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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (19779)	6/1/2000 5:09:00 PM
From: DMaA	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Unfortunately, this is the Washington DC most Americans know and despise: . . . The memo suggested a strategy for pushing the Portals deal that included contacting a top aide to Johnson, Barbara Silbey. "Let her know that you are also a major player in the fund-raising arena" and "that Gore has called or is ready to call Johnson and that he appreciates" Silbey's "help in resolving the issue," the memo said. Bliley's letter states that his investigation found that "Mr. Haney and his politically connected business associates, including Peter Knight and former Ambassador and Sen. James Sasser - all of whom have close ties to the vice president - did in fact make contact with top GSA political appointees," including Silbey, about the Portals deal. The contacts preceded GSA's "decision to agree to several controversial amendments to the Portals lease sought by Mr. Haney," the letter stated. Republicans on the House committee said the lease changes cost taxpayers millions of dollars in rent for months before government workers moved into the newly constructed building. In a statement Thursday, Silbey confirmed there was "a meeting between GSA and Mr. Haney" but said nothing was amiss. "There were lawyers present and the meeting was for the entirely legitimate purpose of discussing Mr. Haney's plans in connection with the Portals," Silbey said. "Every aspect of government contracting law was complied with to the fullest." Haney paid $1.8 million to Sasser and $1 million to Knight in early 1996 for assisting on the Portals and other real estate projects. Knight, a lobbyist, served as the campaign manager of Clinton-Gore '96. washingtonpost.com