Both Blogging for Bryant and Conservatives for Corker have now resorted to lying about Congressman Harold Ford Jr. in a systematic effort to divert attention from the question of whether they have ever accepted any money or gifts from Jack Abramoff or any of his dirty associates.On Thursday, Ford issued a release in which he called on his Republican opponents to donate to charity, "any and all contributions they have ever received from corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates."
However, instead of coming clean and disclosing what Jack Abramoff and his associates have given them, the Ed Bryant and the Bob Corker camps have went into desperation mode and are attempting to spin the issue on its head and mislead voters by lying about Congressman Ford.
They claim that donations made by Edward Ayoob, Alan Slomowitz, Stephanie Short and Michael D. Smith are all dirty just because they work at the same firm Abramoff worked for.
The truth is, not one of those individuals have been charged with any wrongdoing in relationship to the Jack Abramoff scandal.
Put simply, each of them are clean.
If we are applying the same guilt by association game that the Republicans are in this instance, that would mean all the employees at Enron are guilty just as their boss Ken Lay is.
That is simply absurd and a titanc leap of judgement.
The cards simply do not add up for the Republicans here. It is clear they are desperate to try to find any dirt on Congressman Ford, but tying him to four innocent people who happen to work with Abramoff, simply is not going to cut it.
This is yet another example of how the Republican candidates in this U.S. Senate race try to lie and spin their way out of things, instead of answering the questions truthfully that have been asked of them.
We know Van Hilleary accepted over $18,000 from Jack Abramoff and his tribes. We also know that Van insists on not returning any of the dirty money he received from Abramoff and the tribes.
However, what we do not know is whether Ed Bryant or Bob Corker received any money or gifts from Abramoff and/or his dirty associates. They continue to stonewall on this issue, so guilt has to be assumed.
They act as if accepting money from corrupt a corrupt person such as Jack Abramoff would be totally out of character for them.
However, we know that not to be the case.
Over the years they have accepted tens of thousands of dollars in donations from corrupt people such as Tom Delay and John Gregory.
So their act of innocence must end. They hands are already dirty.
Finally, once again, I call on Ed Bryant, Bob Corker, and Van Hilleary to each issue a full disclosure of any and all ties they have to Jack Abramoff and/or his dirty associates.
I also call on each of them to answer the following questions:
1) Did you (Bryant, Corker, or Hilleary) ever attend a fundraiser at the Signatures restaurant in Washington D.C.?
2) Did you ever accept any travel money from Abramoff and/or his dirty associates?
3) Did you ever try to help Abramoff and/or his dirty associates in any way while in public office?
4) Did you ever meet with Abramoff and/or his dirty associates to talk about legislation pending in Congress or any other deals on the state level that could benefit him or his accomplices?
These are serious questions that must be answered truthfully and in a timely manner. The longer the Republicans stonewall and refuse to come clean about their actions and associations with Jack Abramoff and his dirty associates, the worse they look.
As conservative blogger Adam Groves said back in November regarding this issue, "the Democrats are the ones with the matches in their hands."
The sooner Ed Bryant, Bob Corker, and Van Hilleary realize that, the better.
Update: Still, the Republicans are trying to divert from the real issue at hand. The truth of the matter is, no one named Jack Abramoff or a tribe connected to Jack Abramoff has ever given to Harold Ford Jr.
Those are the facts.
Related: Read Congressman Ford's package of reforms that would put an end to many of the actions that resulted in the Abramoff situation here!
