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| TIME | SPEAKER | TEXT |
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| 00:00:01 |
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OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., STARTING WITH ED JACKSON OF THE MEMORIAL PROJECT FOUNDATION. |
| 00:00:27 |
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THIS WEEK ON "Q & A" OUR GUEST IS SUSAN SCHMIDT, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FOR "THE WASHINGTON POST."... |
| 00:00:35 |
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SUSAN SCHMIDT OF THE "WASHINGTON POST," WHAT ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT STORIES YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED... |
| 00:00:43 |
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PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IS THE ONE I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, THE LOBBYING SCANDAL IN WASHINGTON INVOLVING... |
| 00:02:16 |
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AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND THAT GOT ME INTERESTED.... |
| 00:03:18 |
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WHAT YEAR WAS THIS? |
| 00:03:21 |
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THIS WAS IF THE FALL OF 2003, SO THIS IS SOMETIMES BACK. |
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HAD YOU EVER HEARD OF HIM BEFORE THAT? |
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NO, I HADN'T. |
| 00:03:28 |
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AND WHAT WAS YOUR JOB AND WHERE DID YOU SIT IN ALL THAT OVER AT THE WASHINGTON POST? |
| 00:03:34 |
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I WAS ON THE NATIONAL STAFF, I WAS COVERING JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, TERRORISM, F.B.I. ISSUES, DOING A... |
| 00:03:45 |
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SO IT'S LATE 2003. WHEN DID YOU WRITE THE FIRST ARTICLE? |
| 00:03:49 |
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FEBRUARY 2004. |
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AND HOW DID THAT FIT INTO THE NATIONAL STORY? WERE YOU THE FIRST PERSON TO WRITE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS?... |
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THERE WAS A PAPER IN LOUISIANA THAT COVERED IT, ONE OF THE TRIBES THAT ABRAMOFF REPRESENTED, AND THEY... |
| 00:06:06 |
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SO YOU'RE SITTING AT YOUR DECK AND GET A CALL FROM SOMEBODY, A LOBBYIST THAT SAYS THIS IS GOING ON?... |
| 00:06:12 |
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YEAH. |
| 00:06:14 |
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AND ONCE YOU PUT THAT PHONE DOWN, WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? DO YOU TALK TO AN EDITOR OR START MAKING PHONE... |
| 00:06:23 |
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I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER. AT THAT POINT I PROBABLY STARTED ACTUALLY LOOKING UP LOBBYING REPORTS, WHICH... |
| 00:07:17 |
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SINCE THE TIME YOU WROTE THAT PIECE, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INDICTED OR COPPED A CLEE IN THIS WHOLE... |
| 00:07:29 |
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WELL, FIRST DAVID SA FAVIAN WAS INDICTED LAST FALL. HE'S A JEFRL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL,... |
| 00:08:02 |
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FROM THE PRESS' STANDPOINT, WOULD THAT STILL HAVE HAPPENED, DO YOU THINK? |
| 00:08:05 |
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I DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE. I THINK THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, INSPECTOR GENERAL, WAS ALWAYS... |
| 00:08:46 |
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IT WAS PUBLIC? |
| 00:08:50 |
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THERE WAS A GRAND JURY INVESTIGATING BANK FRAUD, BUT THE EXISTENCE OF THE GRAND JURY WAS NOT KNOWN.... |
| 00:10:04 |
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IN THE SHORTHAND, AS YOU WERE REPORTING ON THIS WHOLE SITUATION, THEY TALK ABOUT MICHAEL SCANLON AND... |
| 00:10:26 |
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THAT'S SWING. AS THEY WERE -- AS ABRAMOFF AND ADAM WERE NEGOTIATING TO BUY THIS SUN CRUISE LINE OF... |
| 00:11:12 |
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THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN? |
| 00:11:13 |
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RIGHT. HE'S GOING NOTHING TO DO WITH FLORIDA OR GAMBLING. HE'S FROM OHIO, YET HE READS THIS STATEMENT... |
| 00:11:46 |
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DID CONGRESSMAN NEY EVER ANSWER QUESTIONS AS TO WHY HE DID IT? |
| 00:11:54 |
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WELL, HE HAS SAID THAT HE WAS CONCERNED -- BULUS DID HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES AND... |
