Hey Leslie, stop acting like you are surprised or this somehow disgusts you in your condescending fashion. If you really wanted to be a journalist why don't you do an expose of every congressman and their office(staffers) and their relationship with every firm on K street. That would require you to inform the public of pertinent facts...which might not be in your job description as a journalist in the MainStream Media.
@Namso2010 Uh no, that's actually not in her job description. Her job is to report the news, not make the news. She's not an investigator or law enforcement, and she has no business "exposing" anybody without a proper investigation, that could potentially target innocent people. Grow up kid.
@TassaTV That's probably because they're all around your age. Don't lose sleep over it. Every 12 year old girl on the planet could or could not listen to lady gaga and it's not going to change anything.
Proof that we're fucked and there isn't any going back on it without a fight. You want to fix this? Bring charges on anybody caught. *cough* Chris Dodd.
@ihaveanhp well actually i live in DC and most of the corrupt politicians are black. But those are only local politicians not like high power lobbyist. (very few blacks hold those positions)
I'm is against the Protect IP Act as written. If it passes, then it will be more difficult for diabetics to import the natural pork & beef insulin that they need for survival and quality of life. Even Eli Lilly stated that rDNA synthetic human insulin wouldn't work for some diabetics and rDNA human insulin is the only insulin available in America. Why isn't natural pork & beef insulin protected by the "Orphan Drug Act"? Pork & Beef insulin should be available to American diabetics.
And he takes the fall. Paying off the indian tribes through restitution.... but wait. Didn't the tribes spend money bribing our system? Why do they get to play victim?
I mean't to say even the good lobbyist need to lose their jobs. What a cesspool Washington has become and it looks like the same goes for both parties.
I don't even care if he's lying still, I just find it unbelievably sad that he willingly admits that they just didn't care about the illegality and corrupt behavior of it all, THEN goes and tries to present it like he's sorry and says "We were blinded by money and power".
Listen f**kface, money and power bribe the worst in humans. This will always be a truth. Don't think you can RELATE to people and make them like you by saying you FINALLY figured this out. We've known that for-f**king-ever.
The only way to reduce the influence of lobbying is to reduce the influence, size, and scope of government. You're deluding yourself if you think otherwise.
@Kubes15 You're on crack, he went to jail. He committed crimes. Obviously, um, he did, ya know, something, SOMETHING, kinda wrong, if he ended up in JAIL.
Since 1999, 70 million Falun Gong adherents have been brutally persecuted by their own government, the Chinese Communist Party in China. For simply doing five exercises for health and being a good person, their own government jails, tortures, rapes and even kills them illegally. It's estimated that at least half of all inmates in forced labor camps in China are Falun Gong practitioners. The media rarely covers this persecution due to pressure from the Chinese government.
Well, you can forget pulic funding of elections...not with the Supreme Court striking down Arizona vs. Citzens United. Made me sick as they are turning the first amendment on its head by claiming corporations are people and can give unlimited funds to campaigns. Meanwhile the peasants get beat down in the street. The Republican candidates want to go to war in Iran...WTF??? The 21st century and we are still war-mongering, arrogant and ignorant!
how many more crooked lobbyists are out there? i mean this is an embarrassment. I'm arguing with muslims of the bloodshed in the middle east and they keep talking about corruption back home. This is a piece of shit country. Democracy is controlled by the wealthy and elite.
This is never going to change. 10 years from now we will still be complaining about the same issues, congress will still be corrupt, some people will still be getting rich and others will still be mad, jealous and poor. 60 Minutes will still make money airing these stories and we will still type comments that will change nothing
@zanethezany I agree in principle. However, you might be way too optimistic in presuming that any of us are alive ten years from now. In other words, things are only going to get worse. Much worse. Why? Because humanity is a failed species. It sucks while pretending to be the greatest. It's suicidal. Civilization just doesn't work because mankind is either too stupid or evil to make it work.
@HyperIndividualist Civilization does work, it just hasn't been tried yet. Things will almost certainly get worse before they get better, but I don't think we're totally doomed. The financial system perverts and distorts human behavior. Also, amassing so much power into a centralized government attracts the wrong kind of people need to be there. These two systems as they currently exist are not sustainable, and will change or collapse. That is what we are seeing unfold. Humans will continue on.
This episode is such bullshit!!! Nothing more than glorifying what he and everyone else of his kind did by calling him a genious, "presusade a dog off a meat truck", etc. "I'm mad at you", whatever!!! 3 years in prison for what he did? Come on!!! Why don't they expose some of the big corporations involved rather than mention an indian tribe, who I believe is entitled to get whatever they can from the US government. Just more bullshit from the US media. People there need a reality/ego check.
The only way to solve this type of problem is to get involved. We blame Congress and Obama for the problems. But We are the problem, we have allowed them to make changes that benifit themselves, not us. I don't care what party you to belong to, It is the FOUR (4) Penny policy. They select who we are going to vote for, one of the 4 pennies, What difference does it make they are all the same. just look at a Penny. Demand the change you want or replace them. GET INVOLVED or stop complaining.
...i just saw this scumbag on Huckabee. he seems very apologetic about what he did and he says he wants to outlaw all lobbyist! of course all he is doing is trying to sell his tell all book! he is not sorry for what he did he is sorry that he got caught!...
What about all of the corrupt congressmen? Why weren't they prosecuted? How about making a black list, showing all corrupt congresspeople. This way when they run for re-election the people will have some must know facts to go by?
@3Storm how would you define a lobbyist? I am sympathetic. I don't like K street and how it advocates for bad immigration policies but this might be a free speech issue.
@knightschwartz I can't put it in legal terms but a business shouldn't be able to give money to a politician so that in turn that politician will pass bills to the advantage of the business. What I think ends up happening is the system starts hurting the American people by ignoring them to please the Lobbyist.
