There is a plenty of media buzz being generated by Jack Abramoff. Part of the hububb is being created as he tours the TV talk shows doing interviews to promote his new book titled "Capitol Punishment". His most notable interview was aired on CBS 60 Minutes on November 6th. A video of the show was posted [here] or read the transcript [here]. A follow-on video report with transcript was also posted online [here].

Jack Abramoff was at one time the most powerful lobbyist in Washington DC. His interview was compelling because he was very frank about how he lobbied for various special interest groups.

The 60 Minutes show was shocking because Abramoff was very blunt about some of the methods he used to lobby congressmen. Unfortunately the show falls flat on substance because it never explained what kind of misdeeds Abramoff did. There was a passing reference to his casino scandal but nothing else.

What the American public isn't being told is that Abramoff was one of the key conspirators behind the effort to destroy American jobs. Abramoff was arguably the most influential lobbyist to push for the H-1B program and for employment based green cards.

To get a broader view of the depth of Abramoff's H-1B connection, it's best to read this paper: "The Greedy Gates, Immigration Gambit", by Gene A. Nelson, TheSocialContract, Fall 2007.

The following list contains just a few of Abramoff's most egregious lobbying efforts. If any of you are curious why the job situation is so dire, look to Abramoff first!

• In 1995 Jack Abramoff and Grover Norquist were hired by the lobby firm owned by Bill Gates' father: Preston-Gates. Shell games of this type are often used by corporations to obscurate the money trail from public scrutiny. During the years 1995 to 2000 Microsoft spent $100 million to lobby Congress for its causes such as tax breaks and increased H-1B levels. The money trail went like this: (Bill Gates) -> (Microsoft) -> (Preston Gates) -> (Abramoff) -> (Sen. Abraham and other politicians)
• Abramoff and Norquist were successful at blocking a 1995 reform bill by Senator Alan Simpson (S. 1394.IS) that would have required employers to make meaningful attempts to recruit American citizens before hiring H-1b visa holders.
• Abramoff sloshed money around to entice Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI) to sponsor the 1998 bill (S.1723) that almost tripled the H-1B yearly cap.
• Abramoff lobbied on the behalf of the Chinese Communist Government to change laws in regards to Saipan, a territorial possession of the United States. Abramoff successfully lobbied to preserve Saipan's commonwealth status so that its corrupt government could make its own trade policies. What Abramoff wanted most, and what he got, was to give Saipan the ability to stamp the proud label: "Made in the USA" on products manufactured there. In reality the products had nothing to do with the USA except as a destination of big box retailers who wanted to appeal to the shopper's sense of patriotism. Thanks to Abraham, Chinese industrialists moved thousands of young women to the island to work in Chinese owned sweatshops. Abramoff made sure that the Chinese would keep their political protection to run the sweatshops under an American flag.

In 1998 House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Jack Abramoff celebrated their treasonous conspiracy against the American public by taking a New Year's vacation on Saipan as a personal guest of Chinese business mogul: Tan Siu-lin.

Jack Abramoff bears much of the responsibility for the offshoring of the manufacturing jobs we see now. Mariana is only the ice above the water!

Between 1995 and 2002, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands government and Saipan business associations have poured $11.5 million into lobbying efforts to preserve the island commonwealth's unique dual status. That lobbying effort, which has done much to undermine mainland American manufacturing, was "directed by conservative Republican Jack Abramoff," notes Hong Kong's Weekend Standard. And Abramoff's prize catch was Tom DeLay.

"Slave labor: made in the U.S.A.: under the influence of disgraced super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, former House Majority Whip Tom DeLay became an apologist for slave labor camps—on American soil", The New American, by William Grigg, JBS, 2006

To read more about the dealings between Tan Siu-lin, Jack Abramoff, and Saipan, see this excellent Bill Moyers report: "Abramoff, Inc.".