| 00:13:17 |
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WHY DON'T WE TALK ABOUT IN REGARD TO THE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN OUR SYSTEM AND I WANT TO GO BACK AND... |
| 00:13:41 |
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I CAN THEY HAVE A LOT OF FREEDOM, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES. I THINK THEY CAN... |
| 00:13:57 |
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WHO DO THEY ANSWER TO? |
| 00:14:00 |
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I GUESS, ULTIMATELY, TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. |
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SO THEIR JOB IS DEPENDENT ON MAKING THE SECRETARY HAPPY OR -- I MEAN, IS THIS A COMFORT THAT EVERY... |
| 00:14:11 |
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YEAH. BECAUSE THEY DO DO A LOT OF GOOD STUFF. THEY DO FIND OUT A LOT. BUT THEY'RE SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENT... |
| 00:14:41 |
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YOU MENTIONED A GRAND JURY IN FLORIDA. LET'S KEEP IT WITH THE FEDERAL PROSECUTORS. HOW EFFECTIVE... |
| 00:14:55 |
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THEY CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE. BECAUSE THEY HAVE HUGE POWER TO -- FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN PUT... |
| 00:15:17 |
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AS A REPORTER, DO YOU GET CALLS FROM TIME TO TIME FROM PEOPLE THAT WORK IN PROSECUTOR'S OFFICES, FEEDING... |
| 00:15:27 |
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NO. IT REALLY DOES NOT HAPPEN. |
| 00:15:32 |
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DO YOU TRY TO GET IT OUT OF THEM? |
| 00:15:38 |
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YOU KNOW, YEAH, YOU TRY. BUT IN THIS STORY, THERE'S JUST A WEALTH OF SOURCES AND A WEALTH OF INFORMATION... |
| 00:16:03 |
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ON THE CHECKS AND BALANCES SIDE, THESE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS, DID... |
| 00:16:16 |
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YEAH. ACTUALLY, THE DATABASES THAT ARE AVAILABLE NOW, AND THE ONLINE FORUMS THAT YOU CAN GO TO, FOR... |
| 00:16:55 |
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WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET INTERESTED IN DOING THIS KIND OF WORK? I GUESS FROM THE EARLEST DAYS THAT... |
| 00:17:06 |
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WHERE DID YOU START? |
| 00:17:11 |
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I STARTED OUT OF COLLEGE, AT THE "WASHINGTON STAR" AS A NEWS AIDE. THEN WENT TO A COUPLE OF OTHER ... |
| 00:17:32 |
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THE "STAR" WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. |
| 00:17:33 |
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YEAH. AND THEN CAME TO THE "POST." I STARTED OUT AS A REPORTER FOR THE "POST" IN PRINCE GEORGE'S ... |
| 00:17:43 |
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GO BACK BEFORE THAT, WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INTEREST IN JOURNALISM? |
| 00:17:50 |
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MY FAMILY HAS BEEN -- MY GRANDFATHER WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER. HE WAS A PICTURE EDITOR OF THE "NEW YORK... |
| 00:18:50 |
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AGAIN, YOU GO BACK TO YOU'RE SIGNATURE AT OUR DECK AND GET THIS CALL. YOU HAD EARLIER BEEN INVOLVED... |
| 00:19:00 |
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YEAH, THE "WASHINGTON POST." |
| 00:19:01 |
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1998. |
| 00:19:02 |
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THAT'S RIGHT. |
| 00:19:04 |
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BECAUSE I REMEMBER WE WERE ON THE AIR LIVE AT THE TIME IN NEW YORK CITY AND IT CAME OUT IN THE FINAL... |
| 00:19:26 |
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THAT STORY -- I THINK WE MADE THE SECOND EDITION OF THE PAPER. WE DIDN'T MAKE THE FIRST EDITION,... |
| 00:21:04 |
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AND WE HADN'T HEARD ABOUT THIS WOMAN. |
| 00:21:06 |
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NO. |
| 00:21:09 |
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LET ME READ FOR THE AUDIENCE FROM JANUARY 21ST, 1998, THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, BECAUSE IT BECAME A HUGE... |
| 00:21:40 |
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NOW, I ASSUME THE SOURCES WANTED YOU TO KNOW THIS. |
| 00:21:44 |
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WELL, AFTER WE FIGURED IT OUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT -- WE GOT SOME CONFIRMING DETAILS FROM LOTS OF PLACES.... |
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DID YOU KNOW HER? |
| 00:22:55 |
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NO, I DIDN'T. BUT WHEN I GOT TO HER HOUSE I KNEW I WAS ON THE RIGHT TRACK, BECAUSE THE LIGHTS WERE... |
