REMINDER: HAYWORTH SECRET ABRAMOFF TRUST FUND DONORS TO BE REVEALED TOMORROW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Brian Rogers
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
(602) 604-2010

REMINDER: HAYWORTH SECRET ABRAMOFF TRUST FUND DONORS TO BE REVEALED TOMORROW

PHOENIX, AZ — With Congressman Hayworth having publicly promised on three occasions to reveal the donors to his Secret Abramoff Trust Fund tomorrow, Thursday, April 15th, U.S. Senator John McCain’s re-election campaign today released the following statement:


 
“Congressman Hayworth has publicly promised that tomorrow, Thursday, April 15th, he will reveal who’s funding his Secret Abramoff Trust Fund – the trust he set up to have others pay his legal bills
stemming from his involvement with convicted felon lobbyist Jack
Abramoff.



“Congressman Hayworth’s involvement in the Abramoff scandal represents Washington at its worst. The fact that Congressman Hayworth has refused to disclose who’s paying the hundreds of thousands in legal bills he racked up from that scandal only raises more questions and Arizonans deserve to know the complete truth.
 


“Since Congressman Hayworth knows that as a candidate for Senate, he will eventually have to disclose the details of his Secret Abramoff Trust Fund, it is curious that he has yet to release this information. Are high-dollar donors to the trust pressuring Congressman Hayworth to keep their names secret?

Is Congressman Hayworth afraid of the negative press he might receive after certain donors to the trust are revealed? Or, after
failing to meet his highly publicized March fundraising goal, and engaging in a desperate and ill-fated attempt to steal candidate Jim Deakin’s ballot petitions signatures, does Congressman Hayworth have reason to believe that he will not be on the August primary ballot after all?

These important questions can only be answered when Congressman Hayworth releases all the details of his Secret Abramoff Trust Fund.
 


“If Congressman Hayworth fails to meet his self-imposed deadline for releasing this information tomorrow, it will only raise more questions about who is paying the Congressman’s legal bills, who has benefited financially from the trust, and whether he can be trusted by the people of Arizona.” – McCain 2010 Communications Director Brian Rogers

FACT CHECK: Congressman Hayworth Has Publicly Promised On Three Separate Occasions To Release The Donors To His Secret Abramoff Trust Fund By April 15:

PROMISE #1: In March, A Hayworth Spokesman Told The Hill That Hayworth Would Release The Names Of The Donors To The FIT Trust “At The Same Time Its First-Quarter Fundraising Numbers Are Due, April 15.”

“In a statement released by the McCain campaign Wednesday, former Bush Cabinet Secretary (and Arizona native) Mary Peters called for Hayworth to make a “full and prompt disclosure of the contributions, expenditures and debts” of his trust. … Hayworth’s campaign said it has already pledged to release the names of the donors. A Hayworth spokesman said Wednesday it plans to do so at the same time its first-quarter fundraising numbers are due, April 15.” (By Sean J. Miller, “McCain Campaign Pushes Ties Between Hayworth, Abramoff,” The Hill, 3/4/10)

PROMISE #2: That Same Month, Hayworth Spokesman Jason Rose Told The Arizona Republic That The FIT Trust Donors Would Be Released In Conjunction With Hayworth’s First Quarter Fundraising Report On April 15.

“Hayworth indicated late last year that he intended to release the donor names if he eventually got into the Senate race. Spokesman Jason Rose said that is still the case but the goal now is to disclose the donor details in conjunction with Hayworth's first-quarter campaign fundraising report, which is due to the Federal Election Commission by April 15.” (Dan Nowicki, “McCain Wants Hayworth To Reveal Donors For Legal Bills,” The Arizona Republic, 3/8/10)

PROMISE #3: Just Two Weeks Ago, Hayworth Campaign Manager David Payne Told The Arizona Daily Star That The Donors Of The FIT Trust Would Be Released By April 15.

“McCain continued to urge Hayworth to release the names of donors who helped him clear his legal debt related to a justice investigation into Hayworth’s connection with lobbyist Jack Abramoff. [Hayworth’s campaign manager David] Payne said that report ‘will be filed at the appropriate time,’ but added he expects those names to be released by April 15, when the first quarter fundraising report is due.” (Rhonda Bodfield, “McCain, Hayworth And The Race For Funds,” Arizona Daily Star’s “Pueblo Politics” Blog, 3/31/10)

FACT CHECK: Congressman Hayworth Has Advocated Full Transparency And Disclosure Of His Relationship With Jack Abramoff:

When Asked About His Relationship With Abramoff During A 2006 Fox News Interview, Hayworth Claimed He Had "Nothing To Hide" And That "Sunlight Is The Best Disinfectant."

