Congressional report made public last week about a major influence-peddling scandal portrays former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed as an important conduit into the Bush White House, including the office of senior strategist Karl Rove.

   The bi-partisan staff report summarized findings in the case of disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates, and included a synopsis of 14,000 pages of evidence consisting of e-mail, notes, billing records and other documents. The review offered "a detailed glimpse into a sordid subculture of fraud and attempted influence peddling," according to the House Committee on Government Reform.

   Over a period of three years, Abramoff and his associates generated up to $85 million in fees through a combination of exorbitant billing practices, questionable fund-raising mechanisms, kick-backs and other schemes. A number of highly-placed officials and political operatives including former Texas Republican Tom DeLay and Rep. Bob Ney (R-OG) were implicated in the scandal. In the end, Abramoff pleaded guilty to three felony counts of conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion, with most of the charges stemming from lobbying activities on behalf of Native American tribes. This was when "Team Abramoff" launched a campaign involving Ralph Reed where the firm was essentially lobbying against their own clients in order to generate even more fees. Thanks to Reed, evangelical Christian groups were enlisted in what they thought was an anti-gambling crusade, while behind the scenes Abramoff and his accomplices were protecting existing Indian gaming monopolies.

   Reed's part in the scheme has been thoroughly documented by investigators and news accounts. The Government Reform Committee report, though, notes some of the specifics involving Reed and how he interacted with other players tied to the Abramoff operation. Indeed, Reed is cited in the second section of the document ("Lobbyists") along with Abramoff and his team, and political operative Grover Norquist of the group Americans for Tax Reform, a money conduit for the disgraced lobbyist.

    ¶       Reed, who rose to national prominence in 1989 when he took over Pat Robertson's fledgling Christian Coalition, formed Century Strategies in 1997 as a "public relations and public affairs firm." The group's purpose was to assist Christian evangelicals and other reliable Republican candidates in winning public office. His relationship, however, with Jack Abramoff dates back to at least 1981 when he moved from Virginia to Washington, DC. Abramoff was the newly-elected head of the College Republican National Committee. He met Grover Norquist, another college chum of Abramoff's. The three became fast friends and political associates, and all played key roles in the lobbying scandal.

    ¶      Reed would later claim that it was about this time that he underwent a profound religious revelation while dining at Bullfeathers, a prominent Capitol Hill watering hole. He wrote that "the Holy Spirit simply demanded me to come to Jesus." Moved by this emotional incident, Reed says he walked to a nearby phone booth and looked in the Yellow Pages directory under the heading of "Churches." He soon joined an Assembly of God congregation and says he was transformed into a Christian evangelical.

    ¶       After leaving the Christian Coalition in 1997, Reed turned to his old friend, Jack Abramoff, for help in energizing his new firm. "Hey, now that I'm done with electoral politics, I need to start humping in corporate accounts!" Reed pleaded. "I'm counting on you to help me with some contacts."

    ¶       In the Committee Report, Reed is identified as a major conduit between Abramoff and White House senior political operative Karl Rove. Fourteen "requests for assistance in securing ... political appointments and obtaining favorable actions on client matters" are documented. They involve everything from a possible appointment to the federal judiciary, to a discussion asking Reed "to weight in with Karl" regarding a rumor that "a Democrat from (California) might be picked for Indian Affairs." Another E-mail from Abramoff pleads with Reed to contact Rove's office about a "gambling compact."

    ¶       Reed is also mention in connection with an Abramoff effort to lobby the White House, and secure $16.3 million in funding for the construction of a jail operated by the Mississippi Band Choctaw Native Americans. Abramoff opined, "I need to push to get this done because it is the main thing are doing for them (Choctaw Tribe) this year... If we fail, while I don't think I'd lose the client, it would be a huge blow and make our efforts harder, if you know what I mean."

    ¶       Another incident involved efforts by Abramoff, working in tandem with Ralph Reed, to lobby the White House regarding federal policy affecting a casino to be opened in Louisiana by the Jena Band of the Choctaw Tribe. The new facility posed a competitive threat to another casino run by the Louisiana Coushatta Tribe who happened to be Abramoff clients. Abramoff queried Reed, "Ralph, any updates on the national Christian leaders contacting Rove, (Interior Secretary) Norton, et al?" Reed assured his partner, "Calls have been or are being placed as we speak. Will provide info as we get reports back. (w)e're in overdrive."

   Abramoff responded, "Checks are being cut today." Christian evangelicals throughout the South were mobilized by Reed to lobby against the Coushatta Tribe and other proposals for legal gambling. Groups like Concerned Women for America weighed in, unaware of their true role as shills for Reed and Abramoff.

    ¶       Reed's influence and ability to gain White House access for Abramoff went beyond the Indian gaming operation. In 2001, just days after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Reed and Abramoff had an E-mail exchange over a potential business venture to lease cruise ships to the Federal Management Emergency Agency (FEMA) to house rescue teams. According to TIME Magazine, it is unclear from the known E-mails, though, what de-railed this plan. Reed also was instrumental in opening doors for Abramoff in connection with other initiatives, though, including Abramoff's appointment to the Bush administration transition team, and less successful efforts to win job appointments for select clients in a number of federal agencies.

   On January 3, 2006 Abramoff pleaded guilty to counts of conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and a single count of tax evasion. Reed threw his hat into the electoral ring in hopes of winning election as Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. Stung by the Abramoff scandal, however, his candidacy suffered from calls even from fellow Republicans that he withdraw from the race. George W. Bush distanced himself from the man once dubbed "God's Right Hand." On July 18, 2006, Reed was decisively bested in the Republican primary by State Senator Casey Cagel by a 44% - 56% margin. According to several news sources, he went on record saying he would not seek public office again.

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