Jack Abramoff Assorted Correspondence 1996-2001

7/27/2019 Jack Abramoff Assorted Correspondence 1996-2001

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Maya B. KaraFrom:abramoffjggtlaw.com>To:[email protected]>Sent:ednesday, January 31, 2001 12:22 PMSubject:NMI representationHi Maya. Nice to speak with you today As I mentioned, I will be corning toSaipan on the evening of February 12 and departing the late afternoon of the14th 1 would be delighted to visit with the Governor and you whenever youare free. Just let me know, 1 will be checking email prior to my arrival.In accordance with our discussions, I wanted to provide you with someadditional information about the team I brought with me from Preston Gates.With the exception of Mike O'Neil (who will be remaining at Preston to myknowledge) and a few other more minor participants, all of the persons whoworked on the CNMI account will be joining me, with the other exceptionbeing those of our team who have or are joining the Bush Administration.In addition to myself, the team members include Kevin Ring, Shawn Vasell,Todd Boulanger, Alan Slomowitz, Amy Berger, Michael Scanlon, Pat Wilson andSara Rizzo. In addition, we have added Tony Rudy; the former Deputy Chief'of Staff for Congressman Torn DeLay, who is our biggest supporter on CapitolHill Tony was very active on behalf of the CNMI and is fluent in all ofour issues.The former members of our team who are now joining President Bush includePat Pizzella (now chief of staff of the Office of Personnel Management),Dennis Stephens (who is expected to be named as Deputy Chief of Staff forthe Interior Department) and Rick Valentine (who is expected to be AssistantAttorney General under AG designate John Ashcroft).The new client manager, replacing Mike O'Neil, will be Kevin Ring. Kevin isthe former chief counsel for Senator Ashcroft from the Judiciary Committee,and was the top staffer for Congressman John Doolittle (another hero for theCNMI), as well as the executive director of the Conservative Action Team,now called the Republican Study Committee, which is the largestCongressional member organizing on the Hill. Kevin is a most talentedattorney and was asked by Senator Ashcroft to join him at JusticeFortunately, Kevin remained with us and is, without question, one of thestars of the lobbying world. Kevin is fluent in each issue and served as anunderstudy to Mike O'Neil during the period when Mike ran this client matterfor us. I am certain Kevin will lead the effort with great success.I hope that this provides you with the information you require and that youwill let me know if there is any additional information you require.Regards,

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Jack AbramoffSend her a list of names of the team; how many on the team at PG and howmany are there now; moreStarting feb 1Replacement for Mike O'Neil6 month contractfax numbermatzos when the time comes

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From:[email protected]>To:[email protected]>, Cc:abramoffiggtlaw.com>Sent:ednesday, October 10, 2001 4:21 AMSubject: GREAT NEWS -- $2 million in compact impact aid going to CNMIWe just received this excellent news today this should help at yourhearingOur sources inside the Interior Appropriations Conference just told us thatthe CNMI is going to get an additional $1 million in compact impact aid (ontop of the $1 million we secured in the House bill). In other words, theCNMI will receive $2 million in compact impact aid in FY2002. (We areworking on additional appropriations as well).As you probably know, the CNMI received ZERO in compact impact aid in FY2000 and $1 million in FY 2001.This is excellent news. We are very happy, and we hope the CNMI will bepleased with these efforts as well. We believe that this additional funding- -along with other funds we expect to secure by the end of the year - willmake clear to even our biggest critics that we pay for ourselves. So farthis year, we have been able to stop Murkowski, fight the minimum wage thatwill cost the CNMI millions and any tariffs (imposition of either would costthe CNMI Government hundreds of millions in lost revenues), do all of theother things I sent you on the list - and now we have made sure the cost tothe CNNEI is nothing by securing $2 million in federal aid.One note: the deal has not been finalized. This news conies from friendsinside the room. It should be finalized in the next day or two and we areconfident that the $2 million is secure. Feel free to share this news todaywith the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee.Please call with any questions.

