Down and dirty politics

I almost forgot when I posted this, that Jack Abramoff's dirty handprints are all over the president's nominee for US Deputy AG - Timothy Flanigan. Talking Points Memo reminds us and Josh Marshall deciphers the real deal behind Abramoff's sleaze machine.

On paper, Jack Abramoff was a lobbyist. And he made a great deal of money for himself. But if you think of Jack Abramoff as just a crooked lobbyist most of the facts coming out about what he did don't make a great deal of sense. He was a key player in a very big political machine and he was managing a slush fund.

Look at the pattern.

Notice how all Abramoff's clients seemed to get 'bilked' out of large sums of money that ended up going to other conservative foundations, consulting firms, Ralph Reed, lobby shops, Grover Norquist, astroturf organizers, politicians, etc.? All of them part of Washington's Republican infrastructure?

Bush of course has expressed the greatest of confidence in Flanigan and will continue to uphold his rogue's gallery of crony appointments right up until they slam the jailhouse doors on them.