After Jack Abramoff?

Such a story may have meant nothing B.J. (Before Jack), but in a post-Abramoff era we were struck by this item in yesterday’s Birmingham News about how Alabama Gov. Bob Riley is spending part of his time at this week’s National Governor’s Association confab in DC.

Rileys Sleeps Over at White House

Yup, the former three-term House member is being feted by his old House pals Hastert, Boehner and Blunt. Also check out who from K Street is putting on the event.

Now perhaps even post-Jack, a Rep-turned-Gov. up for re-election having a member and lobbyist-laden funder at a DC trade association may not merit a mention, but Riley has some, well, Abramoff issues.

Abramoff partner-in-crime Michael Scanlon was Riley’s congressional press secretary in the ’90s. Later, Scanlon’s outfit, Capitol Campaign Strategies, gave $500,000 to the RGA in October of 2002, which in turn transferred nearly $2.5 million to a soft-money arm of the RNC designed to aid state elections. That same month Riley received $600,000 from the committee and the Alabama GOP took another $600,000.

It was during this same time period, of course, that Scanlon and Abramoff were raking in cash from tribes.

Riley, who does not accept gambling money, maintains that he did not know the source of the RGA money. But the fact remains that the ‘02 race between Riley and then-Gov. Don Siegelman was fought in large measure over whether Alabama would join its neighbors in Georgia and Tennessee in instituting a state lottery. Siegelman was for it, Riley against.

And joining Riley in opposing an lottery were the Mississippi-based Choctaws and their man in Washington, DC - Mike Scanlon. The tribe feared a loss of business in their two casinos just outside of Philadelphia, Miss., - about 30 miles from the Alabama state line.

Guilt by association? Perhaps.

But Riley and the Alabama GOP - whose chair just recently resigned from the Mississippi-based lobbying firm that now represents the Choctaws - must not be sweating Roy Moore (R), Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley (D), or Siegleman if they are having this kinda event.

Or perhaps they are - tickets go for $1K a pop. Per individual or PAC, that is.

Originall published in the National Journal’s HotLine Blog

Tags: Alabama Governor's Race

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