The information contained in this transmission may containprivileged and confidential information. It is intended onlyfor the use of the person(s) named above. If you are not theintended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review,dissemination, distribution or duplication of thiscommunication is strictly prohibited. If you are not theintended recipient, please contact the sender by reply emailand destroy all copies of the original message.

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4.9.,,eI11Maya B. Kara

From:bramoff, Jack (DC) To:aya B. Kara Sent:uesday, August 01, 2000 9:05 PMSubject: RE: S. 922

Thisne Se,t7a7een meetingrtiervt,e tnat,:teen negottatiN: - t t t t,/..;ingt-tss ; : t t i! '0 .mlovementiitiro soe, \ K ; t hr-it:tigrot ireniThtitteansh,k2r7e iviughitAwye ; " - - t : r et-ing ,oryhtof ti to Keep Ihtsas urgent 3proleiti-', iyeL----Original Message--From: Maya B. Kara [mailto:[email protected]]Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 2:00 AMTo: Abramoff, Jack (DC)SubjectS. 922Jack:We have pulled S. 922 off the net. It is identical to HR 1621. Can you tell me the following:

1. What is the current status of this bill in the Senate?2. What is the likely procedural fate of this bill once it passes the Senate?3. Could a Discharge Petition be invoked with respect to a Senate Bill?

Thanks.Maya

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Maya B. KaraFrom:'Neil, Mike (DC) To:sandvold.govsaipan.com>: Sent:unday, October 29, 2000 2:10 AMSubject:egislative updateHi Julie and Maya. Here's the latest.Franks/Abraham. Congress has today passed another one daycontinuing resolution and is not getting much else done in terms of flooraction. Negotiations with the Administration continue behind closed doors,but we will not see a final Labor HES appropriations conference report untilMonday or Tuesday. Some parts of that bill are now being finalized,however, and our friends are reviewing everything for any further attempt.;to sneak in CNMI provisions.At this point, we are proceeding on the assumption that yesterday'sattempt to apply tariffs to CNMI goods was not the Administration's bigpush. That will probably come, if it does, in a very small group of themost senior negotiators and at the last minute when big deals hang in thebalance. Our tactics in preparing for this possibility are to point outthat. (1) this is opposed by the committees of jurisdiction - Ways andMeans and Senate Finance, (2) this will spell economic havoc for a smallisland economy about which the negotiators know next to nothing; and (3)this is a not so subtle attempt to discredit Republican conservatives led byTom DeLay.

Our principal worry at this point is that the provision that may beadvanced will be new and not so harsh as the previous attempt, so that itseconomic impact may be less obvious. For this reason, we have beenstressing to all our friends that any CNMI provision is harmful and shouldbe rejected. Yesterday's sneak attack helps emphasize that point and we aremaking sure everyone in leadership and all the appropriators who are helpingus know about it.Thus far today, we can report that no new anti-CNMI efforts havebeen detected. We will keep you info)ied.Minimum Wage. As earlier reported, the Senate may not take up theomnibus tax bill (including the minimum wage hike, but not CNMI coverage)until Tuesday. The President still threatens a veto. It is still possiblethat a grand bargain on both appropriations and taxes will allow some sortof "fix" in the Labor HI-IS bill that will convince the President to sign thetax bill and DC/CJS. If not, the tax bill - and with it a minimum wage hike- will die The issue will then return next year, and probably become amajor battleground issue between the parties regardless of who controlsCongress and the White House.

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Maya S.From:'Neil, Mike (DC) To:sandvold [email protected]; Sent:aturday, October 28, 2000 7:58 AMSubject:egislative update