@3Storm Make government having the power to dispense such goodies illegal. Making lobbying illegal misses the point entirely. As long as government has this much power, it will be viewed as a valuable commodity to unscrupulous buisnessmen. It's the power that's the problem. People trying to buy shares of that power is perfectly logical and predictable. Meh, but here I am wasting my time trying to talk sense in an insane world that simply cannot be fixed (no offense to you personally, 3storm).
@3Storm this is what Ron paul talks about, that it would do no good to outlaw lobbying, because the incentives would still be there, and like armadoff says theres always a way around them. What you need to do is vote in people like Ron Paul, with the goal to lessen the federal powers. So the incentives isnt so great. I really hope you are wise enough to make him your next president.
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) member Leslie Stahl tries to feign a level of disdain for what Abrahmoff did, but you can tell throughout the interview that she gets a big kick out Abramoff's ability to buy up politicians. Amused/admiring smiles throughout. This kind of corruption really tickles her.
If he wants to prove he is sorry, then he should become poor to see how most Americans like my self will live 20 years from now. Thank you lobbyist for showing me that I don't need "things"
This is just theatre for the masses. Periodically, somebody has to fall to make it look like the feds are doing their jobs. Otherwise, the cheating, lying, and stealing just keeps right on going.
You all realize that regardless of what policies or issues we argue about or the incessant right vs left rivalries, it's undermined by lobbyists. Your vote, regardless of your political affiliation or stance on issues means nothing.
This story points fingers as Republican congressmen like they're the only ones who are corrupt. This happens on both sides of the aisle. Republicans and Democrats. There are no differences. And this kind of stuff still goes on today. Make no mistake. There is no difference between political parties here. And it's worse now than it was before.
The most important answer to this problem, and it is a HUGE problem, is purely public financing of all political campaigns. Not 90%, not 99%, but 100% public financing. I'd also like to add that it is refreshing to see one of these fat cat players confess in public. Usually they play word games, lie, and dance around a question like a ballerina. We are all sick to death of that.
@Kultmannen...Thanks for asking. Purely public financing of all elections would require one to qualify their candidacy for public financing by showing enough public support through valid petition signatures. So every qualifying candidate would receive the same amount of campaign funding. No longer would one's chances of election be based on how personally wealthy one is, but even more importantly, their chances would not hinge on how deeply they brown-nose the corporate interests.
@Kultmannen ....Furthermore, financing from any source other than the public financing allotment would never be allowed under penalty of law and disqualification of candidacy. One of the stipulations for public financing would be full disclosure of every dollar spent. Otherwise, a person would not be able to run for public office. Period. The amount of graft and corruption this would eliminate would totally change this nation.
@2indulgent yeah the thought is good, but here comes the tricky part. What do you do then about the media? they arnt exactly treating every candidate the same, and how could they really, their are too many candidates to give them all the same treatment and time. If candidates arnt allowed to raise their own money to put out information, candidates favored by the media would forever be gurranteed to win. Unles you would consider scrapping their 1 ammendment rights?...
@2indulgent but i would suggest to you that corporate interests shouldnte be allowed to donate money, ony individuals should be allowed to do this. And personal wealth shouldnt be allowed to use either.
This would mean candidates would have economic strength after how many people support them, and not how many coroporate interests that would benefit from your politics. A quite low cap on individual maximun donation would also be good.
@2indulgent, I used to think that was the solution. But consider this: (1) The Supreme Court has held that campaign contributions are protected under the First Amendment, so full public financing simply cannot happen; and (2) there are lots of ways of influencing politicians outside their compaign contributions. Notice, Abramoff didn't even mention campaign contributions.
@httm241, I wouldn't say "only." Much of what Abromoff lobbied for had nothing to do with the agenda of Norquist and his ilk. Like most lobbyists, he was in it for the money.
@2indulgent I'm afraid that public financing won't help much, because congress has power of purse. Therefore, anything fiscal that you make "public", Congress controls. They are the ones who levy taxes. They are the ones who pay themselves. That would mean that they could make it damn near impossible to win an election unless you are the incumbent, and I would not put something like that past them.
OK, Lesley Stahl gets the “Worst Acting Award” pretending to be appalled that congress can be bribed. Then she puts the blame on Abramoff for corrupting congress. The truth lies in the Congress and their ability to be corrupted. Think about it.
The way to stop this greed and fraud is to give a mandatory prison term of 40 years in hard labor/no chance of parole for both the lobbyist and the politician. Now like this criminal they do a few years (after stashing away millions), go back home to their mansions and laugh at the taxpayers. The corruption on Wall St. and Washington are destroying the World. He's not ashamed.
Machiavelli says: “How, in a corrupt state, a free government may be maintained. I will suppose a state to be corrupted to the last degree..there being no laws nor institutions that suffice to check a general corruption. For as good habits of the people require good laws to support them, so good laws to be observed, need good habits on the part of the people. ..I believe it not, that a state that has become corrupt, a free government that has existed there can be maintained.
I like the quote from Benito. How appropriate. This is not the only sickness in this country but I applaud Abramoff for admitting his wrong and coming forth with this interview. Good interview and information. But I'm still not joining the Occupy Wall Street Cult.
"The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism—ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power"
The entire political system is corrupt from the top on down, to the least of them. The damage and the fallout from this type of thing will be enormous for all Americans and America. How can any of the American people even, be bothered to vote for either, the Dems or the Reps, is beyond me.
It's like hacking law plain and simple. When it comes down to hacking there always seems to be some hole, same thing here except many don't want these holes patched.
stahl is appalled that abramoff spills the beans. marxist-socialist-progressive-democrats do the same thing. all of them. this type of feigned outrage is absurd. stahl gets schooled on how democrat corruption works, but is too blind to see the forest for the trees. even the opinion leaders are laggards. liberals are idiots
@wouldee5150 The democrats and republicans are really just factions of the same party. They are both owned by corporate america. This whole "marxist/socialist/progressive" label is false. They don't actually represent those things. They just say that shit to get elected.
