A Nov. 2 Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing revealed a startling memo that was sent from Michael Scanlon, a former aide to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), to the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana.
The Oct. 23, 2001, memo describes a mobilization effort for protecting the tribe's gambling business. To do so, Scanlon advocates a telemarketing campaign, mailers, and radio advertising on Christian radio.
On the third page of the memo, Scanlon wrote:
"Our mission is to get specifically selected groups of individuals to the polls to speak out AGAINST something. To that end, your money is best spent finding them and communicating with them on using the modes that they are most likely to respond to. Simply put we want to bring out the wackos to vote against something and make sure the rest of the public lets the whole thing slip past them. The wackos get their information form (sic) the Christian right, Christian radio, mail, the internet and telephone trees."
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Scanlon and his business partner, DeLay ally Jack Abramoff, stand accused of taking $66 million from Indian tribal clients, and directing the tribes to contribute to outside groups, which then sent checks to Abramoff's political allies.
The Coushatta Tribe alone spent almost $37 million on fees and donations directed by Abramoff and Scanlon, according to the Senate committee. Scanlon and Abramoff were hired as lobbyists by the Coushatta tribe to work against efforts by the rival Jena Band of Choctaws to open a casino that could compete with the Coushatta's gambling operation near Lake Charles, La.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), the committee chairman, called the activity "breathtaking in its reach."
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What does it say that a top lobbyist, with ties to the upper echelons of the Republican Party, calls conservative Christian activists "wackos"?
I wonder how conservative Christian activists reacted to the news. Unfortunately, I suspect that very few of them heard or read about what Scanlon wrote. A Google news search found that the incendiary memo made its way into a Salon.com story and a handful of liberal blogs.
But the mainstream media turned a deaf ear. Conservative blogs? Didn't cover it. Fox News Channel? Skipped it.
I'm sure it's just a matter of time before the conservative media starts spinning that the "angry left" is trying to make a mountain out of a memo. It's a lot easier than admitting that, at least in this one case, they were treated like rubes.
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This item first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.
Article comments
1 - Nancy
How pitiful, but typical - even those who use them can't stand them.
2 - Dave Nalle
You have justified your existence at last, David -by finally pointing out the truth that so many people on the left have denied and on the right have tried to conceal. Most GOP leaders - even the most suspect like Tom Delay - are only using the religious right as an easily mainipulated power base and don't actually have any real political allegiance to them or their wacko beliefs.
Dave
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
So the politicans are using the Fundamentalists now?
I thought the Fundamentlists were using the politicans.
Before that, I thought the Fundamentalists were the politicans.
Before that, I thought Iraq attacked us on 9/11.
Before that, I thought Lou Bega had a fresh new style.
4 - Dave Nalle
Everyone's using everyone, Matthew. And by now you should know that it was the Elders of Zion who attacked us on 9/11.
Dave
5 - David R. Mark
That almost sounded like a compliment, Dave. So I'll almost say thanks.
6 - Mark Saleski
Lou Bega doesn't have a fresh new style? dang.
7 - Silas Kain
What are the lyrics to the Canadian National Anthem? The tune sounds better every day.
8 - Dave Nalle
Don't they just use The Internationale now?
Dave
9 - gonzo marx
too fucking much...
i see it is easy to forget that the Issue here revolves around 2 DeLay lobbyist buddies ripping folks off to the tune of tens of millions of dollars...
it seems easy to forget that these power brokering "insiders" blatantly refer to a good chunk of their base as "wackos"...yet still "use" them in a callous manner as they see fit
it seems easy to forget that the GOP apologists and spinmeisters have/will squash this Story faster than a New York second...and then continue to manipulate and use their own people with no regard for the folks....just letting the greed of their personal Ends justify the violation of the public Trust when it comes to their means...
and some folks just laugh about it....all the way to the bank
fuck that
Excelsior!
10 - Michael J. West
I'll be interested to see what BC's resident wackos — um, I mean, religious conservatives — think of this post...
11 - Silas Kain
If I remember correctly, Dave Nalle and I have alluded to the fact that we believe G.W. Bush is not as conservative as he portrays himself. I have to stick by that assumption. The W. machine has effectively mobilized the Christian right in insuring the continuation of the Bush Administration. How committed it may be to the right is an entirely different question. This is a pandering President. He panders to those who have money, power and resources. If those to the left of center had as much cash and power as those on the right, I wonder whichg side Bush & Co. would cater to? The President saw just how effective the right can be when crossed. The Miers' nomination was a disaster. Unfortunately, America will never experience a confirmation hearing for her and learn about the many questionable actions she took while in Texas government and the State Lottery.
12 - Dave Nalle
>>This is a pandering President. He panders to those who have money, power and resources.<<
I'm a bit more charitable on this. I figure he panders because he has to. If he wants to do any of the things he thinks are important then he needs to be in office and raise money to get there. Presumably he thinks that whatever he has to do is justified because it gets him where he needs to be to achieve his goals.
Dave
13 - Warren
On behalf of religious wackos the world over, I can honestly say -- I've been wondering when they'd be honest with us.
I've been saying for the past two years that the GOP doesn't really give a wet slap about the Christian voters. We supply a voter base that is easy to pander to and that unfortunately doesn't ask enough questions.
Also unfortunately, the choices are small. The Libertarians don't really want us because of the social issues baggage that we carry around. The Constitutional Party wants us, but they're even nuttier than we are (seriously -- those guys are total idiots. Want far right? Read the Connies party platform).
Maybe this will encourage Christians to stop looking to Washington for their support. But I doubt it. It's easier to believe that the President will answer our prayers.
14 - david r. mark
Maybe the Christian Right will establish its own party. With operatives like Ralph Reed around, there's certainly grounds for creating a political apparatus.
15 - Silas Kain
The sad part is that lobbyists have no political loyalty. They sell to the highest bidder. I discuss this case in detail on my piece about the scandal in RI with the two former chairmen of the two major political parties who work for Harrah's Entertainment and the Narragansett Indian Tribe. Rhode Island has always had a reputation of being a lobbyists' dream. Once you come to understand how they operate in RI, it's pretty easy to figure out how they do it in Washington. If the Christian Right didn't have the cash, they'd be screaming like liberals at a KKK rally. Their vast cash resources keep the lobbyists working for them. It's not who you know or blow; it's who you pay off.
16 - Warren
The Constitution Party is what the Christian Right would turn into if they/we had a political party. It's run by extreme wackjobs (extreme even for me!) and is consistently marginalized into total obscurity.
Silas is completely correct -- if Christian conservatives didn't have the bucks and the machine in place, the GOP would avoid us like the plague. Sometimes I think that would be a good idea -- politics isn't the primary focus we should have anyway.
Maybe I'm more cynical than my fellow wackos, but I think that Scanlon only said what half the GOP (or more) have been thinking. And that's why conservatives have been silent on this one. It's like when someone suddenly notices Aunt Noreen's mustache, and says something about it out loud at the dinner table on Thanksgiving. You might be mortified in public, but you're thinking "Good on ya', Junior!"
17 - Dave Nalle
I'm so glad the Constitution Party is there so that when we expel the extreme theocons from the GOP they'll have somewhere to go.
Dave