Julie and Maya.Franks/Abraham. We have a busy day tracking down and defeating aneffort in the House to strip the CNMI of its tariff free access to U S.markets. An effort was made to slip such a provision into the Labor HESappropriations conference report, the only appropriations measure left.We received notice this morning that a "Northern Marianas customs"provision had been proposed to Ways and Means as an insert in the Labor HHSbill. We spread the alarm immediately to our leadership and Ways and Meanscontacts This afternoon, after numerous calls and follow ups, we wereassured that this proposal had been "blue slipped", Ways and Meansterminology for its rejection, by Chairman ArcherThe proposal would have repealed the CNMI's tariff free access to USmarkets. The Ways and Means rejection was the strongest possible - on bothjurisdictional and substantive grounds. The Chairman does not want taxprovisions in appropriations bills. Also, he agrees with us, and theAmericans for Tax Reform (ATR), that the last thing Congress should be doingis imposing taxes on an American territory

At our urging, ATR had put out last week an excellent letter to allMembers of Congress and Senators denouncing the Abrahanaranis efforts totake away the CNATI's tariff free access to the US. We were able to refer toit frequently today and in many of the meetings we have had with Members andstaff over the last 10 days.A related appropriations development was the passage today by theSenate of the DC/CJS appropriations conference report 49-42. Whether thebill will now be sent to the President, where it faces a veto, or held untilsome sort of final agreement is reached with the White House on the LaborIllIS bill, is not clear yet. We will continue to watch the Labor HI-IS billvery carefully.Minimum Wage. The tax bill (with the minimum wage hike in it) willnot be voted on by the Senate until next week. Right now it faces a vetofrom the President and it is very uncertain whether Republicans will agreeto further tax provisions - probably in the Labor FINIS bill - that willpersuade him to sign itThe possibility that tax provisions may get placed in the Labor MISbill, despite Chairman Archer's jurisdictional objections, only underscores

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the importance of watching that bill ex-tremely carefully, It also makes theWays and Means substantive rejection of the tariff proposal a veryencouraging sign. We are going to continue to reinforce that objection infrequent contacts with Ways and Means and leadership staff over the weekendand until the Congress finally adjourns, which now looks to be no earlierthat next Tuesday or Wednesday.

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M aw :Kara_From:'Neil, Mike (DC) To:sandvold.govgsaipan.com>, Sent:hursday, October 26, 2000 8:58 AMSubject:egislative updateJulie/Maya, here is the latest. Things have begun to heat up.> Franks/Abraham. The Administration has finally shown its> hand and is pushing hard to have the Franks/Abraham legislation included> in the final omnibus appropriations bill. Today both House and Senate> offices received calls from the head of the White House Congressional> Affairs Office urging support. We are working with a number of> organizations, including the National Retail Federation, in urging just as> strongly that Franks/Abraham not be added.> On the Senate side, the White House has been contacting> sponsors of the Abraham bill. In the House, they have contacted numerous> members, including Chairman Dreier of Rules and the Ways and Means Trade> Subcommittee Chairman Crane. We are inregular contact with all these> offices. The latter two told the Speaker's office they do not want this> legislation attached to any bill. We have also worked to get Chairman> Young to communicate his strong opposition to the Speaker and that has> been done. We are working closely with the Speaker's office and the> Whip's office. They will check all language that will go into the final> appropriations and tax bills that Congress will consider from now until> they adjourn, which looks likely to be this weekend. We believe that this> will enable us to detect any effort to put Franks/Abraham in final bill> language.> Minimum Wage. The minimum wage provision also remains in> play as part of a large tax bill that will be the last big bill sent to> the President. That bill is finally taking shape. The Republican> leadership sent a letter to the President today outlining what will be in> it. The actual minimum wage language continues to exclude any application> to the CNMI, but we anticipate that the White House may try to change that> as well. So far, however, there is no real negotiation taking place on> the bill's provisions, just a take or leave it presentation by the House> and Senate leadership. We will be monitoring all deliberations very> carefully for the expected White House counteroffer

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BIOSCongressional Staffers and Policy Makers Fact-finding VisitNorthern Mariana Islands

March 23-27, 1997

Howard F. McDonald, Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative HowardCoble. Mr. McDonald has served with Representative Coble since 1984.Prior to that, he w as new s and sports director and reporter for a ra diocroup In North Carolina. He has played a key leacjorship role in theN.C. Society of Washington, the second-largest state society in thecapitol.U.S. Representative Howard Coble, 7th term Republican fromNorth Carolina. Born, 03/18/31.