| 00:23:53 |
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LET ME ASK YOU, PEOPLE KNEW YOU WHEN YOU WERE GONE AND -- YOU WERE UP IN NEW YORK CITY? |
| 00:23:58 |
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HUB USHEDS. |
| 00:23:59 |
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WHICH ONE? |
| 00:24:00 |
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CHAP QUA. |
| 00:24:03 |
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SO AS YOU WERE GROWING UP, PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED YOU WOULD GO UP TO HER HOUSE? WERE YOU ALWAYS THAT... |
| 00:24:19 |
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YEAH, I DON'T THINK -- YEAH. PROBABLY I WOULD DO THAT. OR NOSY. |
| 00:24:26 |
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ONE OF THE THINGS, WHEN I READ YOUR STORY -- AND THIS IS BACK IN 1998, I WONDERED WHAT WE AS A SOCIETY... |
| 00:24:53 |
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YEAH. |
| 00:24:58 |
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WHAT DID THAT DO TO HIS INTEGRITY? DOES IT MATTER? HE'S A LAWYER. WHEN YOU HEAR THINGS LIKE THAT ... |
| 00:25:07 |
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I THINK HE GOT CAUGHT FLAT-FOOTED. I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT HE -- I THINK PETER BAKER TALKED TO HIM ... |
| 00:26:02 |
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WE'VE GONE THROUGH TWO STORIES. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PEOPLE AROUND THE APPOINTMENT THINK... |
| 00:26:17 |
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NO. I'M PRETTY NONIDEOLOGICAL, ACTUALLY. I'M NOT A POLITICAL PERSON, I JUST FOLLOW THE INFORMATION.... |
| 00:26:40 |
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WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR PEOPLE ON EITHER SIDE OF THESE THINGS TO UNDERSTAND THAT? |
| 00:26:47 |
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I THINK PEOPLE WHO ARE ON BOTH SIDES OF THESE THINGS ARE IDEOLOGUES. AND THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND A ... |
| 00:27:19 |
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YOU HAVE BEEN VERY VISIBLE. IT WAS TOUGH FOR US TO GET YOU TO COME HERE AND DO THIS INTERVIEW. IT... |
| 00:27:31 |
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BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BECOME AN ISSUE, MYSELF. I JUST WANT TO DO MY STORIES. AND IF PEOPLE SEIZE... |
| 00:28:05 |
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WHAT'S YOUR FAMILY LIKE? I KNOW YOU'RE MARRIED TO ANOTHER JOURNALIST? |
| 00:28:12 |
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THAT'S RIGHT, MY HUSBAND WORKS FOR "USA TODAY." |
| 00:28:15 |
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HIS NAME? -I BRIAN. AND WE HAVE TWO TEENAGE DAUGHTERS, KATE AND LACY. ONE IS GOING TO ART SCHOOL... |
| 00:28:30 |
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WHAT DO THEY THINK OF ALL THIS? YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN TWO HUGE STORIES? |
| 00:28:35 |
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YEAH. I THINK THEY'RE PRETTY INTERESTED IN SOME OF THESE THINGS. I MEAN, MY OLDER DAUGHTER'S BEEN... |
| 00:28:56 |
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ONE OF YOUR STORIES THAT YOU WROTE ON THE ABRAMOFF SITUATION WAS OCTOBER 16, 2005, AND JAMES GRIMALDI... |
| 00:29:05 |
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YEAH. |
| 00:29:08 |
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IT'S TOTALLY OUT OF CONTEXT WITH ANYTHING, BUT I WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS STUFF WORKS. |
| 00:29:37 |
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LET ME GO BACK OVER THAT. THE EMONEY WENT TO NORQUIST'S FOUNDATION. WHAT'S ELOTTERY? |
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IT'S AN INTERNET GAMBLING COMPANY THAT ABRAMOFF REPRESENTED. |
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AND NORQUIST FOUNDATION, AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM? |
| 00:29:56 |
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THAT IS A A -- GROVER NORQUIST IS AN ANTITAX CRUSADER, INFLUENTIAL CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN, GOING... |
| 00:30:15 |
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WHAT'S THE VIRGINIA BEACH BASED AND FAMILY ALLIANCE? |
| 00:30:22 |
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THAT IS A GROUP CREATED BY RALPH REED'S ORGANIZATION, THAT REED USED AS A PASS-THROUGH -- WHAT HAPPENED... |
| 00:31:16 |
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WHO IS? |
| 00:31:18 |
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RALPH REED. SO THE IDEA WAS TO TIE THE HIDE THE SOURCE OF THE MONEY. |
| 00:31:27 |
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AS AN ANTIGAMBLING ADVOCATE, WASN'T HE INVOLVED IN ONE OF THESE STORIES, HELPING AN OUTFIT GET WHAT... |
| 00:31:36 |
