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Abramoff on Corruption on Capitol Hill

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    Ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff on his new book and corruption on Capitol Hill.

  • Duration 6:09
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While back to follow the money jacket -- became the poster child for the corruption and money in our nation's capital.

Plead guilty to fraud and bribery went to jail for it.

Now he's out and taking blasts that the whole system in some big DC names.

His new book capital punishment jacket -- joins me now -- For those who don't understand what happened you're alive issue are very very -- influential.

You would make deals with congress people.

Told -- Well.

I was lobbyists like 181000.

Others in Washington and four point.

And my -- group who worked for me we try to influence members to support the issues we were.

Active on and as we get to meet them and get to know than their staff.

And socialize with them and get the access and and we try to convince them.

Based on the merits usually of our case to support our clients -- on the merits or -- at times based on.

Well I buy them I think the provisions were more to create the access in the relationship.

I've really never encountered a congressman who would change of I'm sure that there I just never -- based on getting.

Money or favors -- things like that it's mainly there to provide the axis is bad enough that that's the case but it's not quite the other -- that it's.

-- so Bob -- the Republican went to jail also spent some time for for the influence that -- -- traded with with you.

Our other congress people announce a sixty minutes interview with PC unit influence within a -- hundred.

Congressional offices are there other congressman or are nervous about about the book about you -- and he's speaking management's.

Well they've they've been dismantled but whatever action director for the book came out when it was leaked to the -- -- Press -- folks.

There apparently was quite a lot of scurrying about both in the senate a lot of denial people don't want to go through what I've been through.

Owning up to what they do what they did and -- the system -- and so I think there's -- there's some nervousness there.

Now I have to ask you I'm sure everyone of our audience members wants to know.

You want to name anyone else there hasn't been named her -- by I think pretty much everybody is in my book I -- name a number of members in the book.

Who participated in.

Are lobbying efforts and support of our clients we provided funds.

We raise money for.

Well over a hundred members probably 300 plus members a hundred of which were probably very close to.

And there is some visceral reaction on their part to being name right.

In you should that you your Republican in Bure.

Lobbying efforts were within Republicans does that made logical sense from my personal I personally didn't lobby Democrats I Democrats who worked for -- us.

-- -- Democrats I was and a believer that Republicans should laundry democrats' vice Versa.

Mainly because my belief was that the issues we asked for should be philosophically consistent with our approach.

So -- but my firm we lobbied both Republicans and Democrats -- It's let's give give -- it's a sense of how big atlas what kind of money was structuring hands.

Well in terms of contributions and or teaser.

Both.

Probably over the years I charged.

Provided benefits that we added up to in the billions of dollars.

And -- saving them from taxation were settling issues for them big time -- yeah money -- we're out of influenced a lot of money changed.

How you -- Well.

What happened was the the media that -- wrote an article about me in about my practice.

And then and quickly in the wake some of the congressman senators who weren't exactly allies.

Called for an investigation and -- subpoenaed all my emails I was a prolific email writer I -- 850000.

Emails.

Over the course of time -- -- 150 you know I I was addicted to my crackberry you know much like -- at that point and and I worked six days a week but I work -- morning hours a day.

And stadium sir in your bookie viewpoint -- you call us now let's call it trash speakers Newt Gingrich is at the time.

He called too arrogant when -- well I think he's very Brent has amazing solutions and big ideas.

But my interactions with him and I think this is true for a lot of people were that he's he's XP.

For whatever reason comes off -- very arrogant and very difficult to deal with.

When he has an idea he sets his mind to it and was not flexible whether he's change or not since then -- are now.

All right -- bush spent four years -- that we did just under you know.

Where -- okay so there you -- it's it's huge is big scandal breaks wide open you go away -- -- goes away.

It becomes public you come out four years later.

Anything change in DC.

Well I I think.

Things change on the margins things change on the edges nothing really changes.

It's the same thing even the night I was.

I went to get sentence I'd -- in prison for 22 months before they brought me for sentencing.

In DC.

And that night they were doing big fundraising events similar to and I did it's important though I heard you speak his second number where it's what I saw that you said you can't buy a guy a 25 dollar cheeseburger.

But you could what bring into a fund -- and the check for 25000 books yes the difference.

Well it's actually far worse -- what's possible the fact that I can't take a congressman and buy him a 25 dollar whatever state whether it is.

But I can -- -- down and had that stake in -- so by the way here's a check or your series of checks is worth a thousand dollars because it's moved into a different category.

The problem is the way the rules are written they were the written by guys who want the rules to be like that.

So that's the issue.

Write the book is called capital punishment by the way a fantastic name for book it's its interest -- it's provocative it's sexy it's scary it's everything wrapped up from one.

Jack -- thank you for joining us -- for having me.

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