Ralph "Malph" Reed Cannot Outrun The Truth
Rumors have it that Little Ralphie Poo worked against the passage of the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act of 2000 because he was being paid by Jack Abramoff on behalf of one of Abramoff's gambling client interests to fight such legislation. The legislation was reportedly supported by the Southern Baptist Convention, the United Methodist Church, Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, and the National Christian Coalition.
But, slick little Jacky was hired by an online company called eLottery, Inc. a Connecticut-based company that wanted to help state lotteries sell tickets online...one of the items the Internet Gambling Act was specifically written to prohibit.
And, so, back in 2000, enter Ralphie Poo (ace behind-the-scenes of saying one thing and being PAID to do the exact opposite of what he preaches) was hired by Abramoff to work against the legislation...and, sure enough, the legislation failed.
Jared Thomas, Reed's current campaign manager, stated to the AJC that Ralph's part in the anti-Internet Gambling Act was to work on a "small run of direct mail and other small media efforts" to encourage religious conservatives to protest the measure. However, Thomas wouldn't disclose how much in fees or direct-mail expenses Reed actually got paid by Abramoff.
PV Notes: One of the obscure factoids about this story to us is that it wasn't Reed's press secretary, Lisa Baron, who was called on to deliver the horse manure story to the press, but Reed's campaign manager.
Now, to us, Jared Thomas is a fine, upstanding citizen and a great Republican. Why he wishes to play the role of blocker for a serial hypocrite like Ralph Reed, we'll never know. In 2004, Jared was then-candidate, now-Congressman Tom Price's campaign manager and was recently working as Price's District Office Chief.
Reed's campaign personnel aside, here's a little summary of events to date concerning the lies that Ralph and/or his campaign for Lt. Governor has engaged in:
1) "I have never worked for Indian casino interests...my work in Alabama was to prevent casino gambling from taking hold there. My work in Texas closed down an illegal casino."
2) Then, when it was revealed that Ralph knew he was working for the Choctaw Indians and their casino interests (via e-mail exchanges with Jack Abramoff), he stuck to his story about only working against the spread of casino gambling in Alabama.
3) Now, it is revealed that he worked on behalf of an Internet gambling interest company to BLOCK federal legislation that would have banned online gambling. To this claim, Ralph's campaign spokesman states "Ralph didn't know who the specific client was that hired Jack Abramoff." [But, how come Ralph didn't answer this himself?...why is Ralph continuing to avoid to speak the truth himself?]
4) At the very end of this Sunday's AJC article about Ralph is this little tidbit: "In an interview last month about his consulting business, Reed declined to elaborate on his personal and professional relationships with Abramoff. At one point, Reed was asked if Abramoff had hired him to work for clients other than Indian tribes.
Reed's answer: "Not that I can recall." [emphasis added by PV...maybe Ralph needs to review his project files]
5) Reverend Tom Grey, executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, who worked for the 2000 Internet Gambling Act stated that: "It slips over being disingenuous...Jack Abramoff was known as 'Casino Jack' at the time. If Jack's doling out tickets to this feeding trough, for Ralph to say he didn't know - I don't believe that." [Neither do we.]
6) Ralph was working against the Southern Baptist Convention and the Christian Coalition and getting paid handsomely to do so in helping to defeat this legislation in 2000. [PV wonders how many other causes out there has Ralph been hired to work for/against something that the conservatives were working against/for?]
7) Finally, in Ralph's literature, he claims that he "grew-up in the North Georgia mountains..." Actually, that is being about as disingenuous as he's been about everything else he has claimed.
Here are the facts about Ralph Reed's "growing-up" days: He was born in Virginia in 1962. He grew-up in Miami and, in 1976, his family moved to Toccoa, Georgia and he entered the 10th grade. He graduated Toccoa High School and entered UGA. Whatever "growing-up" he did, it was all done prior to his move to the North Georgia mountains.
Ralph tries to make it look like he's just a good 'ole North Georgia mountain boy who has the same "values" and lifestyle as other folks from up yonder. Think he lives like a modest mountain boy would live? Think again.
His current residence is in the Sugarloaf Country Club subdivision of Duluth, Georgia. Purchased it in September 2001 for $1,500,000...right after he was handsomely rewarded by the various gambling interests who hired him to do their bidding. Five-bedrooms, five full-baths, two half-baths. Approximately 10,000 square feet, give or take. As of 2004, assessed value of his home: $1,524,300. He pays approximately $17,000 per year in property taxes to Gwinnett County.
Homes like this can be well-afforded if one is getting paid lots and Lots and LOTS of money from casino-connected clients.