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YES. THROUGHOUT HE HAS BEEN WORKING HAND AND GLOVE WITH ABRAMOFF. WHAT HAPPENS IS ABRAMOFF REPRESENTS... |
| 00:32:23 |
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ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CONCLUDE, WHEN YOU READ ALL OF YOUR STORIES, IS THAT -- FORGET ACCUSING... |
| 00:32:39 |
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WELL, I HAD -- |
| 00:32:43 |
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NOT ILLEGAL, BUT DISHONEST? USE THAT'S ONE OF THE AMAZING THINGS WE'VE DISCOVERED IN THE PAST YEAR... |
| 00:32:59 |
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YOU HAVE ONE IN THIS STORY CALLED LUCKY LOUIS SHELTON, THE REVEREND SHELTON. HOW IS HE INVOLVED IN... |
| 00:33:12 |
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WHICH IS APPARENTLY A PRETTY INFLUENTIAL GROUP, ALTHOUGH THEY CLAIM TO REPRESENT 43,000 CHUMPS. |
| 00:33:21 |
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THAT BIG? |
| 00:33:22 |
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I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY REALLY DO, BUT HE GOT PAID, TOO, BY ELOTTERY. AND THE AMAZING THING WITH HIS... |
| 00:34:00 |
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WAS LIEU SHELTON PAID BY THIS? EE, HE WAS, BY ELOTTERY. |
| 00:34:05 |
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AND ELOTTERY IS OWNED BY -- |
| 00:34:07 |
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IT ABRAMOFF'S CLIENT, THE GAMBLING COMPANY. |
| 00:34:10 |
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AND WHO IS THE GAMBLING COMPANY, A GROUP OF INDIANS? |
| 00:34:15 |
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NO, A COMMERCIAL INTERNET GAMBLING COMPANY. |
| 00:34:17 |
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ONE OF THE THREADS IS THE WORD CASINO AND GAMBLING. WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THIS COUNTRY? ARE A COUNTRY... |
| 00:34:29 |
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THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REPUBLICANS SPENT ENOUGH TIME WRITING ABOUT, BUT, YEAH, THE PROLIFERATION... |
| 00:35:22 |
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THE PICTURE YOU PAINTED IS IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE FOR OR AGAINST GAMBLING, EVERYBODY MADE... |
| 00:35:30 |
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IT'S TRUE. AND THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS GOT ENORMOUS CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THESE NEWLY RICH TRIBES,... |
| 00:36:07 |
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ANOTHER THING YOU WRITE ABOUT IT THE 80 SEATS THAT JACK ABRAMOFF OWNED AT THE THREE OR FOUR SPORTS... |
| 00:36:41 |
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YOU CAN IMAGINE, IF YOU'RE IN CONTROL OF THESE FOUR SIGH BOXES TO A REDSKINS STADIUM AND M.C.I. CENTER... |
| 00:37:33 |
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DID THEY HAVE TO REPORT THIS, THE STAFFERS? |
| 00:37:38 |
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WELL, THESE TICKETS ARE VALUED AT, LIKE, $49, UNDER CONGRESSIONAL RULES. SO IT'S NOT ABOVE THE GIFTS... |
| 00:38:19 |
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BUT IT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT IF YOU SIT IN THE REGULAR STANDS YOU'RE GOING TO PAY $80 OR $75. SO... |
| 00:38:32 |
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YEAH. THAT'S SOMETHING THE CONGRESSIONAL ETHICS PEOPLE REALLY PROBABLY -- THEY SEEM LIKE THEY'RE... |
| 00:39:17 |
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EXPLAIN HE OWNED THESE BOXES, AND THEY HAD, SAY, TO SEATS IN THEM. AND A STAFF MEMBER OR CONGRESSMAN... |
| 00:39:43 |
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YEAH A.J. HOW MUCH DOES THIS GO ON? |
| 00:39:47 |
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I DON'T THINK IT'S UNHEARD OF. I THINK OTHER LOBBYING FIRMS HAVE DONE THIS, BUT ON A SMALLER SCALE.... |
| 00:40:06 |
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HOW COULD YOU FINE OUT THE DETAILS ON THAT? WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU IN THE WAY OF RESOURCES? |
| 00:40:11 |
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THAT WAS VERY TOUGH TO FIND OUT. BECAUSE THERE'S NOT -- THERE WAS NOTHING. I JUST HEARD ABOUT IT,... |
| 00:41:05 |
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THAT REPORT'S GOING TO BE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS LATE, THOUGH? IN OTHER WORDS, AFTER THE FACT. IF YOU... |
| 00:41:14 |
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AND YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND OUT ANYTHING, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, SKYBOX -- IT MIGHT SEE... |
| 00:41:45 |
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SO WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER THING, THE FOUNDATION THAT FUNNELED MONEY PAYING FOR A MEMBER GOING, BECAUSE... |
| 00:42:02 |
