Abramoff - Key influence peddler in DeLay's K-Street Project

What Abramoff has been doing as a lobbyist was an extreme example of what has become business-as-usual for lobbyests since the Republicans took control of the House in 1994. Now, with the Abramoff scandal in the news and growing to encompass members of Congress, staff members and high ranking individuals in the Executive Branch, it is as though a decade of garbage has suddenly started covering the streets and back alleys of Washington, D.C. The Key term to remember if it seems confusing is "K-Street Project." This was a creation of Tom DeLay and those who elected him to the Republican leadership.

From the Washington Post:

Abramoff was among the lobbyists most closely associated with the K Street Project, which was initiated by his friend Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), now the former House majority leader, once the GOP vaulted to power. It was an aggressive program designed to force corporations and trade associations to hire more GOP-connected lobbyists in what at times became an almost seamless relationship between Capitol Hill lawmakers and some firms that sought to influence them.

Now Abramoff has become a symbol of a system out of control. His agreement to plead guilty to three criminal counts and cooperate with prosecutors threatens to ensnare other lawmakers or their aides -- Republicans and possibly some Democrats. At a minimum, yesterday's developments put both sides of the lawmaker-lobbyist relationship on notice that some of the wilder customs of recent years -- lubricated with money, entertainment and access -- carry higher risks. In the post-Abramoff era, what once was accepted as business as usual may be seen as questionable or worse.[Via Josh Marshall]

Here is more on the K-Street Project:

• Republican corruption is logical outcome of the K-Street Project
• Campaign Funding - Democrats moving to small donors
• Kleiman on the Republican Corruption Machine
• The K-Street Project.
• David Safavian.
• Congress is a cesspool spewing money.
• Republicans and ARMPAC.
• Countering the right-wing political machine.
• Indictments against AIPAC.
• Karl Rove.

2006 will be an interesting year, and one difficult for the Republicans on the Hill to deal with comfortably. Their usual reaction to political problems has been to go to the dirtiest and nastiest of politics (like the Swift Boat ads) so we can expect to see a lot of that this year. Also, the money behind it will be anonymous, but there will be a lot of it.