@cheezombie not. fascism accomplished its hard left paradigm shift decades ago. this feigned outrage is absurdity. the comedic irony is trumped by your apologetics. the thing about moral equivocators that is so disturbing is how excuses drum up disguises for dogwhistles masking culpable mismanagement of the public trust for specious gain. Obviously, you are a marxist-socialist-progressive shill. absurdity abounds.
This is why we need a constitutional amendment to bar corporations and unions from making campaign donations and limit what individuals can contribute.
Nothing in here is surprising at all. Does this woman live on Mars? Where has she been for the last 30 years to be so surprised? CBS really needs to hire journalists who know what the hell is going on and American has some serious corruption to clean up.
@Torontopia But darling, the same people who own the banks & gov't ALSO own the large media outlets, including CBS. Whom does CBS work for? Do they REALLY want to bite the hand that feeds them, do you imagine? Watch THE MONEY MASTERS
6:25 when he says "100 offices" and Lesley looks all shocked, COME ON...really?? How long have you been reporting?? It's soo fake. Of course she knows. What a great act, deserve a Golden Globe. Ugh.
Wasn't he the one who called a Native American a "...f'ing moron, monkey, troglodyte..." Every one of my Native American bros should never forget this... These lobbyists are NEVER our friends. Never have been, never will be...
Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, Bernie Sanders and Justin Amash are some of the only ones who aren't bought. Almost ever other joker in DC bows to lobbyists.
@LibertyMike1 didn't dennis have a come to jesus meeting with obama on health care or something. took him up in airfarce one and he changed his vote immediately.
And "we" voted for all of this. "I can get more of other people's money for you than he can. " Winston Churchill once said that "the most persuasive argument against democracy was a five minute conversation with the average voter". He wasn't against democracy, but he could see some problems with it.
@SSTTEEAALLTTHH Other people engaging in free and legitimate trade, (i.e. I trade my time and skills for your compensation) is just. But, I would tend to agree with you to an extent although, I believe some amount of "governance" is necessary. Not everyone is as well-armed as you and I are, and willing and able to protect by any means what is ours.
Actions speak louder then words. Jack Abramoff and other lobbyists like him are killing our country. If Jack is truly sorry for the damage and harm he's done he will work the rest of his life to help fix the system and not just write books to regain all the wealth he's lost.
The irony of this story is that 60 Minutes is benefiting from access to this information and the name Abramoff. They are paying for this access by plugging his book and keeping him in the news. 60 minutes boosts their ratings (and ad sales) and Mr Abramoff boost his profile and book sales. Abramoff is making money by being a "reformer" now. 60 Minutes is playing it safe by working with him, rather than looking into the current system and players.
When we would become friendly with an office and they were important to us, and the chief of staff was a competent person, I would say or my staff would say to him or her at some point, ‘You know, when you’re done working on the Hill, we’d very much like you to consider coming to work for us.’ Now the moment I said that to them or any of our staff said that to ’em, that was it. We owned them.
@umbrellaBuddha This is exactly what we want out of our Government. How can people watch this and still fight OWS. FUCK! I now know what it feels like to be christian talking to an atheist, except it's worse, because we have more to go on then just faith.
Too many people have conservatism confused with Fascism. I am a conservative Republican and mad as hell about how fascism has took control of the Republican party.
@floridagrandpa I am a progressive and agree completely. We need to take corporate money out of our Democracy. This way conservatives like yourself will be voting for actual conservatives, and progressives like myself will be voting for actual progressives. As the system is now we're both getting fucked over by corporatist on both sides.
@floridagrandpa Both parties are corporatists. They own both parties, you have no choice. You lose every time. The only presidential candidate not bought by special interests is Ron Paul.
@bulldogger Not true. Corporations cannot exist without a state. You only owe as much as you put into a corporation, very different from any standard business. And even if what you said was true, corporate takeover of the government, passing laws in its favor, giving themselves bailouts is NOT capitalism. Imagine a game of monopoly where the richest guy gets to change the rule book. That's what we have.
@bulldogger Beyond obvious bigoted ploylogism of your ad hominem comment; if ancaps are indeed the dumbest people on the planet, they are certainly some of the most educated and well read "dumbest" people on the planet. I wonder how many 881 page books on economic philosophy the "smartest" people on earth have read? Unfortunately, your statement has caused you to loose the moral high ground. I would recommend researching your position, and developing effective counter arguments, not insults.
@bulldogger First of all, I'm not an anarchist capitalist. Second of all, can you provide the mechanism that shows what I say to be stupid or wrong? All you did was say "you're stupid" without providing an argument. I never said corporations shouldn't exist. What I'm saying is that corporate machines should not run the government, and should not create our money supply. Corporations having the power to change the laws in their favor and banks giving themselves bailouts is not capitalism.
@bulldogger If you believe in the current system, fine. But don't tell me it's capitalism, because it's not. It's crony capitalism. Educate yourself.
Ron Paul is the only change and before someone says he is a racist because I know some dipshit will, I suggest you read his books and policy stances for why he voted against many of the bills that dumbasses call him a racist for
The Republicans make pledges to NEVER RAISE TAXES, I would love to see Democrats pledge not to take BRIBES from LOBBYISTS and introduce legislation denying anyone working on Capital Hill to come back as a paid LOBBYIST!