Committees: JudiciaryCourts & Intellectual Property SubcommitteeCrime Subcommittee

Greg Peek, Legislative Director to U.S. Rep. Helen Chenowith.A graduate of Catholic University Law School, prior to holding hiscurrent position, M r. Peek served in the office of U.S. Rep. Barbara Vucanovichl(R-Nevada). Ha is responsible for overseeing all of Rep. Chenoweth'slegislative activities, including her Resource Committee duties.U.S. Rep. Helen Chenowlth, 2nd term Republican from Idaho.

Born 01/27/38Committees: AgricultureResource Conservation, Research & Forestry

SubcommitteeResourcesEnergy & Mineral Resources SubcommitteeNational Parks, Forests & Lands Su bcommitteeWater & Power Resources Subcommittee


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Bob Hoist., Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Philip S. EnglishPrior to joining Rep. English's staff two years ago, Mr. Hoists served forseveral years in various positions for the State of Pennsylvania,including five years as director of Policy and Planning in the office of theAttorney General.U.S. Rep. Phil English, 2nd term Republican from Pennsylvania

Committees Ways and MeansHuman Resources SubcommitteeSocial Security Subcommittee

Halle Bering-Jensen, Deputy Editorial Page Editor of the WashingtonTimess. Bering Jensen, who holds a Masters degree from the Universityof Copenhagen, Denmark, has taught writing at Tufts University inBoston. Her articles have appeared In the Weekly Standard, theNational Review, the Boston Herald, German Life, SmithsonianMagazine, Arts & Antiques, and the Scandinavian Review. She'hasappeared on the BBC, CNN, C-SPAN, the Fox Morning News, andNational Empowerment Television.Jason W.A. Bertsch, Managing Editor, the Public interest, the nation'smost respected neoconservative, public policy quarterly. Before

assuming his present position, Mr. Bertsch served as assistant tothe political editor of the Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, andas Legislative Office Assistant to U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. His articleshave appeared in the National Review, the Washington Tiems, TheAmerican Enterprise, the Indianapolis Star, Congressional QuarterlyWeekly Report, Congressional Quarterly's Democratic and RepublicanConvention Guides, and the American Caucus.

John C. Liu, Director of Research and Policy, Pacific Research institutefor Public Policy (San Francisco). Prior to assuming his currentposition, Mr. Liu, who holds a law degree from Tulane UniversitySchool of Law, served as Senior Health Care Policy Analyst for TheHeritage Foundation. Prior to that, he served as Legislative Counselto U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, Legislative Assistant/Counsel to U.S. Rep.Bill Lowery, Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator John Seymour, andLegislative Fellow to U.S. Senator Robert Kasten.


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Philip Terzian, Associate Editor of The Providence Journal, andnationally syndicated columnist (Providence, Rhode Island).A former speechwriter for Dem ocratic National Chairman Law renceO'B rien and finalist for the 199 1 Pu litzer Prize for Comm entary, Mr.Terzian began his career at the Reuters Washington Bureau and USNews & World Report. He served as Assistant editor of The NewRepub lic and Assistant Ed itor of the editorial pages of the Los Angeles,Times, before becom ing editorial page editor of the Journal in 1986. yHis articles appear in The Wall Street Journal, The American Spectat(The New Criterion, The Wea kly Standard, and elsewhere. He appeon C-SPAN and on Washington Week in Review (PBS).


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D3 q :hursday, March '9, 1997 10:36:47 AMrom:[email protected] (Abramoff, Jack (DC))Subj:IN:To:[email protected]:[email protected] following was submitted into the Congressional Record today byCongressman DeLay. Please feel free to release it to the press. Jack.

