WASHINGTON, April 28 - The government of a United States territory in the Pacific said Thursday that it had been unable to determine what work was performed for a $1.2 million contract awarded to a close associate of a Washington lobbyist at the center of a growing corruption scandal here.
The no-bid contract to promote "ethics in government" was awarded in 1996 to David Lapin, a rabbi whom the lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, later hired to run a private Jewish school, now defunct, near Washington.
Ethics corruption. Of course. Why didn't I think of that ? Also David Lapin has a very appropriate way to avoid pesky reporters "A woman answering the phone at Strategic Business Ethics in California, where Mr. Lapin is chief executive, said Mr. Lapin could not be reached for comment because of the Passover holidays." And can you think of a better name than "Strategic Business Ethics."
OK what's the next scandal ? Conflict of interest by taking money to pray for two rival firms bidding for funding for a faith based initiative ? Providing prostitutes services to influence the award of a contract for store front abstinence centers ?
I give up. I just don't have Abramoff's imagination.
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