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QUITE A BIT. WE FOUND TRIPS TO SCOTLAND, JUST FABULOUS LUXURY TRIPS TO ST. ANDREWS GOLF COURSE IN... |
| 00:43:25 |
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HOW DO YOU FIND THIS STUFF? |
| 00:43:28 |
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YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE HELP YOU. YOU CAN'T JUST GET IT. YOU CAN'T GET THERE THROUGH RECORDS,... |
| 00:43:36 |
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WHAT'S THE GOAL IF SOMEBODY'S TIPPING YOU OFF ABOUT THIS INFORMATION, USUALLY? |
| 00:43:41 |
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DIFFERENT GOALS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DEFLECT ATTENTION TO SOMEONE... |
| 00:43:51 |
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WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THAT HAPPENS? |
| 00:43:53 |
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WELL, YOU TRY TO PURSUE BOTH THINGS, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T TURN DOWN A BIRD IN THE HAND, YOU KNOW.... |
| 00:44:24 |
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WHY DIDN'T THEY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL NOW? |
| 00:44:31 |
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I THINK SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TALKED TO ME WERE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT BY TALKING. |
| 00:44:38 |
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I MEAN ALL THROUGH THE LAST TWO YEARS. PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN KNOW HOW A LOT OF THIS STUFF WORKS. ARE... |
| 00:44:51 |
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PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THE "POST" FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, SO IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE ARE JUST KIND... |
| 00:45:06 |
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I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS NOW TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE RULES. |
| 00:45:12 |
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I THINK THAT SOME OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS DON'T KNOW HOW FAR THIS THING GOES. BOTH REPUBLICAN REPUBLICAN.... |
| 00:46:24 |
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HOW MUCH OF THE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT IN THIS TOWN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU GETTING TIPS?... |
| 00:46:30 |
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COMPETITIVE? |
| 00:46:33 |
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COMPETITIVE, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICAN AGAINST REPUBLICAN? DEMOCRATS AGAINST REPUBLICAN? LOIBT AGAINST... |
| 00:46:50 |
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WELL, I CERTAINLY THINK INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, THE OUTRAGE ABOUT ABRAMOFF WAS FUELED BY COMPETITIVE... |
| 00:47:16 |
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WHAT ARE THE CHANCES, FROM WHAT YOU KNOW OF THE SYSTEM HERE IN TOWN THAT A LOT OF THIS WILL BE TAKEN... |
| 00:47:47 |
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I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT. WELL, IT'S STUNNING WHEN YOU GET INTO IT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE REPORTED ON... |
| 00:48:13 |
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SUN CRUISE ARE THESE BIG SHIPS IN FLORIDA, THAT HAVE |
| 00:48:16 |
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RIGHT. |
| 00:48:18 |
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MR. ABRAMOFF HAD BOUGHT. |
| 00:48:19 |
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RIGHT. |
| 00:48:22 |
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AND THEY PAID -- ONCE HE HAD BOUGHT THEM -- WAS IT BEFORE HE BOUGHT THEM? |
| 00:48:27 |
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IT WAS AFTER HE BOUGHT THEM. |
| 00:48:28 |
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FOR A JET TO CARRY THESE STAFF MEMBERS DOWN TO THE SUPER BOWL. |
| 00:48:34 |
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AND THEY WENT ON THE GAMBLING SHIPS IN TAM UP AND DOWN GIVEN CHIPS TO GAMBLE WITH. AND I ASKED ONE... |
| 00:48:53 |
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WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE? |
| 00:48:55 |
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WELL, THAT'S WHAT I SAID. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT MEMBERS -- IN THE SENATE YOU CAN TAKE GIFTS FROM... |
| 00:49:09 |
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WHY? |
| 00:49:12 |
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THOSE ARE THE RULES. NOW -- SO THIS IS GIANT -- THERE'S JUST ONE OF MANY LOOPHOLES. SO IF YOU'RE... |
| 00:49:28 |
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DO THE INDIAN TRIBES PAY TAXS? |
| 00:49:29 |
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NO. |
