzales extending its earlier request for an investigation into Brent Wilkes' bundled contributions to Bush to all Bush Pioneers who have either pleaded guilty or been indicted or convicted on charges of fraud, corruption, or other election law violations.
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Letter to Justice Department requesting investigation and audit of Bush and Edwards fundraisers and bundling fundraising programs
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