Lawrence Lessig interviews Jack Abramoff

At a Dec. 6 event sponsored by the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, Harvard Law School Professor Lawrence Lessig interviewed Jack Abramoff, a former lobbyist who pleaded guilty in 2006 to charges of fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy to bribe public officials. The interview was the first in the Center for Ethics' new "In the Dock" interview series.

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[ericfeinberg28]

good stuff

[Tippersnore]

I thought Casino Jack was flipping Italian pies in the Maryland suburbs.

[bonheurbrun]

Really, this is his best interview.

[bonheurbrun]

Incredible post, thank you for this. Kudos to HLS for opening their house.

[tetracycloide]

@W0rdMule One cannot in jail without forming a concept of suffering. I think you should really watch the Question starting at 42:26 since it almost exactly address your complaint. Does it matter if he's sincere or not? I honestly don't see that it does. He's a criminal. He served his time. He wrote a book. Judging a rational argument by attacking the person making it instead of actually thinking about it is a great representation of everything that is wrong with humanity.

[zck7]

Jack Abramoff is the person who wined and dined Mohammed Atta days before 9/11, on board his gambling ship off the coast of Florida, to get Atta to serve as a patsy on 9/11.

Google for: Suncruz Atta.

You should not give him credit for anything. He is an operative.

His is suspected of murdering a business partner in order to gain control of Suncruz Casinos.

[JimHarperDC]

Interesting ... if you didn't read Fred McChesney's 1997 book, Money for Nothing: Politicians, Rent Extraction, and Political Extortion.

[wa6mg]

Lessig: It's not the wealthiest 1% that lobbies. It is popular to throw that number around in view of OWS. Is that what you meant? Jack was very interesting, on the other hand.

[pgunn01]

1:11:20 is the most interesting question to me, where he describes the initial process of temptation of an elected idealist towards political corruption.

[mcthorogood]

Jack has had his moment of clarity. I'm still waiting for Karl Rove's mea culpa.