Guess Jack’s Visits, Win Some MuckSo tomorrow’s the day. After stonewalling for months, the Secret Service has been ordered to turn over their records of Jack Abramoff’s visits to the White House by May 10.
So what’s the final tally going to be? Come on, take a guess – you can play at home. The TPMmuckraker reader who nails it first will be rewarded with the envy of the blogosphere and his/her choice of TPMm memorabilia (which ranges from mug to T-shirt). Just to be clear on the rules: we’ll go by Abramoff’s total recorded entrances to the White House – and if no one guesses the exact number, we’ll go with the closest. Write us at comments@tpmmuckraker.com with the subject line “Abramoff Visits the White House.” The entry deadline will be when the Secret Service releases the records, which could be at any time tomorrow.
To aid you in your guesswork, you can consult the newest addition to our reference section.
Really, it’s anyone’s guess at this point. Last week Scott McClellan hinted that the records will not have records of all of Abramoff’s White House visits, but no one has been able to decode precisely what he means. When I spoke to Christopher Farrell of Judicial Watch, the organization that filed the suit to release the records, he expressed surprise at McClellan’s hedging. “We’re operating under the idea that we’re getting a complete accounting,” he told me. “I would expect that the Secret Service has complete and accurate records that show entries and exits to White House.”
I’ve been trying for a week to get the Secret Service to explain McClellan’s comments – since McClellan invited the press to “talk to the Secret Service” for an explanation – but none of my calls have been returned. So it’ll have to wait until tomorrow.