From: Rudy, Tony C.[SMTP:[email protected]: Wednesday, March 19, 1997 2:13 PMTo: Jack Abramhoff (E-mail)FREEDOM AND PROSPERTY FOR THE CNMILast week, joined by my colleague and friend Phil Crane, the Chairman ofthe Trade Subcommittee, I had the pleasure of meeting Gov. FroilanTenorio of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marinias Islands (CNMI).Gov. Tenorio has embarked on a bold course to promote economic andpolitical liberty in the CNMI. The brave men and women who died forfreedom at the battle Saipan would be proud to know that Gov. Tenoriohas been a true champion of freedom in the Western Pacific.Gov. Tenorio recognizes that the market, and not the government, is thene of job creation. Gov. Tenorio has pushed forward with a program

elfare or handouts. He came to promote his market reforms. Mr.ov. Tenorio deserves our support.

uring his administration, Gov. Tenorio has actively pursued ad courtedusinesses around the globe to open shop in the CNMI. Like President

increased productivity, which in turn, increased revenue forportance of trade and has demonstrated how trade with Asian

economic changes that have taken place in the CNMI have been nothingater. There were 55 licensed businesses on the islands,

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th combined assets of ' million. There was one band one creditunion. Then the island L. ...A free markets.NMI dropped laws common elsewhere in Micronesia that restricted foreignnvestment. It reduced the regulatory burden on business. The islandformed its punitive tax system. The result has been economicughly integrated in the dynamic economy of the Pacific Rim."

overnment. Twenty years later, 25,965 people were working, 22,795 ofivate sector. Unemployment has fallen from 15 percent

pro-growth economic policies of the CNMI have been in stark contrastperiences of other American territories in the Pacific, such as

uam and American Somoa. The unemployment rate in Somoa is close to 16merican Somoa and, as of 1989, nearly 60 percent of the residents hadenefited from U.S. military presence on the island, but the

islands than the people of the CNMI themselves. Rep. Georgeiller of California, believes that Washington should impose the federal

ost Members of Congress recognize that a higher minimum wage wouldlt in a withdrawal of industry from the islands and widespread

mployment. Factories would move from the CNMI to other Pacificat were not burdened by Washington wage controls.

e that free trade creates prosperity. The CNMi is proof

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While we shouldn't imposL Nashington mandates on the GNMI, we shouldalso allow the people of the island more control over their own lands.Governor Tenorio described to Mr. Crane and me the trouble the people ofTinian are having with unreasonable federal control of their land.Governor Tenorio asked us to look into assisting the people of Tinianwith opening up more of their land for development and use in accordancewith their cultural and economic interests. Congressman Crane and Ihope to become active in bringing a positive resolution to this matterand other areas where we can help the people of the CNMI.The CNMI is on the right track. Their Pacific neighbors should view theeconomic policies on the CNMI as a model. Washington should alsoacknowledge that Gov. Tenorio's policies are on the right track. Let'snot nip job creation and economic reform in the bud with ill-t-ollueived'Washington knows best" legislation. It's time that we recognize andrespect the impressive progress that this group of American citizenshalfway around the world has achieved.

HeadersFrom [email protected] Wed Mar 19 18:57:56 1997Return-Path: [email protected]: from prestongates.com (prestongates.com [207.12.96.81) byemin30.mail.aol.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id SAA00760 for ; Wed19 Mar 1997 18:57:50 -0500Message-Id:


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flIVMtaL01v0I1.TAIZOll,J) I. /1 A !b//Si,860366046 PPrestonlGatesiEllis&Rouvelasihieeds N4K3i/LEL J ONEE.ATTOMEY AT LAW

SidUCLOWPJUESTOW.Alli_SCOM2(72) 428- 1700

July 27, 2000

Ms. Maya Kara, EsquireOffice of the Honorable Pedro P. TenorioGovernorCommonwealth of the Northern Mariana Isl AndsSaipan, MP 96950Dear Maya:

We have reviewed the draft contract you sent and find it acceptable, We thought itimportant to emphasize several additional ecnsiderations that went into our decision.