| 00:49:31 |
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SO ALL THIS CASINO MONEY IS |
| 00:49:32 |
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RIGHT. |
| 00:49:34 |
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WHY IS THAT? |
| 00:49:37 |
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BECAUSE THEY'RE SOVEREIGN NATIONS, TECHNICALLY. THEY'RE NOT REALLY -- THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SOVEREIGN... |
| 00:50:03 |
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BACK TO THE SUPER BOWL TRIP. THERE ARE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT HAVE FUNDRAISERS AT THE SUPER BOWL... |
| 00:50:20 |
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I FOUND OUT FROM PEOPLE AROUND ABRAMOFF, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND -- AS I SAY, YOU CAN'T GET STORIES... |
| 00:50:57 |
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WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A YOUNG PERSON WATCHING THIS, WHO THINKS THEY WANT TO BE A REPORTER JUST LIKE... |
| 00:51:09 |
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WELL, YOU CAN MAJOR IN ANYTHING. |
| 00:51:11 |
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WHAT DID YOU MAJOR? |
| 00:51:12 |
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ENGLISH. |
| 00:51:13 |
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WHERE? |
| 00:51:14 |
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IN VIRGINIA. |
| 00:51:16 |
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IN STANTON, VIRGINIA? |
| 00:51:17 |
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YEAH. YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BACKGROUNDS IN SCIENCE AND -- YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT... |
| 00:51:49 |
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IT'S TOO LATE MAYBE FOR -- YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING OTHER SUCCESSFUL STORIES. WHAT OTHER... |
| 00:52:06 |
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PROBABLY JUST A I REALLY LIKE TO FIND THINGS OUT. I WAS THINKING BACK ON MY COLLEGE DAYS AND I LOVED... |
| 00:52:40 |
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WE DON'T HAVE A LINK TO YOUR STORIES, BUT I HAVE A NUMBER OF DATES HERE. IF PEOPLE GO TO THE WASHINGTONPOST.COM,... |
| 00:52:57 |
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I WANT TO READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH AND ASK YOU IF YOU HAD ANY IDEA WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. YOU WROTE THIS... |
| 00:53:45 |
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TOM DELAY, NO LONGER A LEADER IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MICHAEL SCANLON COPPED A PLEA, GOING... |
| 00:54:00 |
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NO, BUT I DID THINK THAT ABRAMOFF WAS GOING TO BE IN BIG TROUBLE. BECAUSE IN THAT STORY -- BECAUSE... |
| 00:54:40 |
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HOW MUCH FARTHER IS THIS GOING TO GO? |
| 00:54:44 |
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I THINK THOST GOING TO GO ON FOR A LONG WHILE. BECAUSE THE PROCESS MOVES SLOWLY. YOU GET ONE PERSON... |
| 00:55:00 |
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WHAT IMPACT HAS ALL THIS HAD ON YOU PERSONALLY, THESE STORIES, THESE SUCCESSFUL JOURNALIST STORIES?... |
| 00:55:10 |
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WELL, IT'S GREAT TO BE IN THE PAPER AND TO HAVE STORIES THAT ARE GOT GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION. ... |
| 00:55:43 |
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DO YOU FEEL PRESSURE? NOT REALLY, NO. PRESSURE TO GET IT RIGHT. AND PRESSURE TO EXPLAIN REALLY COMPLICATED... |
| 00:56:10 |
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YOU HAD A BOOK CALLED "TRUTH AT ANY COST". IS THERE ANOTHER BOOK IN THE JACK ABRAMOFF STORIES? |
| 00:56:19 |
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YOU KNOW, THERE WILL PROBABLY A LOT OF BOOKS OUT OF THIS THING. |
| 00:56:22 |
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BUT FOR YOU. |
| 00:56:25 |
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I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE. IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'VE DECIDED YET. BUT POSSIBLY. |
| 00:56:31 |
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HAVE YOU GOT A NEW STORY YOU'RE ABOUT TO DROP ON THE BODY POLITIC OUT HERE? |
| 00:56:37 |
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WELL, I CAN'T REALLY SAY WHAT WE'RE PLANNING, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MORE STORIES. |
| 00:56:46 |
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SKEWS AN SHALL SUBMIT, TANG THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. |
| 00:56:53 |
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THANK YOU. |
| 00:56:59 |
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FOR A COPY ON TAPE OR D.V.D. |
NOTE: The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.