I like this very much! These people being interviewed come off as totally honest and no shame in telling the truth.
tusepagliacco 4 days ago
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ctdm007 1 week ago
Hey Leslie, stop acting like you are surprised or this somehow disgusts you in your condescending fashion. If you really wanted to be a journalist why don't you do an expose of every congressman and their office(staffers) and their relationship with every firm on K street. That would require you to inform the public of pertinent facts...which might not be in your job description as a journalist in the MainStream Media.
Namso2010 3 weeks ago
@Namso2010 Uh no, that's actually not in her job description. Her job is to report the news, not make the news. She's not an investigator or law enforcement, and she has no business "exposing" anybody without a proper investigation, that could potentially target innocent people. Grow up kid.
WallStwizkid 19 hours ago
Pay your taxes and STFU!
Radmann916 1 month ago
For as smart as he was, wearing that black hat and trench coat was stupid.
onenickelmiracle 1 month ago
Lady Gaga gets 440 million views on ONE video, this gets 32K. We are screwed!
TassaTV 1 month ago 2
@TassaTV we need jack abramooff he is are only hope on cracking down these fuckers
httm241 1 month ago
@TassaTV That's probably because they're all around your age. Don't lose sleep over it. Every 12 year old girl on the planet could or could not listen to lady gaga and it's not going to change anything.
WallStwizkid 19 hours ago
I'll bet anybody that at least 90% of Congress should spend time in jail for the same thing.
LeoBaoig 1 month ago 2
Proof that we're fucked and there isn't any going back on it without a fight. You want to fix this? Bring charges on anybody caught. *cough* Chris Dodd.
LeoBaoig 1 month ago 5
I hope he learned his lesson, and if he did I hope he joins us against the corrupt system.
MrWompz 1 month ago
so buying drinks and food for a politician will get me what i want??? sounds easy...
rrrtbds12223 1 month ago
CORRUPT WHITE PEOPLE....NOTHING NEW
ihaveanhp 1 month ago
@ihaveanhp well actually i live in DC and most of the corrupt politicians are black. But those are only local politicians not like high power lobbyist. (very few blacks hold those positions)
mikeohohoh7 1 month ago
@mikeohohoh7 this guy is small pickings compared to MR bathtubs. MR bathtubs is extremely evil
httm241 1 month ago
@ihaveanhp this guy is only a front for grover norquist
httm241 1 month ago
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I'm is against the Protect IP Act as written. If it passes, then it will be more difficult for diabetics to import the natural pork & beef insulin that they need for survival and quality of life. Even Eli Lilly stated that rDNA synthetic human insulin wouldn't work for some diabetics and rDNA human insulin is the only insulin available in America. Why isn't natural pork & beef insulin protected by the "Orphan Drug Act"? Pork & Beef insulin should be available to American diabetics.
MrOldcars2 2 months ago
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ellenfgarde12 2 months ago
And he takes the fall. Paying off the indian tribes through restitution.... but wait. Didn't the tribes spend money bribing our system? Why do they get to play victim?
BBoyNicKnack 2 months ago
"There are few people who aren't involved in this system of bribery." I think he is talking about RON PAUL 2012!!!!!
BBoyNicKnack 2 months ago
I mean't to say even the good lobbyist need to lose their jobs. What a cesspool Washington has become and it looks like the same goes for both parties.
toyprius 2 months ago
Let all lobbyist draw unemployment they deserve it ever the so called good ones.
toyprius 2 months ago
I don't dislike lobbying. It's a great litmus test for politicians. Susceptible to lobbyist money? You don't deserve to be in office.
andyissemicool 2 months ago
I don't even care if he's lying still, I just find it unbelievably sad that he willingly admits that they just didn't care about the illegality and corrupt behavior of it all, THEN goes and tries to present it like he's sorry and says "We were blinded by money and power".
Listen f**kface, money and power bribe the worst in humans. This will always be a truth. Don't think you can RELATE to people and make them like you by saying you FINALLY figured this out. We've known that for-f**king-ever.
Wonocva15 2 months ago
At least Abramoff is trying to do right now.
wulf8121 2 months ago
The only way to reduce the influence of lobbying is to reduce the influence, size, and scope of government. You're deluding yourself if you think otherwise.
lyethian 2 months ago 2
He did NOTHING wrong.
Kubes15 2 months ago
@Kubes15 You're on crack, he went to jail. He committed crimes. Obviously, um, he did, ya know, something, SOMETHING, kinda wrong, if he ended up in JAIL.
fleckx 2 months ago
@Kubes15 Corrupting the government is not wrong, you must be a strange fella to meet in real life.
GTASA911 2 months ago in playlist Muziek1
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"Is that serious or are you joking?"
Was it Lesley Stahl's intention to come off as an adolescent girl in this interview? Especially at the 9:25 mark and several other places.
MaxTJH 3 months ago
Jack Off.
mrzack888 3 months ago
ZioJews interviewing ZioJews...enough said.
watchr2012 3 months ago
And now he's a news contributor. Good God! Can't these terrorists just go away? He was a lying thief back then, you expect him to be honest now?
You can't work for Dickhead Cheney and have any friggin' morals! Liar!
ctwatcher 3 months ago
Oh my god...This is hysterical...This country is UNBELIEVABLY Corrupt!!!
drpeppa2357 3 months ago 2
Like you can believe a word that comes out of his lying J mouth
999oneday 3 months ago
Since 1999, 70 million Falun Gong adherents have been brutally persecuted by their own government, the Chinese Communist Party in China. For simply doing five exercises for health and being a good person, their own government jails, tortures, rapes and even kills them illegally. It's estimated that at least half of all inmates in forced labor camps in China are Falun Gong practitioners. The media rarely covers this persecution due to pressure from the Chinese government.
darinmaclachlan 3 months ago
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CAinfowarrior 3 months ago
people like this are the worst sort of filth......
