Progressive Democrat Issue 71: TARGET THE CORRUPT REPUBLICAN II: Wisconsin Edition

The latest Corrupt Republican linked to the Abramoff scandal appears to be Congressman Mark Green of Wisconsin. Republican Mark Green has in essence participated in the disgusting culture of corruption that the Republicans are wallowing in, taking freebies from a now convicted sleazebag, Abramoff. This comes from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin:

As Abramoff is Sentenced Today, Green Still Must Answer Questions About Ties to Convicted GOP Lobbyist

Green’s Congressional Office Took Ticket Freebies from Abramoff

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Press Release

MADISON – After disgraced GOP super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff was sentenced in Miami today to almost six years in prison for wire fraud and conspiracy, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin once again called on Congressman Mark Green to explain why his congressional office received so many ticket freebies from the convicted lobbyist.

“Mark Green has yet to answer why his congressional office was such a favorite of Jack Abramoff and why his staff tried to cover up their ties to Abramoff,” said Joe Wineke, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. “The people of Wisconsin deserve to know what Mark Green’s relationship with Jack Abramoff was.”

Records show that Green’s congressional chief of staff Mark Graul repeatedly took ticket freebies from Abramoff’s firm to sit in Abramoff’s skybox for NBA games, concerts, and even a WWF event. [TalkingPointsMemo.Com, 10/10/2005] Graul – who is now Green’s campaign manager – first denied that he took free tickets from Abramoff and then excused the behavior by saying it is illegal in Wisconsin to take freebies, but “it’s legal in Washington.”

Abramoff has yet to be sentenced for his role in the largest political corruption scandal to hit Washington since Watergate. In January, he pleaded guilty to three felony charges including conspiracy to bribe public officials, and has agreed to cooperate in a wide-ranging corruption probe that could involve up to 20 members of Congress and aides. Abramoff has admitted to offering politicians in both houses of Congress lavish meals, tickets to major sporting events, and trips in order to benefit his clients.

In addition to his ties to Abramoff, Green has taken more than $30,000 in tainted money from the indicted former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay – a close associate of Abramoff. Green has refused to get rid of the money, even though he could donate it today to a nonpartisan voter registration campaign.

“One would think Mark Green would want to distance himself from the players in the GOP corruption scandal that has rocked Washington, yet Green refuses to do so,” Wineke said. “A lot can be said about Mark Green by the company he’s keeping in Washington.”

Mark Green defends Tom DeLay even after all of the scandals that have disgraced DeLay in the eyes of most Americans. Mark Green opposes strong ethics in Congress. Here is a summary of Green's corruption from the DCCC: (with links to documentation)

# Mark Green has taken $29,414 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. No surprise that Green voted with Tom DeLay 90% of the time between Jan. 1 2004 and March 31 2005.

Is this the kind of government-for-hire that working families deserve?

# Mark Green voted to weaken the ethics rules in a move that many say served only to protect Tom DeLay.

Does the integrity of the House mean so little that Mark Green would sacrifice it to defend Tom DeLay?

# When Republicans realized it was "impossible to win the communications battle" over the gutted ethics rules, Green flip-flopped and voted to put the old rules back into place.

So Mark Green cares about the integrity of the House after all -- when cable news is covering it.

# When Democrats offered a solution to clean up the House by strengthening ethics rules, Mark Green voted twice to make sure it never even came to an up or down vote.

So instead of a bipartisan effort to get government working for Americans, Mark Green stood for cronyism and partisan politics.

# Mark Green voted to allow Tom DeLay to continue serving as Leader even if he is indicted.

Is Tom DeLay's behavior the kind of leadership that should be REWARDED, not punished?

# Tom DeLay has been admonished three times for his unethical behavior, yet Mark Green gave DeLay's legal fund $1,000 to help defend him.

Isn't that the definition of cronyism?

Yet more examples of Republican Corruption. Please write the media (including Wisconsin media) complaining about Mark Green's links to the corruption of Tom DeLay, the now convicted Abramoff, and the Republican culture of corruption.