Today's Associated Press article tying Sen. Harry Reid to lobbyist Jack Abramoff relied on billing records that a former Abramoff associate says are highly questionable. The article also implied that the senator helped pass Abramoff-supported minimum wage legislation. Reid, in fact, opposed Abramoff's bill.

The article points to 20 alleged contacts between Sen. Reid's staff and a lobbyist at Greenberg-Traurig named Ronald Platt. It bases those contacts on billing records kept by Abramoff and his staff.

When contacted by the Huffington Post, Platt called into question the veracity of those billing records. "It is extremely doubtful to me that I made 20 entries to Reid's office," Platt said.

"The control of those bills were in Mr. Abramoff's hands. I don't think we should believe that what he does is accurate at this point."

The contacts between Abramoff lobbyists and Reid's office regarded a bill to increase the minimum wage in the Marianas Islands. Abramoff's clients opposed the increase. Sen. Reid on the other hand supported it: he cosponsored a bill to increase it.

Though the Associated Press article details Ronald Platt's contacts with Reid's office about the minimum wage bill, it does not mention that Reid supported the increase. Instead, it implies that Abramoff pressured Reid into opposing the legislation.

Columnist and blogger Josh Marshall first spoke to Ronald Platt today and asked him whether Reid had taken action against the minimum wage bill.

"I'm sure he didn't. I didn't ask Reid to intervene," Platt said. "I don't think anyone else would have asked. And I'm sure he didn't."

In his conversation with the Huffington Post, Platt also noted that the Associated Press reporter never attempted to interview him for the story.

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