psychosurfer69 3 months ago
abramoff kinda makes a good impression
knightschwartz 3 months ago
Well, you can forget pulic funding of elections...not with the Supreme Court striking down Arizona vs. Citzens United. Made me sick as they are turning the first amendment on its head by claiming corporations are people and can give unlimited funds to campaigns. Meanwhile the peasants get beat down in the street. The Republican candidates want to go to war in Iran...WTF??? The 21st century and we are still war-mongering, arrogant and ignorant!
sandrajeanford 3 months ago
how many more crooked lobbyists are out there? i mean this is an embarrassment. I'm arguing with muslims of the bloodshed in the middle east and they keep talking about corruption back home. This is a piece of shit country. Democracy is controlled by the wealthy and elite.
halflifeproductionz 3 months ago
This is never going to change. 10 years from now we will still be complaining about the same issues, congress will still be corrupt, some people will still be getting rich and others will still be mad, jealous and poor. 60 Minutes will still make money airing these stories and we will still type comments that will change nothing
zanethezany 3 months ago 2
@zanethezany I agree in principle. However, you might be way too optimistic in presuming that any of us are alive ten years from now. In other words, things are only going to get worse. Much worse. Why? Because humanity is a failed species. It sucks while pretending to be the greatest. It's suicidal. Civilization just doesn't work because mankind is either too stupid or evil to make it work.
HyperIndividualist 3 months ago
@HyperIndividualist Civilization does work, it just hasn't been tried yet. Things will almost certainly get worse before they get better, but I don't think we're totally doomed. The financial system perverts and distorts human behavior. Also, amassing so much power into a centralized government attracts the wrong kind of people need to be there. These two systems as they currently exist are not sustainable, and will change or collapse. That is what we are seeing unfold. Humans will continue on.
EmergentParadigms 3 months ago
This episode is such bullshit!!! Nothing more than glorifying what he and everyone else of his kind did by calling him a genious, "presusade a dog off a meat truck", etc. "I'm mad at you", whatever!!! 3 years in prison for what he did? Come on!!! Why don't they expose some of the big corporations involved rather than mention an indian tribe, who I believe is entitled to get whatever they can from the US government. Just more bullshit from the US media. People there need a reality/ego check.
OnlyGreatness007 3 months ago 2
The only way to solve this type of problem is to get involved. We blame Congress and Obama for the problems. But We are the problem, we have allowed them to make changes that benifit themselves, not us. I don't care what party you to belong to, It is the FOUR (4) Penny policy. They select who we are going to vote for, one of the 4 pennies, What difference does it make they are all the same. just look at a Penny. Demand the change you want or replace them. GET INVOLVED or stop complaining.
smagg2012 3 months ago
...this lady sounds like the computer voice from the Star Trek next generation tv series...
SteveSabbai 3 months ago 2
...i just saw this scumbag on Huckabee. he seems very apologetic about what he did and he says he wants to outlaw all lobbyist! of course all he is doing is trying to sell his tell all book! he is not sorry for what he did he is sorry that he got caught!...
SteveSabbai 3 months ago 2
@SteveSabbai he owes millions of dollars in restitution so its not like he will ever get to spend any of the profits from the book
yoni508 3 months ago
@SteveSabbai Whatever he may be, what he is revealing is true. The US government and all around it is one big fucked up corrupt place.
GTASA911 3 months ago
@GTASA911 ...i totally agree
SteveSabbai 3 months ago
If you think our congress can't be bought watch this....proof
Rawbush 3 months ago
@Rawbush ...everyone can be bought some cheaper than others, thats life....
SteveSabbai 3 months ago
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Americanjazzlady 3 months ago
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Americanjazzlady 3 months ago
And it's legal! It's fucking legal!
MysteriousMayonaise 3 months ago
What about all of the corrupt congressmen? Why weren't they prosecuted? How about making a black list, showing all corrupt congresspeople. This way when they run for re-election the people will have some must know facts to go by?
stevethewsimpson25 3 months ago
This woman is beyond stupid. The naive expressions on her face are just priceless.
swoldier1016 3 months ago
MAKE LOBBYING ILLEGAL
3Storm 3 months ago 43
@3Storm how would you define a lobbyist? I am sympathetic. I don't like K street and how it advocates for bad immigration policies but this might be a free speech issue.
knightschwartz 3 months ago
@knightschwartz I can't put it in legal terms but a business shouldn't be able to give money to a politician so that in turn that politician will pass bills to the advantage of the business. What I think ends up happening is the system starts hurting the American people by ignoring them to please the Lobbyist.
3Storm 3 months ago
@3Storm Make government having the power to dispense such goodies illegal. Making lobbying illegal misses the point entirely. As long as government has this much power, it will be viewed as a valuable commodity to unscrupulous buisnessmen. It's the power that's the problem. People trying to buy shares of that power is perfectly logical and predictable. Meh, but here I am wasting my time trying to talk sense in an insane world that simply cannot be fixed (no offense to you personally, 3storm).
HyperIndividualist 3 months ago
@HyperIndividualist No offense taken, you make an excellent point.
3Storm 3 months ago
@3Storm this is what Ron paul talks about, that it would do no good to outlaw lobbying, because the incentives would still be there, and like armadoff says theres always a way around them. What you need to do is vote in people like Ron Paul, with the goal to lessen the federal powers. So the incentives isnt so great. I really hope you are wise enough to make him your next president.
Kultmannen 2 months ago
@3Storm as much as I agree with you, parts of lobbying are protected by the freedom of speech...now heavy regulation is the way to go
jokerisnomak 1 month ago
Jack Abramoff... but I hardly know him.
duarte3 3 months ago
He looks like a gremlin.
icatchrye 3 months ago
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) member Leslie Stahl tries to feign a level of disdain for what Abrahmoff did, but you can tell throughout the interview that she gets a big kick out Abramoff's ability to buy up politicians. Amused/admiring smiles throughout. This kind of corruption really tickles her.
