CLICK HERE TO SEE NEW McCAIN TV AD "CORRUPT POLITICIAN"!
PHOENIX, AZ – U.S. Senator John McCain’s re-election campaign today released a new television ad, “Corrupt Politician.” The ad examines Congressman J.D. Hayworth’s close ties to convicted felon lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Hayworth was the top recipient of Abramoff-related money among Members of Congress.
Watch New McCain 2010 TV Ad, “Corrupt Politician”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh__3UYriKY
Upon release of the new ad, McCain 2010 Communications Director Brian Rogers made the following statement:
“Congressman Hayworth is a corrupt politician who did favors for convicted felon Jack Abramoff. After Hayworth was voted out of
office, he became a Washington lobbyist and starred in an infomercial for a shady company that cheated people out of their money. Congressman Hayworth is not fit to serve in the United States Senate.”
-- McCain 2010 Communications Director Brian Rogers
FACT CHECK: McCAIN 2010 TV AD, “CORRUPT POLITICIAN”
Congressman Hayworth Did Favors For Jack Abramoff And His Friends, And Was A Target In The Justice Department’s Investigation Into Abramoff:
Hayworth Worked With Abramoff Associate Kevin Ring To Pass An Amendment That Benefitted One Of Ring’s Clients, Even As Abramoff And His Team Were Under Investigation By Sen. McCain And The Senate Indian Affairs Committee. “Lobbyist Kevin A. Ring sat silently as Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) displayed e-mails and canceled checks to support allegations that Ring and lobbyist Jack Abramoff inflated fees and concocted invoices to defraud their client, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. … Ring is one of more than a dozen lobbyists who were members of ‘Team Abramoff,’ the tight-knit group who worked under Abramoff when he was at the lobbying helm of the Washington office of Greenberg Traurig LLP and, before that, Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds LLP. … For the Choctaws, Ring has tried to win support for an amendment by Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) that would exempt tribal casinos from labor laws on the grounds that the tribes are sovereign governments. … According to records obtained by The Post, Ring last month coordinated with Hayworth’s office on a letter to members of Congress from Choctaw Chief Phillip Martin seeking support for the tribal labor amendment.” (James V. Grimaldi, “Lobbyists, Clients Undeterred By Scandal,” The Washington Post, 6/26/05)
Ring Was Later Arrested, But In October 2009 The Judge In His Case Declared A Mistrial “After Jurors Deadlocked On Charges That [Ring] Lavished Meals And Concert Tickets On Public Officials In The Hope Of Illegally Influencing Them.”
“A federal judge declared a mistrial Thursday in the prosecution of former lobbyist Kevin Ring after jurors deadlocked on charges that he lavished meals and concert tickets on public officials in the hope of illegally influencing them. After hearing testimony for four weeks at the District's federal court, jurors deliberated for eight days but could not reach a verdict on any of the eight charges of conspiracy, providing an illegal gratuity or honest services fraud. Federal prosecutors indicated they would seek another trial.” (Del Quentin Wilber, “Abramoff Associate's Fraud Case Ends In Mistrial As Jury Deadlocks,” The Washington Post, 10/16/09)
Ring Is Currently Being Re-Tried, With A Judge Ruling Just Four Days Ago That The Prosecution Against Him Can Continue. “A federal judge on Thursday let stand charges of honest-services fraud against a key figure in the Abramoff lobbying scandal - marking a victory for Justice Department prosecutors in the first high-profile challenge to one of the government's most widely used, yet recently narrowed, anti-corruption statutes. … Judge Huvelle denied a motion for acquittal in the case filed by Mr. Ring, whose efforts were closely watched in legal circles since seven of the 10 charges he faces related to honest-services fraud.” (Ben Conery, “Judge Approves Retrial In 'Honest-Services Fraud' Case,” The Washington Times, 8/6/10)
Hayworth Also Lobbied The Department Of The Interior On Behalf Of One Of Abramoff’s Clients.
