Fact Finding on the Golf Course

Jacob Sullum | April 11, 2005

A spokesman for lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is under investigation for influence peddling by a federal grand jury and the Department of the Interior, complains that Abramaoff is "being singled out by the media for actions that are commonplace in Washington and are totally proper." Regarding the money spent by one of Abramoff's clients, the Tigua Indian tribe, on golf vacations in Scotland for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), the spokesman notes that "the tradition of lobbyists traveling with members of Congress to visit various jurisdictions so that they could learn about issues that impact the Congress and government policy is well known." In other words, the golf trips were fact-finding missions. Offhand, I can't think of any pressing legislative issues involving Scotland, but I guess if someone offered me a $100,000 trip I could come up with one.