April 11, 2008 04:40 PM UTC

Schaffer/Abramoff: Drip, Drip, Drip

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• by: Colorado Pols

The Denver Post continues its damaging examination of the relationship between Senate candidate Bob Schaffer and jailed ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff this morning:

At two key moments in the political life of Benigno Fitial – governor of the Northern Mariana Islands and a powerful former ally of now-jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff – then-Congressman Bob Schaffer was among several Republican U.S lawmakers who stepped in to lend their support, according to a copy of advertisements posted on a national blog and another obtained by The Denver Post.

The first was in 1999, when Fitial, who supported the islands’ garment industry, was preparing an underdog run for House speaker of the Commonwealth Legislature. The second came two years later, when Fitial was running for governor of the islands.

The two instances, in which Schaffer endorsed Fitial in ads in island newspapers, show that Schaffer has had close and enduring ties with key politicians on the American protectorate, extending relationships he developed while on a fact-finding mission there in August 1999. They also show that Schaffer was part of a concerted and public campaign by Republicans on the House Committee on Natural Resources to boost Fitial’s public career when he became key to extending a multimillion-dollar lobbying contract for Abramoff from the island’s government.

Schaffer’s ties to the Northern Mariana Islands and Abramoff have been the subject of new scrutiny as he campaigns for Colorado’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Schaffer campaign manager Dick Wadhams declined Thursday to discuss his candidate’s role in island politics. “The Denver Post continues its character assassination of Bob Schaffer,” he said…

Today’s story details the history of Schaffer’s close relationship with Benigno Fitial, who in turn was key to efforts to maintain the Mariana Islands’ lobbying contract with Abramoff’s firm. Schaffer repeatedly endorsed Fitial for territorial governor in campaign ads, and Fitial was the strongest supporter of Abramoff’s costly representation of the territory in Congress.

The Post concludes (for today):

Three years later, Fitial, who by then was governor, gave $2,000 to Schaffer’s primary Senate campaign.

The only other political contributions Fitial made that year were to George Bush and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. [Pols emphasis]

The islands slipped into Colorado’s senate campaign when Schaffer cited its guest-worker program as a “model” lawmakers could use as they overhaul the U.S. system.

That statement forced him to explain his support for the criticized program. It also drew attention to his 1999 trip to the island as part of what Abramoff later boasted was a successful lobbying effort to quash labor reforms.

Our view: the more that comes out on this scandal, the worse Schaffer looks, and lasting damage to his Senate prospects is very likely. Meanwhile, we hear campaign manager Dick Wadhams has responded to all press inquiries on Schaffer/Abramoff–from the Denver Post and elsewhere–with a seething belligerence that reporters find most unbecoming. You’ll recall that Wadhams used a similar tactic attempting to defend Sen. George Allen during the “Macaca” fiasco, which had pretty much the opposite effect on the media from his intent: foul-mouthed denunciations of any inquiry only redoubled their scrutiny.

Is Wadhams making the same fatal mistakes again? Or is he just going crazy? Check out this quote from The Associated Press:

“We do look forward to when Boulder liberal Udall has Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to Colorado for Boulder liberal Udall to defend Sen. Reid’s involvement with Abramoff,” he said.

Um…yeah, okay.