So much dirt it’s hard to keep track

While everyone is aghast over the Cheney-shooting-a-man debacle, and for good reason, let’s also keep our eyes on the usual run-of-the-mill dirty stuff coming from this administration.

How about disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff? He seems to have fallen out of the news lately, so, just to keep him daisy fresh in your mind, note that the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Abramoff called his good buddy Karl Rove and wangled a 2002 meeting at the White House with George Bush for the former prime minister of Malaysia – who gets extra bonus dirty points for being anti-Semitic - and was clamoring for a meeting with Bush:

“The then-prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, had been chastised by the Clinton administration for repeated anti-Semitic statements and for jailing political opponents. But it was important to the Malaysians, according to a former Abramoff associate who attended meetings with the Malaysian ambassador and the lobbyist.

Abramoff contacted presidential advisor Karl Rove on at least four occasions to help arrange a meeting, the witness said.

Finally, the former associate said, Rove's office called to tell Abramoff that the Malaysian leader soon would be getting an official White House invitation.

(snip)

In May 2002, Mahathir met with Bush in the Oval Office; his photograph with the president was beamed around the world.

Abramoff received $1.2 million from the Malaysian government for his lobbying services in 2001 and 2002, the former associate said."

Just lovely.