Democrats Who Gave Tainted Abramoff's Money Back to Charities

Seems like many Liberals are under-going massive denials such as Howard Dean who said with a straight face on CNN that no Democrats took Abramoff's money:

There are no Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, not one, not one single Democrat. Every person named in this scandal is a Republican. Every person under investigation is a Republican. Every person indicted is a Republican. This is a Republican finance scandal. There is no evidence that Jack Abramoff ever gave any Democrat any money. And we've looked through all of those FEC reports to make sure that's true.

One small problem. Many Democrats as of late have been announcing publicly the return of Abramoff's tainted money that was given to them (directly, indirectly, or what have yous under their names) by donating the tainted money to charities. Read below the list of Democrat names of those who returned all, some or none of it back the tainted money of Abramoff's. (note - I will add more URL links later on...errands to do for the moment. I have the links...just wait til I get back). Use the info I've collected so far and distribute them far and wide.

Now, a question to ya'll. Why are Democrats dumping money with the name Abramoff associated with it from their coffers with their names on them to charities? If true what Howard Dean says, then Democrats shouldn't be worried at all. But they are. Very much so. It's a hot potato time.

See the list of very worried Democrats with their Abramoff's hot potato money and see how they got rid of it or not. Or some of it.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT): returned about $19K in Abramoff-connected donations, including use of Abramoff's MCI Center skybox (AP, 12/19).

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) will donate $2K to a charity in NY. "To ensure that there is no question of any connection with Mr. Abramoff, Friends of Hillary will contribute the total of $2,000 to a New York charity," Clinton spokeswoman Ann Lewis said in a statement.

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND): donated $3.75K.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) will return $500

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR): returning tainted the $1500 money to charity (Corvallis Gazette Times)

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) returned $67K in Abramoff-connected tribal donations (Bismarck Tribune, 12/14).

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL): donating $11K from Abramoff-related money to two Chicago-area groups that serve Native Americans (MSNBC).

Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL): said he'd donate $2K he received from an Abramoff-connected tribe to the Community Caring Conf. of Rock Island (Salon)

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) will return $1K.

Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA) will return $1K. (AP, 1/5)

Holden expressed a similar sentiment, and noted the $1,000 he got from an Abramoff-associated tribe in 2002 equaled the amount his opponent got from a
different Abramoff-related tribe.

"I don't know anything about them, but to avoid any appearance of impropriety I'm going to give it to charity," Holden said in a telephone interview.

Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD): donating $8.25K to org. that "helps Native Americans" (AP 1/5).

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) will return $2K from tribes according to her spokesperson.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD): donated $5K to American Indian College Fund (AP, 1/5).

Rep Charles Rangel (D) - received $36,000, donates $2000 of it to the Boys Choir of Harlem - (NY Post)

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA): giving $17,000 in out-of-state tribal donations to an Indian charity. (Seattle Weekly 1/11/2006).

Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA): received $5K from the Abramoff-connected MS Band of Choctaw and Chitimacha Tribe of LA. Spokesperson Christine Hanson: "Jay did not know Abramoff. The money was not given to him by Abramoff. This had nothing to do with Abramoff -- none of it" (AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/5).

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) will not return the $42.5K "he took from tribes" repped by Abramoff. Kennedy's CoS: "He's proud to have their support. He's got direct personal relationships with tribes." (AP, 1/5)

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR): spokesperson said she had no dealings with Abramoff and "sees no need" to return her $2K from a MS tribe (Barton, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA): received over $40K in contributions from "out-of state Indian tribes" represented by Abramoff, but her spokesperson said she "had no intention of returning the money or donating it to charity." Murray "does not know" Abramoff. Spokesperson Alex Glass: "What we've seen throughout her career is she is a strong advocate for tribal sovereignty and tribal issues, and that's why tribes give to her" (AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/5).

Min Ldr Harry Reid(D-NV): said he has "no plans" to return about $61K in money from Abramoff's tribal clients. Spokesperson Tessa Hafen: "He's done nothing wrong and sees no reason why he owuld need to donate it" (Reno Gazette-Journal, 1/5).

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR): received $1K from Abramoff-connected Saginaw tribe, spokesperson said he "would not return the money" (AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/5).