National Review: Abramoff Is A Republican Scandal

Rich Lowry, Editor of National Review calls the GOP out for their pathetic attempts to evade responsibility for the Abramoff scandal.

It is true that any Washington influence peddler is going to spread cash and favors as widely as possible, and 210 members of Congress have received Abramoff-connected dollars. But this is, in its essence, a Republican scandal, and any attempt to portray it otherwise is a misdirection.

And in case you missed the point the first time, Lowry goes on:

Abramoff is a Republican who worked closely with two of the country's most prominent conservative activists, Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed. Top aides to the most important Republican in Congress, Tom DeLay (R., Tex.) were party to his sleazy schemes. The only people referred to directly in Abramoff's recent plea agreement are a Republican congressmen and two former Republican congressional aides. The GOP members can make a case that the scandal reflects more the way Washington works than the unique perfidy of their party, but even this is self-defeating, since Republicans run Washington.

So the next time some right winger tries to tell you this is a bi-partisan scandal, tell them to go read their copy of the National Review.