Casino Jack and the United States of Money
Encyclopedia
Casino Jack and the United States of Money is a 2010 documentary film directed by Alex Gibney
.
lobbyist, businessman, and con man Jack Abramoff
, who was involved in a massive corruption scandal
that led to the conviction of himself, two Bush
White House
officials, Rep.
Bob Ney
, and nine other lobbyists and congressional staffers. Abramoff was convicted of fraud
, conspiracy
, and tax evasion
in 2006 and of trading expensive gifts, meals and sports trips in exchange for political favors. As of December 2010 Abramoff has completed his prison sentence.
Alex Gibney
Alex Gibney is an American documentary film director and producer. In 2010, Esquire magazine said Gibney "is becoming the most important documentarian of our time."...
.
Synopsis
The film focuses on the career of Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
lobbyist, businessman, and con man Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
, who was involved in a massive corruption scandal
Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal
The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Grover Norquist and Michael Scanlon on Indian casino gambling interests for an estimated $85 million in fees. Abramoff and Scanlon...
that led to the conviction of himself, two Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
officials, Rep.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Bob Ney
Bob Ney
Robert William Ney is an American politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. A Republican, Ney represented Ohio's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 until November 3, 2006, when he resigned...
, and nine other lobbyists and congressional staffers. Abramoff was convicted of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
, conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
, and tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
in 2006 and of trading expensive gifts, meals and sports trips in exchange for political favors. As of December 2010 Abramoff has completed his prison sentence.
Contributors
- Juan Babauta – Governor, CNMI (2002-2006)
- Jim Benedetto – Federal Labor Ombudsman, CNMI
- Pamela Brown – Former Attorney General, CNMI
- Tom DeLayTom DeLayThomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
– U.S. Congressman (R-TX) (1984-2006) - Nina EastonNina EastonNina Jane Easton is an American journalist. She serves as the Washington Bureau Chief for Fortune Magazine as well as a commentator on the Fox News Channel, appearing regularly on Special Report with Bret Baier, Fox News Sunday, and Hannity...
– Author, Gang of Five - Peter Fitzgerald – U.S. Senator (R-IL) (1999-2005)
- Thomas FrankThomas FrankThomas Frank is an American author, journalist and columnist for Harper's Magazine. He is a former columnist for the Wall Street Journal, authoring "The Tilting Yard" from 2008 to 2010....
– Author, The Wrecking CrewThe Wrecking Crew (book)The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule is a book written by American journalist and historian Thomas Frank, which explores the current state of conservative Washington.... - David Grosh – Former Rehoboth Beach lifeguard
- Carlos Hisa – Lt. Governor, Tigua Tribe of El Paso, TexasEl Paso, TexasEl Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
- Robert G. KaiserRobert G. KaiserRobert G. Kaiser is associate editor and senior correspondent of The Washington Post, where he has worked since 1963.-Career:Kaiser began at The Washington Post as a summer intern while still a college student. He has served as a special correspondent in London , a reporter on the city desk in...
– Author, So Damn Much Money - Adam KidanAdam KidanAdam Kidan is an American businessman, the former owner of SunCruz Casinos and former president of Atlantic & Pacific Mattress Co. He was one of lobbyist Jack Abramoff's business partners, and became a national figure when his involvement in one of Abramoff's illegal lobbying ventures came to...
– Former owner, SunCruz Casinos - Shawn Martin – Reporter, American Press of Lake Charles, LouisianaLake Charles, LouisianaLake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
- Rep. George Miller (D-CA)
- Bob NeyBob NeyRobert William Ney is an American politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. A Republican, Ney represented Ohio's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 until November 3, 2006, when he resigned...
– U.S. Congressman, (R-OH) (1995-2006) - Ron Platt – Former Greenberg Traurig lobbyist
- Tom Rodgers – Lobbyist, Carlyle Consulting
- Rep. Dana RohrabacherDana RohrabacherDana Tyron Rohrabacher is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 45th and 42nd, serving since 1989. He is a member of the Republican Party...
(R-CA) - Khaled SaffuriKhaled SaffuriKhaled Saffuri is an Arab-American political activist of Palestinian origin, and the co-founder of the Islamic Free Market Institute.- Background :...
– Public affairs consultant, Meridian Strategies - Susan SchmidtSusan SchmidtSusan Schmidt is an investigative reporter with the Wall Street Journal. She is best known for her work at The Washington Post, where she worked from 1983 until recently. While at the Post, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting in 2006, for her probe into and exposure of...
– Former reporter, The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation... - David Sickey – Vice Chairman, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana
- Melanie SloanMelanie SloanMelanie Sloan is the Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit government watchdog group.-Early Life and Family:...
– Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) - Peter StonePeter StonePeter Hess Stone was an American writer for theater, television and movies.-Life and career:Stone was born in Los Angeles. His mother, Hilda , was a film writer, and his father, John Stone was the writer and producer of many silent films, including Shirley Temple and Charlie Chan movies...
– Author, Heist: Superlobbyist Jack Abramoff - Froilan TenorioFroilan TenorioFroilan Cruz Tenorio was the fourth elected Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Elected in 1993, he served one term, leaving office in 1998...
– Governor, CNMI (1994-1998) - Neil VolzNeil VolzNeil Volz was Chief of Staff to Representative Bob Ney , staff director of the House Administration Committee, and later part of Team Abramoff, when he left Capitol Hill in February 2002 to work for Abramoff at Greenberg Traurig LLP...
– Former Chief of Staff to Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) - J. Michael Waller – Director, Institute of World Politics