FOX NEWS’ JOHN GIBSON: JD, next segment is about the ethics scandal on Capitol Hill and Jack Abramoff. Now, you have got 60 some-odd thousand from him. I suppose you have returned it by now. What is your cure to this problem? I'm going to have Democrats yelling.”

J.D. HAYWORTH: Well, I understand that. And I saw the tease earlier. Honest leadership from the Democrats, that is kind of like jumbo shrimp. Listen, the bottom line is this, Mr. Justice Brandeis was right, sunlight is the best disinfectant. … I have done nothing wrong, I have nothing to hide. And I think sunlight is the best disinfectant.” (Fox News’ “The Big Story,” 1/18/06)

Watch Congressman Hayworth’s appearance on Fox News here

FACT CHECK: For More Than 43 Days, The McCain Campaign Has Repeatedly Asked Congressman Hayworth To Release The Donors To His Secret Abramoff Trust:

On March 1, Former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley First Asked Congressman Hayworth To Reveal Names Of Donors, Amounts Contributed, Expenditures And Other Key Information Regarding Secret Abramoff Trust.

“Ex-Congressman J.D. Hayworth has always advocated full transparency in campaign contributions, and today he should live up to his rhetoric. Mr. Hayworth should immediately order his FIT Trust, the trust set up to pay off the hundreds of thousands of dollars he owes his lawyers for his involvement with convicted felon Jack Abramoff, to release the names of all contributors to the trust and the dollar amounts given, as well as the total amount he was obligated to pay his lawyers and any current balance owed. Arizonans need to be assured that Mr. Abramoff and his associates have not been contributing to pay off Mr. Hayworth's legal fees. Now is the time for Mr. Hayworth to come clean.” (“Statement By Former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley,” Press Release, 3/1/10)

On March 3, The McCain Campaign Released A Web Video Calling On Congressman Hayworth To Disclose The Donors To His FIT Trust.

“U.S. Senator John McCain’s re-election campaign today released a new web video, called ‘Storm,’ calling on ex-Congressman J.D. Hayworth to disclose the donors to his FIT Trust, the trust set up to pay his legal bills stemming from his involvement with the convicted felon lobbyist Jack Abramoff.” (John McCain 2010, “McCain 2010 Campaign Releases New Web Video, ‘Storm,’” Press Release, 3/3/10)

Watch the McCain 2010 web video “Storm” here

On March 8, The McCain Campaign Released A Follow-Up Video, Again Calling On Congressman Hayworth To Disclose The Donors To His FIT Trust.

“U.S. Senator John McCain’s re-election campaign today released a new web video, called ‘Storm Rising,’ in the wake of today’s front-page article in The Arizona Republic chronicling ex-Congressman J.D. Hayworth’s continued refusal to disclose the donors to his FIT Trust, the trust set up to pay his legal bills stemming from his involvement with the convicted felon lobbyist Jack Abramoff. …

John McCain 2010 campaign Communications Director Brian Rogers issued the following statement on today’s Arizona Republic report and the release of the new web video: …

‘It’s past-time for Mr. Hayworth to come clean with the people of Arizona and release the donors to his secret Abramoff trust fund.’” (John McCain 2010, “McCain 2010 Campaign Releases Latest Web Video, ‘Storm Rising,’” Press Release, 3/8/10)

Watch the McCain 2010 web video “Storm Rising” here

FACT CHECK: Congressman Hayworth Was The #1 Recipient Of Abramoff-Related Campaign Contributions, Reportedly Receiving As Much As $150,000:

According To The Center for Responsive Politics, Hayworth Was The #1 Recipient Of Contributions Related To Jack Abramoff Among Members Of Congress, Taking More Than $100,000 From Abramoff-Related Interests. “According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a research group in Washington that monitors the influence of money in politics, Mr. Hayworth was the largest single Congressional recipient of donations from Mr. Abramoff and his family, his associates, his Indian tribe clients and a gambling cruise ship line that he owned, with more than $101,000 going to Mr. Hayworth and his political action committee since 1999.” (Philip Shenon, “In Congress, A Lobbyist's Legal Troubles Turn His Generosity Into A Burden,” The New York Times, 12/19/05)

Hayworth Admitted To Accepting $150,000 From Abramoff-Related Interests Over A Seven-Year Period.

