Lest we forget....

Uber-Christian Ralph Reed, long identified with fundamentalism and political dirty tricks, once referred to gambling as "a cancer on the American body politic."

I'm not sure if that was before or after he set up a scam with lobbyist/swindler Jack Abramoff that netted them millions of dollars from tribal casinos, but you can read all about it at the site above, courtesy of OhioDem1. Thanks again.

By May 10, records indicate, Reed's company had been paid $1.3 million for work that Abramoff's firm billed to the Choctaw.

Reed's work for the Choctaw continued into 2003, when Alabama lawmakers again considering allowing video poker machines at dog-racing tracks, records show. In March that year, Abramoff and Reed discussed the difficulty in getting the tribe to pay additional bills.

"I have a call in . . . to get some $ on this," Abramoff wrote to Reed. "They are really hurting for money right now, though. The economy is dead there. . . . This really sucks."

"Let me know," Reed responded. Then he changed the subject.

"Give me some dates on Jordan/Wizards," he wrote, referring to plans to attend one of basketball great Michael Jordan's final games with the Washington NBA team.

I find the ease with which they're discussing an extortion racket particularly disturbing.