It’s not surprising when a politician attends a U2 concert, especially when invited by Bono. However, when one is invited by a lobbyist, it’s a different story.
I don’t know if you’ve been following the saga of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and all of the controversy surrounding politicians’ involvement with him, but indictments and resignations are happening as a result. Through the House Committee on Government Reform’s office, it became public on Oct. 16 that one of the ways Abramoff tried to woo politicians was with tickets to a luxury box at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. for U2’s Elevation Tour.
In a letter sent to Ken Mehlman, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, House Ranking Minority Member Henry Waxman states:
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The documents released by the Government Reform Committee include several e-mails that link you to a June 15, 2001, U2 concert at the MCI Center. On June 5, 2001, Abramoff lobbyist Kevin Ring e-mailed Mr. Abramoff: “Please tell me we can fit 2 more in for Friday night. Ken Mehlman of the White House apparently wants to go.” Mr. Abramoff replied: “We must.” Later that day, Mr. Abramoff’s assistant sent an e-mail with “the most current list” for U2 concert tickets. The list contained your name for two tickets, along with several other individuals, including:
* Pete Rowan, who was a special assistant to the deputy director for legislative affairs at the White House (two tickets);
* Lori Sharpe Day, who was a top aide to Attorney General John Ashcroft (two tickets);
* Don Trigg, who was the director of policy at the Commerce Department (two tickets);
* Doug Mescar, who was the chief of staff in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education at the Department of Education (two tickets);
* Carrie Crane, the daughter of Congressman Philip Crane (three tickets).
In addition, a congressional office is listed for three tickets, and Abramoff lobbyists Kevin Ring, Pat Wilson, and Duane Gibson are listed for two tickets each.3
On June 14, a day before the concert, Mr. Ring e-mailed Mr. Abramoff that he would “talk to Mehlman at the concert tomorrow night.”
The tickets appear to have been for seats in Mr. Abramoff’s suite. According to the Office of Government Ethics, they would be valued at the price of the most expensive tickets sold to the public for the event, which was $133 for this concert. If parking or food was provided with the tickets, they would also be added to the value of the tickets under OGE guidance.
In your public statements, you have not answered whether you attended the U2 concert. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, you said: “I’ve been to several U2 concerts, but I don’t remember whether I went to that one.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, there is confirmation that you in fact attended the concert. The paper reported yesterday that “[a] former Abramoff associate remembers Mehlman attending the concert.”
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The incident is also mentioned in the U.S. House Of Representatives 2005-2006 report from the House Committee On Government Reform.
(c) @U2/Lawrence, 2006