“The pattern of donations and letters matches a similar Abramoff effort reported by AP last week. In that instance, 33 lawmakers wrote letters between 2001 and 2004 pressing the Interior Department to reject a rival Indian casino that Abramoff's clients wanted defeated, while collecting more than $830,000. The Senate and House ethics committees were asked Tuesday to investigate. As they lobbied to win school funding, Abramoff and his team kept a tally of congressional assistance. One e-mail noted a Dorgan staffer planned to contact Interior to discuss the issue. A top agency official ‘is actively trying to kill’ the funding, Abramoff was told. That e-mail identified a half-dozen letters written or signed by 14 lawmakers on behalf of the tribes. One was written Jan. 23, 2003 by Democratic Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and Republican Rep. Dave Camp, all of Michigan, on the Saginaw's behalf. … Another letter, according to Abramoff's e-mails, came from Michigan Rep. Dale Kildee and Arizona Rep. J.D. Hayworth, 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. ‘I can assure you the letter was not related to the contributions he had accepted previously or following that letter. He does not do quid pro quo business,’ Hayworth spokesman Larry VanHoose said.” (John Solomon and Sharon Theimer, “Lawmakers Helped Abramoff Tribes Get Money, Collected Donations,” The Associated Press, 11/24/05)
Hayworth Was Named A Target In The Justice Department’s Investigation Into Abramoff. “Rep. J.D. Hayworth is among five members of Congress who will be the focus of the Justice Department's initial investigation into influence peddling by former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a Washington newspaper reported Wednesday. …’I haven't heard from anybody at the Justice Department, but I understand the (department) would be accused of being derelict if it didn't at least look at just about everybody that took contributions from Abramoff or any of his tribal clients,’ Hayworth said. ‘I have no concern about how wide or deep the inquiry will be.’” (“Hayworth Named As Target In Abramoff Probe,” East Valley Tribune, 1/11/06)
Congressman Hayworth Accepted $150,000 From Abramoff And His Clients, But Refused To Give All The Tainted Money Back:
Congressman Hayworth’s Own Chief-Of-Staff Admitted That Hayworth Accepted $150,000 From Abramoff’s Clients. “Arizona's U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth, ranked as one of the top recipients of campaign contributions from interests enmeshed in a raging lobbying scandal, has no reason to return the money, his top aide says. Moreover, the donors want Hayworth to keep the funds, chief of staff Joe Eule said. … Attempts to rank who received the most campaign contributions from Abramoff-related interests have had mixed results. This month, the Washington Post placed Hayworth third, at $86,750. But in a compilation posted by the watchdog Center for Responsive Politics and published Monday by the New York Times, Hayworth showed up in first place, with $101,620 received. 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)
According To The Center For Responsive Politics, Hayworth Was The #1 Recipient Of Abramoff-Related Contributions Among Members Of Congress.
“Hayworth ranked first among members of Congress who received donations tied to Abramoff and his clients, primarily Indian tribes that operate casinos, according to a study by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Hayworth has received $101,620 since 1999 from Abramoff clients either directly to his campaign or to his political action committee, TEAM Pac, according to the center. The next highest individual recipient of money linked to Abramoff or his clients is House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., who got $69,000, according to the center.” (“Hayworth Named As Target In Abramoff Probe,” East Valley Tribune, 1/11/06)
In Fact, Abramoff And One Of His Tribal Clients Were Two Of The First-Ever Donors To Hayworth’s Political Action Committee.
“As Hayworth seeks a fifth term while also campaigning in Congress for elevation to a plum leadership role, the nature of his PAC raises questions about how impartial he can be on Native American and competing gambling issues and whether he is using Indians as a steppingstone to more power. … The [Choctaw] tribe was one of the first donors to T.E.A.M. PAC, with a $5,000 check. Its lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, considered one of the most powerful in the industry, chipped in $1,000 at the same time.” (Jon Kamman, “Gaming Tribes Donate Freely To Hayworth,” The Arizona Republic, 10/21/02)
Hayworth Donated The $2,250 He Received Directly From Abramoff To Charity. “Abramoff directly gave a total of $2,250 to Hayworth's campaign through separate payments in 1998 and 1999, the congressman said. Hayworth donated that amount to the Salvation Army's Hurricane Katrina relief fund.” (“Hayworth Named As Target In Abramoff Probe,” East Valley Tribune, 1/11/06)
However, Hayworth Refused To Return The Tainted Money From Abramoff’s Clients, Even After Other Politicians Announced They Would Give Their Contributions Back.
“With four other politicians returning more than $250,000 in recent days to Indian tribes and others connected with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, pressures have mounted for Hayworth and other recipients to follow suit. [Hayworth chief of staff Joe] Eule said that the Republican congressman has received campaign contributions totaling $150,000 from tribes affiliated at one time or another with the former lobbyist but that the donations had nothing to do with actions that have put Abramoff at the center of Senate and criminal investigations into possible influence-buying.” (Jon Kamman and Billy House, “Hayworth Will Keep Tribal Gifts Despite Scandal,” The Arizona Republic, 12/23/05)
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According to Congressman Hayworth’s own Chief of Staff,
Hayworth accepted at least $150,000 from Abramoff’s clients. Hayworth refused to return the dirty money, even after Abramoff pleaded guilty to multiple felonies and was sent to federal prison. Congressman Hayworth also did favors for Abramoff and his friends, and was the target of a Justice Department investigation into Abramoff’s illegal dealings.
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