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The 2000s in America

Abramoff, Jack

by Josephine Campbell

Identification: American lobbyist

Born: February 28, 1958; Atlantic City, New Jersey

Abramoff was the central figure in what became one of the biggest congressional corruption scandals in decades. The federal investigation into his work as a lobbyist led not only to his own guilty plea, but to the conviction of numerous politicians.

As a lobbyist, Jack Abramoff was skilled at cultivating connections. He offered jobs to those who were politically connected, and promoted his own associates for government positions. Ambitious and bold, Abramoff funneled millions of dollars from American Indian casinos to the coffers of political groups in Washington, DC, lavishing trips and favors on influential politicians.

Following the election of George W. Bush as president in 2000, Abramoff was named to the Interior Department transition team, where his influence as a lobbyist and political operative grew. At the peak of his lobbying career, Abramoff represented the business interests of ten different American Indian tribes. He also did lobbying work for the governments of Sudan and Malaysia, and for several telecommunications companies.

In 2004, the Washington Post published a report on Abramoff’s lobbying work for an American Indian casino group. According the report, Abramoff and former House Majority Leader Tom Delay earned more than $45 million from gaming interests. Subsequently, Abramoff became the focus of an investigation by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He also came under scrutiny by authorities for his involvement in the sale of the cruise ship company SunCruz Casinos. Following the announcement of the investigation into Abramoff, many politicians hastily returned campaign contributions from groups affiliated with his lobbying network.

In January 2006, Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud in the SunCruz Casinos case, admitting that he had filed false documents as a buyer of the company. He also pleaded guilty to three felony counts of fraud and corruption related to his dealings with American Indian gaming interests.

Jack Abramoff

AUGHTS_AbramoffJack.jpg

(Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images)

Impact

On March 29, 2006, Abramoff was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison. As a result of his conviction and plea deal, several lawmakers, congressional aides, government officials, and other associates of Abramoff’s were also subject to federal investigations. Republican Congressmen Tom DeLay and Robert Ney were both forced to step down due to their connections with Abramoff’s lobbying network. Ney later pleaded guilty to corruption charges. In the end, the Abramoff scandal resulted in over twenty separate convictions.

Further Reading

1 

Abramoff, Jack. Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth about Washington Corruption from America’s Most Notorious Lobbyist. Washington, DC: WND, 2011. Print.

2 

Leibovich, Mark. “Abramoff, From Prison to a Pizzeria Job.” New York Times. New York Times Co., 23 June 2010. Web. 9 July 2012.

3 

Schmidt, Susan, and James V. Grimaldi. “The Fast Rise and Steep Fall of Jack Abramoff.” Washington Times. Washington Times LLC, 29 Dec. 2005. Web. 9 July 2012.

4 

Stone, Peter H. Heist: Superlobbyist Jack Abramoff, His Republican Allies, and the Buying of Washington. New York: Farrar, 2006. Print.

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Campbell, Josephine. "Abramoff, Jack." The 2000s in America, edited by Craig Belanger, Salem Press, 2013. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=2000_0002.
APA 7th
Campbell, J. (2013). Abramoff, Jack. In C. Belanger (Ed.), The 2000s in America. Salem Press.
CMOS 17th
Campbell, Josephine. "Abramoff, Jack." Edited by Craig Belanger. The 2000s in America. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2013. Accessed September 18, 2025. online.salempress.com.