Fox News has nothing if not, as former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright might say, "cojones." Perhaps never more so than on Sunday, when its Big Story Primetime show featured Republican lobbyist and strategist Ralph Reed offering analysis on the Jack Abramoff scandal:

1:00am Big Story Primetime Abramoff Ripple Effect? Republican strategist Ralph Reed speaks out on the wide-spread impact of the disgraced lobbyist's scandal.

Who better that Reed to provide insight and context into the exploding Republican scandals on Capitol Hill? As Perrspectives reported back in September, Reed is quite familiar with the ethical quicksand that is consuming Tom Delay, Bob Ney, Jack Abramoff and his minions such as David Safavian:

The Safavian web also entangles Ralph Reed, formerly of the Christian Coalition and Bush's southeastern campaign chairman. Reed was on those golf outings with Safavian and Abramoff. Like Abramoff, Reed also feasted on native Americans to the tune of $1 million in fees for casino lobbying. Interestingly, Reed also worked for Bill Gates in 2000, lobbying then candidate and Reed ally George W. Bush regarding the Department of Justice against Microsoft.

As the Washington Post reports today, the taint of the Abramoff scandal may yet swallow Reed, the one-time Christian Coalition wunderkind and current GOP candidate for lieutenant governor of Georgia. As a recent event held by the Dawson County Republican Committee, Reed was asked, "Did you accept any gifts, commissions or other payments of any kind from Mr. Abramoff, and are you likely to be a party in the unfolding investigation?" Reed, of course, responded "No, no to all of these."

Reed's one-time fellow Christian soldiers aren't so sure. A flood of emails have demonstrated the Reed-Abramoff link, including the revelation that Reed in 2004 received $4.2 million to mobilize Christian voters to fight new casinos opposed by Abramoff's tribal clients. As Phil Dacosta, a Georgia Christian Coalition member and now former Reed backer put it:

"After reading the e-mail, it became pretty obvious he was putting money before God. We are righteously casting him out."

The truth, of course, is matter for Ralph Reed and his God, and perhaps a federal prosecutor. But sins and felonies are no barrier to a promising career as a Fox New analyst.

Just ask Oliver North.

—Perrspective 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) |