StandUpForLiberty 3 months ago
If he wants to prove he is sorry, then he should become poor to see how most Americans like my self will live 20 years from now. Thank you lobbyist for showing me that I don't need "things"
aaronmoravek 3 months ago
@aaronmoravek I believe now he's working at a pizza shop(?) and he really has no money.
seabearpig 3 months ago
Absolute wrong person to do the interview: "Oh how appalling, deary. I'll have another martini, he he."
JejuLee 3 months ago
This is just theatre for the masses. Periodically, somebody has to fall to make it look like the feds are doing their jobs. Otherwise, the cheating, lying, and stealing just keeps right on going.
tabletalk33 3 months ago 3
You all realize that regardless of what policies or issues we argue about or the incessant right vs left rivalries, it's undermined by lobbyists. Your vote, regardless of your political affiliation or stance on issues means nothing.
k3fly0gmsk 3 months ago
This story points fingers as Republican congressmen like they're the only ones who are corrupt. This happens on both sides of the aisle. Republicans and Democrats. There are no differences. And this kind of stuff still goes on today. Make no mistake. There is no difference between political parties here. And it's worse now than it was before.
voicelessonsrivca 3 months ago
The most important answer to this problem, and it is a HUGE problem, is purely public financing of all political campaigns. Not 90%, not 99%, but 100% public financing. I'd also like to add that it is refreshing to see one of these fat cat players confess in public. Usually they play word games, lie, and dance around a question like a ballerina. We are all sick to death of that.
2indulgent 3 months ago 17
@2indulgent could you elaborate on this? how would this work?
Kultmannen 2 months ago
@Kultmannen...Thanks for asking. Purely public financing of all elections would require one to qualify their candidacy for public financing by showing enough public support through valid petition signatures. So every qualifying candidate would receive the same amount of campaign funding. No longer would one's chances of election be based on how personally wealthy one is, but even more importantly, their chances would not hinge on how deeply they brown-nose the corporate interests.
2indulgent 2 months ago
@Kultmannen ....Furthermore, financing from any source other than the public financing allotment would never be allowed under penalty of law and disqualification of candidacy. One of the stipulations for public financing would be full disclosure of every dollar spent. Otherwise, a person would not be able to run for public office. Period. The amount of graft and corruption this would eliminate would totally change this nation.
2indulgent 2 months ago
@2indulgent yeah the thought is good, but here comes the tricky part. What do you do then about the media? they arnt exactly treating every candidate the same, and how could they really, their are too many candidates to give them all the same treatment and time. If candidates arnt allowed to raise their own money to put out information, candidates favored by the media would forever be gurranteed to win. Unles you would consider scrapping their 1 ammendment rights?...
Kultmannen 2 months ago
@2indulgent but i would suggest to you that corporate interests shouldnte be allowed to donate money, ony individuals should be allowed to do this. And personal wealth shouldnt be allowed to use either.
This would mean candidates would have economic strength after how many people support them, and not how many coroporate interests that would benefit from your politics. A quite low cap on individual maximun donation would also be good.
Kultmannen 2 months ago
@2indulgent, I used to think that was the solution. But consider this: (1) The Supreme Court has held that campaign contributions are protected under the First Amendment, so full public financing simply cannot happen; and (2) there are lots of ways of influencing politicians outside their compaign contributions. Notice, Abramoff didn't even mention campaign contributions.
gim10003 1 month ago
@gim10003 this guy is only a puppet for bigger people likeGrover Norquist
httm241 1 month ago
@httm241, I wouldn't say "only." Much of what Abromoff lobbied for had nothing to do with the agenda of Norquist and his ilk. Like most lobbyists, he was in it for the money.
gim10003 1 month ago
@2indulgent I'm afraid that public financing won't help much, because congress has power of purse. Therefore, anything fiscal that you make "public", Congress controls. They are the ones who levy taxes. They are the ones who pay themselves. That would mean that they could make it damn near impossible to win an election unless you are the incumbent, and I would not put something like that past them.
whoareyou119 1 month ago
hey...who's Abram? And why are we bein told to Jack em off?????
blazestrong 3 months ago
Wow.....A Joo stealing someone's money.....Now thats a new one!
Dvdog007 3 months ago
OK, Lesley Stahl gets the “Worst Acting Award” pretending to be appalled that congress can be bribed. Then she puts the blame on Abramoff for corrupting congress. The truth lies in the Congress and their ability to be corrupted. Think about it.
ecehst2 3 months ago 4
The way to stop this greed and fraud is to give a mandatory prison term of 40 years in hard labor/no chance of parole for both the lobbyist and the politician. Now like this criminal they do a few years (after stashing away millions), go back home to their mansions and laugh at the taxpayers. The corruption on Wall St. and Washington are destroying the World. He's not ashamed.
ronheri 3 months ago 2
Machiavelli says: “How, in a corrupt state, a free government may be maintained. I will suppose a state to be corrupted to the last degree..there being no laws nor institutions that suffice to check a general corruption. For as good habits of the people require good laws to support them, so good laws to be observed, need good habits on the part of the people. ..I believe it not, that a state that has become corrupt, a free government that has existed there can be maintained.
timothkeyyprice 3 months ago
I like the quote from Benito. How appropriate. This is not the only sickness in this country but I applaud Abramoff for admitting his wrong and coming forth with this interview. Good interview and information. But I'm still not joining the Occupy Wall Street Cult.
bonhamfish75 3 months ago
fascism at it's best
Simm2Dimm 3 months ago
"The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism—ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power"
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt
RationalDecisis 3 months ago 3
The entire political system is corrupt from the top on down, to the least of them. The damage and the fallout from this type of thing will be enormous for all Americans and America. How can any of the American people even, be bothered to vote for either, the Dems or the Reps, is beyond me.
