Though acknowledging this week that Abramoff, who has pleaded guilty to felony charges of conspiracy and tax evasion, took part in two Hanukkah receptions and 'a few staff-level meetings,' the White House declined to provide details.
Saying that its stance is consistent with how it reacted in similar cases, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Wednesday 'people are insinuating things based on no evidence whatsoever.'
The sparseness of the White House response is not enough for opposition Democrats.
'As the leader of your party, you have the opportunity to set an example and call for openness and accountability from your fellow Republicans,' said Democratic leaders in a letter to President George W. Bush Tuesday. 'The American people need to be assured that the White House is not for sale.'
Democrats Wednesday kept up the pressure on the White House.
'Given the recent indictment of Jack Abramoff and his associates and ongoing criminal investigations into Republican officials, we need to know just how far this Republican culture of corruption has spread,' said Jim Manley, the spokesman of Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid. 'The American people have a right to know. They also have a right to know what the White House is hiding.'
In their letter to the president, the Democratic leaders pointed out that Abramoff had collected at least 100,000 dollars in campaign contributions for Bush's reelection.
'It has also been reported that Mr. Abramoff served as an adviser to your transition team and that you met with him personally,' the Democrats said.
Democrats hope to benefit politically from the Abramoff scandal. Though members from both parties have received contributions from the former lobbyist and his associates, Abramoff is much more closely tied to the Republicans. Democrats have used this relationship to bolster their claim that Republicans have created a 'culture of corruption' in Washington.
As a result of the scandal, both parties this week unveiled new restrictions on the relationship between members of Congress and those trying to influence them. These include bans on expensive gifts and travel, as well as additional limits on lawmakers that become lobbyists.
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