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Published: 2012-02-09 04:01:00
Updated: 2012-02-09 19:18:14

Posted: February 9, 2012

Disgraced lobbyist Abramoff in NC: DC unchanged

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Disgraced Washington influence-peddler Jack Abramoff told a North Carolina audience Thursday about the Capitol Hill corruption in which he played a role.

The once powerful and notorious lobbyist suggested ways to reform the political system when he spoke at William Peace University in Raleigh. 

Abramoff served more than three years of a six-year prison sentence after his 2006 conviction for bribing public officials and other crimes. He was released from prison in mid-2010. He's recently written a book about corruption in Washington.

Abramoff says the changed federal lobbying laws passed after he and nearly two dozen others were convicted aren't tough enough to keep special-interest power in check.

The event was co-hosted by the North Carolina Center for Voter Education and the Civitas Institute, a conservative Raleigh think tank.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Latest Comments
B-b-but we voted for CHANGE! Crumps Br0ther February 10, 2012 9:42 a.m. Report abuse

Please enlighten us on how this has anything to do with Obama, since this man was sent to prison in 2007 for crimes he committed before that. You right wing nut jobs will twist anything and try to blame Obama for it...
BigBangTheorist
February 10, 2012 3:23 p.m.
Abramoff says the changed federal lobbying laws passed after he and nearly two dozen others were convicted aren't tough enough to keep special-interest power in check.

I think we poor uneducated people of NC even know this already... we don't need a has been crook telling us how lobbyist and politicians have a hand in each others pockets
ladyblue
February 10, 2012 2:53 p.m.
The Younger outlaw got out of prison and made his money going around giving lecture too. Just show what a crook can do. He right about the laws, they ain't worth much, because the "elected" ones didn't want to risk too much when caught. Just like the call to stop inside trader info abuse in Congress. It won't get no where, because that why they spent so much money getting elected. So they can get em some of that inside trading money. The only way to stop this abuse is to vote em out. People will have to get involved, because right now they're depending on people not caring, not voting and letting the abuse continue.
Click to view my profile Rebelyell55
February 10, 2012 1:00 p.m.
get rid of the citizens united law that was passed by the supreme court this alone would help to end the coporate corruption thatis taking place with in the nc state government thank you pbjbeach February 10, 2012 10:56 a.m. ....I share you sentiment about the corruption of the Rep. party, but also the Dem. party is just as bad. This why I say we need voters to register as independent, and take the voter base away from the current two parties in control now. Their both nothing but "for hire" polictican that do not have the average citizen or what's best for the citizens at heart.
Click to view my profile Rebelyell55
February 10, 2012 12:55 p.m.
If you had been at the event, you would know that Abramoff in no way views himself as a hero, nor does he expect to be viewed as a hero in the future. His talk was very interesting and informative. People on the ground actually working for change learned some things from him. Why would anyone object to that? Moreover, he was not paid for the talk last night. Thanks for checking your facts.
newsandlaw
February 10, 2012 12:52 p.m.
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