orbitring 3 months ago
It's like hacking law plain and simple. When it comes down to hacking there always seems to be some hole, same thing here except many don't want these holes patched.
t3hsniper 3 months ago
stahl is appalled that abramoff spills the beans. marxist-socialist-progressive-democrats do the same thing. all of them. this type of feigned outrage is absurd. stahl gets schooled on how democrat corruption works, but is too blind to see the forest for the trees. even the opinion leaders are laggards. liberals are idiots
wouldee5150 3 months ago
@wouldee5150 The democrats and republicans are really just factions of the same party. They are both owned by corporate america. This whole "marxist/socialist/progressive" label is false. They don't actually represent those things. They just say that shit to get elected.
cheezombie 3 months ago
@cheezombie not. fascism accomplished its hard left paradigm shift decades ago. this feigned outrage is absurdity. the comedic irony is trumped by your apologetics. the thing about moral equivocators that is so disturbing is how excuses drum up disguises for dogwhistles masking culpable mismanagement of the public trust for specious gain. Obviously, you are a marxist-socialist-progressive shill. absurdity abounds.
wouldee5150 3 months ago
"I'm mad at you." Gimme a f**king break, Lesley.
Empathy37 3 months ago
Time to OCCUPY K STREET!
stbloomfield 3 months ago 2
Jew interviewed by a Jew. This is all smoke and mirrors so as to not address the privately owned banks that control the issuing of money.
"Give me control of a nation's money, and
I care not who makes her laws" Jew Mayer Rothschild
People/Goy work for money and the Jew controls the issuing(loaning) of it.
bit . ly/ujv8kX
Wake up read the Talmud.
kingstuks 3 months ago
sickening
simplejack81 3 months ago
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samantha34ize 3 months ago
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samantha34ize 3 months ago
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samantha34ize 3 months ago
This is why we need a constitutional amendment to bar corporations and unions from making campaign donations and limit what individuals can contribute.
floridagrandpa 3 months ago 2
This is corruption!
UCVibes 3 months ago
Delay is super corrupt.
UCVibes 3 months ago 2
Nothing in here is surprising at all. Does this woman live on Mars? Where has she been for the last 30 years to be so surprised? CBS really needs to hire journalists who know what the hell is going on and American has some serious corruption to clean up.
What a SICK system of government!
Torontopia 3 months ago
@Torontopia But darling, the same people who own the banks & gov't ALSO own the large media outlets, including CBS. Whom does CBS work for? Do they REALLY want to bite the hand that feeds them, do you imagine? Watch THE MONEY MASTERS
jeaherendeen 3 months ago
He is true hero of Republicans. Because 1% still needs guardian angel protector like him and for republicans interests too.
Nairuulagch 3 months ago
Those pesky Muslims... They are destroying our country... from the inside...
**Please detect my sarcasm...**
redbarchetta55 3 months ago 16
Time for Lesley Stahl to retire. Little short on brains these days.
Trevormark 3 months ago 2
congress is bought off..? and in other news, man lands on the moon.
Berlin wall is torn down.
Most of those "honorable" POS are no talent fools good at only one thing: getting dumb ass poop makers to vote for them.
trublu97 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Ron Paul 2012
MPLSReed 3 months ago
That Lesley is a real freaking idiot.
Taylor2221T 3 months ago
Wolf-pac.com get the money out of our government.
Taylor2221T 3 months ago 2
3 people are corporate ceos
TheJohnVandivier 3 months ago
6:25 when he says "100 offices" and Lesley looks all shocked, COME ON...really?? How long have you been reporting?? It's soo fake. Of course she knows. What a great act, deserve a Golden Globe. Ugh.
tipofmytongue1024 3 months ago
Wasn't he the one who called a Native American a "...f'ing moron, monkey, troglodyte..." Every one of my Native American bros should never forget this... These lobbyists are NEVER our friends. Never have been, never will be...
brent97555 3 months ago
Sounds Like Freedom
livefreeordienh36 3 months ago
Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, Bernie Sanders and Justin Amash are some of the only ones who aren't bought. Almost ever other joker in DC bows to lobbyists.
LibertyMike1 3 months ago 4
@LibertyMike1 didn't dennis have a come to jesus meeting with obama on health care or something. took him up in airfarce one and he changed his vote immediately.
trublu97 3 months ago
@LibertyMike1 yes.
gangstamind187 3 months ago
how much longer until lobbyists start getting jumped in the streets as traitors?
Xaymot 3 months ago
@Xaymot: Unfortunately, that will probably never happen.
honestann 3 months ago
How is it this guy is already walking free?
thats the real question!
DutchsMaria 3 months ago
They're gonna find him dead from an "overdose" one day
Kevin4444D 3 months ago
#OWS
timfmr 3 months ago 2
why is this bitch have that smile on her face like this is funny
supervegano 3 months ago 2
I'd be shocked if Jack Abramoff doesn't get knocked off if he keeps talking like this.
VirginiaTagz 3 months ago 2
I am convinced that there are folks in congress as we speak that are guilty.
highbury10 3 months ago
And "we" voted for all of this. "I can get more of other people's money for you than he can. " Winston Churchill once said that "the most persuasive argument against democracy was a five minute conversation with the average voter". He wasn't against democracy, but he could see some problems with it.
MrHbc3 3 months ago
The liberty way:
Get government out of business and business out of government.
The "other" way:
Get more government into business and hope that history and logic is defied in that, business in government will somehow mysteriously just vanish.
abcshopper 3 months ago
@abcshopper
The liberty way: Anarchy.
Other people are not your property. Anything more than no government at all is an offense to freedom.
