Gary Baise, Connolly's Opponent, Involved with Abramoff! Indictment Soon?

By: James Martin
Published On: 4/13/2007 10:39:21 AM

baiseabramoff.jpgGerry Connolly's Republican Opponent in the Fall is a gentleman named Gary Baise who also serves on the Board for the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy (CREA). Well turns out that the CREA is not what its name suggests, rather it is a corrupt front group for Jack Abramoff used to bribe (like $$$ bribe) Senior Administration Officials:
Griles, a longtime oil and gas lobbyist, became an architect of Bush's energy policies while serving as No. 2 at the Interior Department. He admitted in federal court that he lied to investigators about his relationship with convicted lobbyist Abramoff, who repeatedly sought Griles' intervention at Interior on behalf of Indian tribal clients.

Investigators have been looking at the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Federici's environmental advocacy council received from Abramoff's Indian tribal clients and from energy and mining companies, including some of Griles' former clients.

Federal prosecutors told Federici in a confidential letter dated Jan. 19 that they are considering bringing charges of fraud, impeding the Internal Revenue Service, tax evasion, obstructing the Senate committee and testifying falsely to the committee and its investigators. The letter was first reported by Legal Times.


"The investigation is focused on the allegedly illegal manner in which you operated the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, commonly known as CREA," the letter says. "The government has also received information that you may have assisted others in depriving the American public of the honest services of at least one administration official." (Source)

In fact CREA sounds alot like CREEP, the front organization for President Richard Nixon that was used to pay the Watergate Burglars?


Will the Fairfax GOP nominate another candidate without ties to Abramoff? When Gary Baise is indicted, will he be able to serve?

Crossposted to The Virginia Progressive

Comments



The indictment... (Detcord - 4/13/2007 11:37:33 AM)
...mentions Federici but doesn't say anything about Honorary Board Members.  I understand the "guilt-by-association" thing but isn't this a stretch at this point?


Huh? (James Martin - 4/13/2007 1:40:17 PM)
There are only 6 members of the Board.  Baise has been a prominent spokesperson and leader of CREA.  He signs letters, makes statements and lobbies elected officials on their behalf.  CREA goes out of their way to mention his involvement in all of their promotional materials.


It's still... (Detcord - 4/13/2007 2:41:59 PM)
...just guilt by association unless you're advocating that all known associates of criminals also be prosecuted for their crimes on that basis alone.  All I'm asking that we wait until he's actually indicted or even investigated.  Everything in the article points to one person...that's fair, isn't it?


Don't worry James. (Lowell - 4/13/2007 2:56:33 PM)
Nobody here ever knows what the heck Detcord is talking about, regardless of the topic.  But whatever it is, he's always certain that he's right and that nobody else knows anything.


Abuse of Non profit organizations for political gain (not bruce springsteen - 4/13/2007 8:56:52 PM)
has been a hallmark of Republican scandals since they took control of Congress with Gingrich, Delay and the rest of them. Grover Norquist has figured prominently in the Abramoff scandal, and his organizations all carry dubious claims to be exempt from taxes.

By the way, I thought CREA stood for Corrupt Republicans for Environmental Annihilation.

See if the U. S. Attorney will pursue these allegations or just bury them to keep his job.