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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 December 2024
Abramoff, Jack: case study
Emblematic case of institutional corruption in US politics and rare example of imprisonment for inappropriate lobbying.
Jack Abramoff began lobbying in the mid-1990s, having spent the previous decade working as a Hollywood producer. He soon mastered the art of bending rules and showering politicians with gifts, to the benefit of his clients. He later claimed to have had “very strong influence” over around 100 legislators, but saw that as a partial failure, as there were at least as many who were not controlled by him (Stahl 2011).
A 2006 judicial investigation revealed that Abramoff was involved in systematic abuses: he used his companies to receive more than $23 million via fraudulent kickback schemes, often deceiving his clients about the way he would use the hefty fees charged to them. Amongst his lobbying techniques, he had an elaborate mechanism in place for the purchase of gifts for public officials in return for important concessions such as voting in favour of tax breaks aimed to help his clients. A convinced supporter of libertarian conservative stances, and an unabashed anti-communist from his youth, Abramoff put his skills to the use of individuals and organizations who sought to influence politics in this direction, including by slashing taxation for the rich and lobbying for harder stances on reproductive rights.
Abramoff eventually confessed to defrauding four Native American tribes and others of around $25 million (estimated by others at closer to $40 million), evading $1.7 million in federal taxes, and to engaging in conspiracy to bribe public officials. Abramoff was convicted and sentenced to six years, serving three years and six months before being released in 2010 to a centre for rehabilitating former prisoners. His trial exposed a deeply ingrained system of lobbyists bribing politicians to secure political favours that went over and beyond this single case (Stone 2006). About the psychology behind his erstwhile success, Abramoff said: “Everyone in DC is for sale. Most of them might not know it. But when someone does something nice for you, what will you feel? Gratitude. Unless you’re a jerk” (UT Austin 2013).
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