SSTTEEAALLTTHH 3 months ago
@SSTTEEAALLTTHH Other people engaging in free and legitimate trade, (i.e. I trade my time and skills for your compensation) is just. But, I would tend to agree with you to an extent although, I believe some amount of "governance" is necessary. Not everyone is as well-armed as you and I are, and willing and able to protect by any means what is ours.
abcshopper 3 months ago
Actions speak louder then words. Jack Abramoff and other lobbyists like him are killing our country. If Jack is truly sorry for the damage and harm he's done he will work the rest of his life to help fix the system and not just write books to regain all the wealth he's lost.
Roeshamboe05 3 months ago
3 1/2 years roflololololol, boy, he's paid his debt to society!
basilleonardo 3 months ago
The irony of this story is that 60 Minutes is benefiting from access to this information and the name Abramoff. They are paying for this access by plugging his book and keeping him in the news. 60 minutes boosts their ratings (and ad sales) and Mr Abramoff boost his profile and book sales. Abramoff is making money by being a "reformer" now. 60 Minutes is playing it safe by working with him, rather than looking into the current system and players.
ESX888 3 months ago
@ESX888
Great point !!!!
nkvd1000 3 months ago
he was just a average guy who saw a flaw in the system and took advantage of it
like so many other lobbyist
its easy to say u would do this but you probably would if u had 5 kids
money rules everything
MALIRIPPA 3 months ago
When we would become friendly with an office and they were important to us, and the chief of staff was a competent person, I would say or my staff would say to him or her at some point, ‘You know, when you’re done working on the Hill, we’d very much like you to consider coming to work for us.’ Now the moment I said that to them or any of our staff said that to ’em, that was it. We owned them.
oxgon 3 months ago 3
the occupancy movement doesnt know what they want? Still wanna keep accusing us of that? Here it is motherfuckers, on 60 minutes.
umbrellaBuddha 3 months ago 3
@umbrellaBuddha This is exactly what we want out of our Government. How can people watch this and still fight OWS. FUCK! I now know what it feels like to be christian talking to an atheist, except it's worse, because we have more to go on then just faith.
oxgon 3 months ago
And they say the 99% have nothing to complain about... How about this?
Wenutz 3 months ago 44
@Wenutz those guys are not the 1%....they are the .000000001%. You can't touch them.
trublu97 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@trublu97 .000000001% is one in a hundred billion. There's not that many people in the United States
Mikhial66 3 months ago
@Wenutz This is what the OWS movement has been complaining about all along. The mainstream media just choses to not tell it that way.
LibertyMike1 3 months ago 33
@LibertyMike1 sorry mike, either you're naive, or just plain stupid. OWS want anarchy.
iown813 3 months ago
@LibertyMike1
That's why the movement should be "Occupy K Street" since it's the root of evil.
DivinityBleu 3 months ago
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
cheezombie 3 months ago 20
@cheezombie
Too many people have conservatism confused with Fascism. I am a conservative Republican and mad as hell about how fascism has took control of the Republican party.
floridagrandpa 3 months ago
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brian2786 3 months ago
@floridagrandpa I am a progressive and agree completely. We need to take corporate money out of our Democracy. This way conservatives like yourself will be voting for actual conservatives, and progressives like myself will be voting for actual progressives. As the system is now we're both getting fucked over by corporatist on both sides.
brian2786 3 months ago
@floridagrandpa Both parties are corporatists. They own both parties, you have no choice. You lose every time. The only presidential candidate not bought by special interests is Ron Paul.
cheezombie 3 months ago
u were right up to the last sentence
lee0122333 3 months ago
@lee0122333 So who bought Ron Paul?
cheezombie 3 months ago
@cheezombie NO ONE!!!!!!!!
Americanjazzlady 3 months ago
@cheezombie Corporate power = Capitalism
bulldogger 3 months ago
@bulldogger Not true. Corporations cannot exist without a state. You only owe as much as you put into a corporation, very different from any standard business. And even if what you said was true, corporate takeover of the government, passing laws in its favor, giving themselves bailouts is NOT capitalism. Imagine a game of monopoly where the richest guy gets to change the rule book. That's what we have.
cheezombie 3 months ago
@cheezombie Thanks for proving why AnCaps are among the dumbest groups of people walking the planet.
bulldogger 3 months ago
@bulldogger Beyond obvious bigoted ploylogism of your ad hominem comment; if ancaps are indeed the dumbest people on the planet, they are certainly some of the most educated and well read "dumbest" people on the planet. I wonder how many 881 page books on economic philosophy the "smartest" people on earth have read? Unfortunately, your statement has caused you to loose the moral high ground. I would recommend researching your position, and developing effective counter arguments, not insults.
aseredy 3 months ago
@bulldogger First of all, I'm not an anarchist capitalist. Second of all, can you provide the mechanism that shows what I say to be stupid or wrong? All you did was say "you're stupid" without providing an argument. I never said corporations shouldn't exist. What I'm saying is that corporate machines should not run the government, and should not create our money supply. Corporations having the power to change the laws in their favor and banks giving themselves bailouts is not capitalism.
cheezombie 3 months ago
@bulldogger If you believe in the current system, fine. But don't tell me it's capitalism, because it's not. It's crony capitalism. Educate yourself.
cheezombie 3 months ago
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pplayer666 3 months ago
Ron Paul is the only change and before someone says he is a racist because I know some dipshit will, I suggest you read his books and policy stances for why he voted against many of the bills that dumbasses call him a racist for
dmfc593 3 months ago
HEH73, Did you totally miss the fact that he was bribing republican congressmen?
miaminole2010 3 months ago 2
The Republicans make pledges to NEVER RAISE TAXES, I would love to see Democrats pledge not to take BRIBES from LOBBYISTS and introduce legislation denying anyone working on Capital Hill to come back as a paid LOBBYIST!
HEH73 3 months ago