The White House is refusing to reveal exactly who Jack Abramoff met with in the White House during his more than 200 contacts in the first ten months of the Bush administration.  This is despite promising to do so, less than two weeks ago. 

The White House review must have produced something embarassing.

Here's the AP version:

The White House is refusing to reveal details of tainted lobbyist Jack Abramoff's visits with President Bush's staff.

Abramoff had "a few staff-level meetings" at the Bush White House, presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said Tuesday. But he would not say with whom Abramoff met, which interests he was representing or how he got access to the White House.

Since Abramoff pleaded guilty two weeks ago to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion charges in an influence-peddling scandal, McClellan has told reporters he was checking into Abramoff's meetings. "I'm making sure that I have a thorough report back to you on that," he said in his press briefing Jan. 5. "And I'll get that to you, hopefully very soon."

McClellan said Tuesday that he checked on it at reporters' requests, but wouldn't discuss the private staff-level meetings.

Thus far, the White House is still refusing to return, or even to reveal the source of nearly $100,000 that Abramoff raised for the Bush campaign.

This is despite the fact that Bush campaign could easily identify the source of the funds Abramoff raised, as the Washington Post has reported that the Bush campaign assigned a four digit code to funds raised by each Pioneer to make it easier for the campaign to track, and to prevent double counting by those who wished to be granted favors by the administration for their fundraising efforts. 

From the Washington Post via Truthout: 

The form asked donors to give a target date for completing the goal. A corner of the form included a four-digit number that the campaign used to track the contributions on spreadsheets. "Remember, your Solicitor Tracking Number is your personal tracking number for money that you raise," the form said. "Please place this number on any check that you solicit."

The campaign also tracked contributions by industry, and Democrats have asserted that the system was set up to expedite reward and punishment. Jack Oliver, the campaign's national finance director, said in a deposition during the campaign -finance litigation that the number was used to prevent disputes over who had raised what.

Nor has Bush directed the RNC to return the $100,000 his chief fundraiser, Jack Oliver, accepted from one of the Indian tribes Abramoff bilked.  

Oliver is now the finance chair of Senator Jim Talent's re-election bid.

This latest reversal by the White House on disclosing their ties to Abramoff really makes you wonder what they have to hide.