posted on: Friday, June 13, 2008

by Yna Moore

Links between Jack Abramoff and the White House makes the news once again.

According to an Associated Press story by Peter Yost , a new report compiled by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaird by Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), noted that:

"The White House conducted an inadequate and incomplete internal review of its
involvement with convicted influence peddler Jack Abramoff and his lobbying
team. ... that President Bush had personal contact with Abramoff, that White
House officials solicited Abramoff's recommendations on policy matters and that
Abramoff's lobbying team offered White House officials expensive tickets and
meals, at least some of which were accepted."

Abramoff is serving time after pleading guilty to several felony counts in two separate federal court cases related to corruption of public officials and defrauding Native America tribes.

In many instances, Abramoff inappropriately used his Capital Athletic Foundation to channel bribe money into the hands of politicians like Rep. Bob Ney. Other politicians who allegedly had inappropriate ties with Abramoff include former Texas congressman Tom DeLay (here and here)and Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.)

The Abramoff scandal is a classic example of foundations being abused for personal and political gain. Since then, there have been efforts at better government oversight of charities by the Senate Finance Committee, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and the IRS but more needs to be done. For a fully accountable charitable sector, we'll need to provide the IRS and our state attorneys general with adequate budgets and staffing to carry out their functions of overseeing charitable organizations. We will also need to close regulatory loopholes, and encourage substantive self-regulation by foundations and nonprofit institutions such as setting up and implementing conflict of interest and disclosure policies to prevent insider dealing. Click here for more on accountability in the philanthropic sector.

Kristina ("Yna") Moore is communications director at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.