Rove’s Top Aide Resigns Over Ties To Abramoff
In political news, Karl Rove’s top aide has resigned after it was revealed she helped Jack Abramoff lobby the White House. The aide, Susan Ralston, served as Karl Rove’s executive assistant. She formerly worked for Abramoff and got her White House job on Abramoff’s recommendation. Ralston’s resignation came just a week after the House Government Reform Committee documented 485 lobbying contacts between White House officials and Abramoff and his associates. Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman accused the White House of trying to make Ralston a scapegoat. Waxman said the links between the White House’s former political director Ken Mehlman and Abramoff deserve more scrutiny. Mehlman is now chairman of the Republican National Committee. Last week’s report indicated Mehlman was offered tickets to a rock concert and helped an Indian tribe represented by Abramoff secure $16 million for a jail despite resistance from Justice Department officials.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/09/1358249