The Big Give-Back of 2006

"All but three of the 24 politicians [so far] giving up [Abramoff] funds are Republicans. The three Democrats -- Sens. Max Baucus (Mont.), Richard J. Durbin (Ill.) and Byron L. Dorgan (N.D.) -- have pledged to shed a total of $97,000 in contributions. A spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said Reid has no intention of shedding the $47,000 he has received from Abramoff's lobbying team and tribal clients."

--WashPost, Jan. 5, 2006

So far, politicians (including the three Dems mentioned above) have said they're giving back some $500,000 in Abramoff money, "a fraction of the $5.3 million that Abramoff, some of his lobbying colleagues and tribal clients showered on 364 federal candidates and campaign committees from 1999 to 2004. About 64 percent of that money went to Republicans, about 35 percent went to Democrats...."

It's as though they, like Lady Macbeth, think a little water will clear them of this deed. Giving the money back doesn't get them off the hook at all, if they took the money in exchange for legislative favors.