Long Arm Of Abramoff

A mere coincidence, no doubt. NYTimes (09.27.05):

"The Justice Department's inspector general and the F.B.I. are looking into the demotion of a veteran federal prosecutor whose reassignment nearly three years ago shut down a criminal investigation of the Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, current and former department officials report. Colleagues said the demotion of [Frederick A.] Black, the acting United States attorney in Guam, and a subsequent order barring him from pursuing public corruption cases brought an end to his inquiry into Mr. Abramoff's lobbying work for some Guam judges." Demotion of a Prosecutor Is Investigated

LATimes (08.07.05), via Josh Marshall:

"A U.S. grand jury in Guam opened an investigation of controversial lobbyist Jack Abramoff more than two years ago, but President Bush removed the supervising federal prosecutor and the inquiry ended soon after." "In Guam, an American territory in the Pacific, investigators were looking into Abramoff's secret arrangement with Superior Court officials to lobby against a court revision bill then pending in the U.S. Congress. The legislation, since approved, gave the Guam Supreme Court authority over the Superior Court." Inquiry into Lobbyist Sputters after Demotion

"In 2002, Abramoff was retained by the Superior Court in what was an unusual arrangement for a public agency. The Times reported in May that Abramoff was paid with a series of $9,000 checks funneled through a Laguna Beach lawyer to disguise the lobbyist's role working for the Guam court. No separate contract was authorized for Abramoff's work." Oh those lawyers!! As to the significance of the $9,000.00 amounts, check this. So what was Black doing, and who replaced him? Ha! This is pretty funny. "[Black] was a controversial official in Guam. At the time he was replaced, Black was directing a long-term investigation into allegations of public corruption in the administration of then-Governor Carl Gutierrez. The probe produced numerous indictments, including some of the governor's political associates and top aides." "Black's successor, Leonardo Rapadas, was confirmed in May 2003 without any debate. Rapadas had been recommended by the Guam Republican Party for the job. Fred Radewagen, a lobbyist who had been under contract to the Gutierrez administration, said he carried that recommendation to top Bush aide Karl Rove in early 2003." "After taking office, Rapadas recused himself from the ongoing public corruption case involving Gutierrez. The new U.S. attorney was a cousin of 'one of the main targets,' according to a confidential memo to Justice Department officials." Mr. Marshall makes a point: "On paper, Jack Abramoff was a lobbyist. And he made a great deal of money for himself. But if you think of Jack Abramoff as just a crooked lobbyist most of the facts coming out about what he did don't make a great deal of sense. He was a key player in a very big political machine and he was managing a slush fund." So would there be any reason to insinuate that the Mafia has nothing on these guys? Before you answer, better check this out. AP (09.27.05), via Laura Rozen:

"Two men have been arrested and charged with the mafia-style killing of sandwich chain and gambling fleet founder Konstantinos 'Gus' Boulis four years ago, a state law enforcement official said Tuesday. Boulis, 51, was a Greek immigrant who first made his fortune with the Miami Subs sandwich chain. He later founded SunCruz Casinos, a gambling fleet whose sale led to charges last month against prominent Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Abramoff is a key figure in investigations involving House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. The indictment, returned Aug. 11 by a grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, charges that Abramoff and an associate, 36-year-old New York businessman Adam Kidan, used a fake wire transfer to defraud two lenders out of some $60 million to finance the deal to buy SunCruz from Boulis." Two arrested in gangland-style murder of Suncruz founder 'Gus' Boulis

Adam and Gus didn't see eye-to-eye. "The slaying of Boulis came amid bitter legal fighting over the sale, including a physical altercation between Kidan and Boulis." One of the guys arrested is Anthony Ferrari, who "was taken into custody at his North Miami Beach home." Laura notes that last year, the Washington Post duly reported that "one Anthony Ferrari, 'a Miami Beach business consultant,' came to Reagan's funeral with his family and 'a five-car entourage of aides.' Same Anthony Ferrari?" Mr. Marshall digs up a story from 2001: "Unmentioned in today's AP story are the quarter million dollars in unexplained payments Abramoff business partner Adam Kidan made to Moscatiello, Ferrari and their family members around the time of Boulis' death." "Kidan earlier explained that the payments were for 'catering' and 'surveillance'." Ahhhh yes. Our boy Jack. Busy feller there. You'll need a scorecard.