“[Hayworth Chief of Staff Joe] Eule said the total is $150,000 over a seven-year period, but wherever that places Hayworth in the rankings is immaterial.” (Jon Kamman and Billy House, “Hayworth Will Keep Tribal Gifts Despite Scandal,” The Arizona Republic, 12/23/05)

Hayworth Accepted At Least $64,520 From Abramoff And His Clients Between 2001-2004. “Hayworth got about $64,520… in Abramoff-related donations between 2001 and 2004.” (John Solomon and Sharon Theimer, “Lawmakers Helped Tribes; Took Donations From Indian Clients of Lobbyist Abramoff,” The Associated Press, 11/25/05)

FACT CHECK: Congressman Hayworth Held Five Fundraisers At Abramoff’s Sports Skyboxes, But Failed To Report Them To the Federal Election Commission (FEC) As Required By Law, Until Media Organizations Started Asking Questions:

Hayworth’s Campaign Committee Failed Five Times To Disclose, As Required By Law, That Abramoff And His Tribal Clients Had Provided Sports Skyboxes For Hayworth To Hold Political Fundraisers.

“U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth's campaign committee failed five times to disclose that a lobbyist or his Indian tribe clients provided sports skyboxes used by the Arizona congressman for political fund-raisers several years ago. Hayworth's chief of staff, Joe Eule, said this week that Hayworth thought the boxes, used as an enjoyable setting for donors to gather and give financial support, were turned over to the congressman by two tribes, not a lobbyist now under federal investigation. Eule said that neither he nor Hayworth had any contact with lobbyist Jack Abramoff regarding the skyboxes and that Hayworth had met Abramoff only once or twice elsewhere. Hayworth did not respond to a request for an interview. Whether Abramoff or the tribes provided the luxury boxes, food and drinks, the value of letting Hayworth use them should have been reported under campaign-finance laws, Eule acknowledged.” (Jon Kamman, “Hayworth Didn’t Report Value of Skybox Gifts,” The Arizona Republic, 12/29/04)

Only When The Washington Post And Other Media Organizations Started Asking Questions Did Hayworth Disclose The Use Of The Skyboxes And Reimburse The Abramoff Clients, The Chitimacha And Choctaw Indian Tribes.

“Hayworth, Doolittle, and Ney were allowed free use of Abramoff’s sports skyboxes for fund-raisers held as long ago as 1999. They didn’t declare the value of the accommodations until records surfaced in ongoing U.S. Senate and criminal investigations of suspected exploitation by the lobbyist in charging six Indian tribes $82 million for representation.” (Jon Kamman, “Hayworth, 2 Others Account for Skyboxes,” The Arizona Republic, 5/10/05)

FACT CHECK: Congressman Hayworth Wrote Letter To The US Department Of Interior Lobbying On Behalf Of And Abramoff Client – The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Of Michigan:

Hayworth Lobbied The US Department Of The Interior On Behalf Of The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Of Michigan – An Abramoff Client. “More than a dozen members of Congress intervened to help Indian tribes win federal school construction money while accepting political donations from the tribes, their lobbyist Jack Abramoff or his firm. … Most wrote letters that pressed a reluctant Bush administration to renew a program that provided tribes federal money for building schools. Others worked the congressional budget process to ensure it happened, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press …

One of Abramoff's client tribes, the Mississippi Choctaw, was using the program, and his team was lobbying furiously to extend it for other tribal clients, including the Saginaw Chippewa of Michigan. The Saginaw prevailed the next year …

Another letter, according to Abramoff's e-mails, came from Hayworth and Michigan Rep. Dale Kildee, who run a congressional group on tribal issues. Hayworth got about $64,520 and Kildee $10,500 in Abramoff-related donations between 2001 and 2004.” (John Solomon and Sharon Theimer, “Lawmakers Helped Tribes; Took Donations from Indian Clients of Lobbyist Abramoff,” The Associated Press, 11/25/05)