McCain's Abramoff Linked Fundraiser Nets $1.75 Million

ATLANTA — John McCain raised more than $1.75 million for Republicans Monday at a fundraiser that became high profile after a political operative connected to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff promoted it.

The event was promoted by Ralph Reed, former head of the Christian Coalition. McCain's campaign said it was organized by the Republican National Committee _ not Reed, who was linked to the Abramoff scandal that McCain investigated in the Senate.

McCain didn't note the issue during his 22-minute appearance. Instead, he thanked donors to the Republicans' umbrella campaign fund.

"Everybody in this room could be someplace else," the Arizona senator told the crowd of several hundred. "Everybody in this room could be donating to some other cause or to their own well-being. But I want to thank you."

Reed was not seen inside the hotel ballroom; a McCain campaign spokeswoman said he did not attend. But Democrat Barack Obama's rival presidential campaign sought to make him an issue, asking how much Reed-linked money was raised or would be kept by McCain's campaign.

"Faced with the embarrassing prospect of holding a fundraiser with one of Jack Abramoff's closest associates, the McCain campaign scrambled today to scratch Ralph Reed from tonight's program, but voters deserve to know the answers to the real questions raised by Reed's involvement," Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

"If the McCain campaign won't return the money Reed has raised for them, then voters should rightly ask why it matters that Reed didn't show up at tonight's event. The real question isn't why Reed isn't showing up, but why a so-called reformer would invite him at all."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week that Reed said he had agreed to be on the Republicans' "Victory 2008 Team." In a follow-up statement to reporters, he said he has no position in the McCain campaign.

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Reed did not return telephone calls Monday seeking comment.

A Republican National Committee spokesman accused Obama's campaign of hypocrisy.

"Before the Obama campaign launches attacks, they should stop and think about the amount of money that has been raised through convicted criminal and longtime fundraiser Tony Rezko," Danny Diaz said, invoking an Obama associate who was convicted of squeezing illegal payoffs out of companies that sought to do business with the state of Illinois.

"It takes a lot of audacity for Obama and his spokespeople to criticize John McCain when Obama was involved in a questionable home purchase with Rezko's wife and years of friendship and dealings with a man convicted of wire and mail fraud, money laundering, and aiding and abetting bribery."

Obama was not implicated, charged or call to testify in the case.

Rezko has raised money for Obama's campaigns in Illinois, money Obama since has donated to charity. He also advised Obama on the purchase of a new Chicago home and, in his wife's name, bought a vacant lot next door to the Obama home when the seller wanted to unload both properties at the same time. Rezko then sold a piece of the property to Obama.

McCain adviser Mark Salter said Reed sent the messages on his own and did not coordinate with the campaign.

McCain, when he was chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, led an investigation into Abramoff's dealings with Indian tribes, which included information about his ties to Reed.

A House investigative committee in 2006 concluded that Reed interceded with the Bush White House to help some of Abramoff's clients. Reed's public relations firm also received $4.2 million from Abramoff to mobilize Christian voters to fight the opening of casinos that could compete with Abramoff's Indian tribe clients.

Reed later said he regretted the actions, which contributed to his 2006 Republican primary loss in a bid to be Georgia's lieutenant governor. Abramoff went to prison for conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion.

McCain's campaign noted that he endorsed Reed's rival during the primary.

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On the Net:

McCain: http://www.johnmccain.com

Comments

[8yearsoffear]

The same dumb people who voted for Bush are now voting for Mc Cain! They have learned nothing from their mistakes and are doomed to be ignorant fo life. Stupid is as stupid does!

[Grannysue]

Like Birds of a feather, crooks stick together!

[loax]

McCain has his thugs hidden - my God he is a phoney, but sure will take money. To onlry raise 1.75 million should be a concern to the RNC There is a good chance Georgia will be going blue this year!

[CindyM2008]

I'm sure the Mc Cainiac point trollers will come on here towith their tsk tsks, say how allll that money could be used for world causes and suggest that Mc Cain donate that money to the poor.

[kristycu]

I like how the RNC keeps using the same old attacks even after they have been debunked- like they don't even pay attention- this whole Tony rezko deal has been debunked by several sources and they act like they don't get those memos. just like Mccain brought up something about Obama that happened last year or earlier that year that every body agreed was false, or more recently the tire guage thing after mccain even admitted it was a good idea he still went on about it. about the Rezko thing- if this is the only real shady character in Obama's life then he is way ahead of the game considering the People the RNC and MCCain (keating 5) deal with on a regular basis including people to this day

[Norsky]

The thought process on the Republican side is that if you keep repeating a lie long enough, people will believe it is the truth. Think about it. The same tactic time after time. The scary part is that it seems to work with a part of the population that is too lazy to think for themselves.

Oh, if I only had a million dollars. Then I could by myself a senator, as this one is surely for sale.

[gladys46]

This is one of the more horrific republican candidates ever in my lifetime!! McCain is neck-deep in corruption, obviously!!! He continues in his dirty attempts to destroy Obama's character when his own is more than questionable!

MSM ought to give the American people more truth about McCain, surely "truth" is not biased.

McCain owes John Lewis a public apology for his unchristainlike, misleading statements using a "hero" (that he has no relationship with) as mere pander bait!!

Not only is McCain unacceptable presidential material .... he does not fit in a church!!

[bwither]

He couldn't even break $2 million? The other day Obama held a fund raiser the other day and almost collected $8 million.

All Obama needs to do is push through the next week or so- while McCain mad dashes to spend the primary money he has left over before the convention- and then black him out on the airwaves.

[gladys46]

True.

[alguien]

to be fair, there were 3 fundraisers that day when he collect 8 million but it's still an average of more than 2 million per event.

[LeawoodKansas]

Maverick and Ralph Reed?

As my kids say ... it just makes you want to rrrralph.

[ObamaSebelius]

CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS didn't even mention this yesterday, so once agin, he going to get away with it. I hope not, but my gut tells me he won't see any recussions.

[DaOne]

or repercussions even :)