As a result of a conflicts check we ct nducted prior to making our determination, it isnecessary that, before undertaking to represent the CNMI, we disclose that we currentlyrepresent the Western Pacific Economic Council (WPEC), which, as you know, represents anumber of business associations in the Commonwealth, in connection with these same issues.We have an agreement with the WPEC that . ;hould we undertake to representthe CNMI as wellas the WPEC. we would do so only if that representation is for purposes consistent with those ofthe WPEC. In such a case, we have also secured the prior approval of the WPEC that, shouldthere be any inconsistency in policy direction from the WPEC and the Commonwealth, our firmwould take policy direction from the Comm-mwealth's designated representative. Thus theWPEC has agreed to accept policy direction from the Commonwealth's designatedrepresentative in such an event.

We have determined, and the WPEC has agreed, that our representation of the CNMIwould be for the purposes consistent with th Ise of the WPEC. We understand that theCommonwealth agrees with this judgement Ind that our representation of the WPEC maycontinue as long as it is subject to policy dintrtion from the Commonwealth government'sdesignated representative in the event of am inconsistent policy direction from the WPEC. Forall these reasons, we do not consider that ou . - representation of the WPEC will conflict with ourrepresentation of the CNMI.

A LAW 'INN I A LIMITED LIAIIILII7 PARTNERSHIP INCLUDING DIM IAIILIrrTY ENTITIES1733 NEW VDU AVENUE NW, SUITE 500 WASHINL TEN. DC 20006-5209 T(L, (202) 628-170JFAX: 202) 331-1024 www,prestongALes.com

Ant hordo Coeur a'Alg ov Hung Kong Los Angeles Orani .;ounty Pato Alto Portland S an Francisco Sea ttle Spokane Washington. DC


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clam riuoivA VA I LO21.30 16 74/ST :6:22/N0.41360366046 PMs. Maya Kara, EsquireJuly 27, 2000Page 2We must also disclose to you that w have represented several garment corporations

named as defendants in two class action law suits in federal cowls in Saipan and Los Angeles(since transferred to Honolulu and most recc ntly to Saipan) We do not currently represent them,and we do not believe this past representation conflicts with our representation of the

We wanted to bring these matters to Ana attention because, while we arc veryenthusiastic about the prospect of representing your interests as described in the draft contract,we would not be able to undertake this repre.;entation if it were to jeopardize our previouslyexisting and ongoing client relationships as (:escribecl above.

In addition, ourfirmin its-entirety re Aresents a number of clients, both private andgovernmental entities, with multifaceted intorests in many issues. We do not currently, andwould not in the future, represent any other client in connection with any of the specific mattersin which we were then representing you, if t.,at other client's interest in those matters wasadverse to yours.

We look forward to working with tht CNMI once again and we ap?reciate yourconfidence in our firm.

Sincerely,PRESTON GATES FT I IS& ROUVELAS WEDSLLI'

M10:dieinic

Preston Gates I E llis &Rouvelas Meeds UP


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Vise Telefacsimile

August 1, 1996T h e H onorable Froilan C. T enorioGovernorC ommonwealth of th e Northern M ariana IslandsCal ler Box 1000 7Saipan, MP 96950 nDear Gov ernor T enorio:It is 5:0 0 am and I am in my room awaiting your call (234-1234, room 438). I h ave great news!Gallegly 's bil l was DEFE AT ED at th e markup wh ich finished about an h our ago.Early in th e day, L loyd M eeds picked up a potential group of D emocrat opponents to th e bill .With this group it became possible to figh t the bill in committee, even th ough it was not certain wewould be v ictorious.W e were able to add f our conservative Republicans to th e block of Dem ocrat opponents and def eatthe bil l by a vote of 13-12.P lease call me so that I can come by to see you first th ing th is morning to discuss how you shouldreveal th is information to th e press. I can be at your house in five to ten minutes from th e timeyou call me. If I have not heard from you by 6:30 am I wil l call you at your house.It is critical that you do not comm ent on this in the press until I h ave h ad a ch ance to brief you indetail as to wh at happen at today's markup.Kindest regards,

Jack Abramoff

Jack Abramoff Assorted Correspondence 1996-2001

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Transcript of Jack Abramoff Assorted Correspondence 1996-2001