Petrelis Files

FEC: Luskin, Rove's Lawyer, $2750 to Dems, $750 to GOP Pol

This information may be well-known inside the Beltway, but it's news to me and close friends out here who follow Washington's merry-go-round.

Bush's brain, Karl Rove, is in hot-water so scorching he's put aside cronyism and political partisanship in order to buy who he believes is the best lawyer possible, Robert Luskin, and his legal firm Patton Boggs, to mount his defense as he wrestles with the fallout from the outing of Valerie Plame and possible indictment.

Just learned today that Patton Boggs is a Democratic Party-leaning law office, which is reflected in the company's PAC donations to candidates, with more of their money going to Democrats than GOP pols.

According to a Sept. 2000 Corp Watch article, Patton Boggs was one of Al Gore's top corporate donors that year. I guess the firm wasn't too keen on the Dubya kid from Texas back then, which doesn't seem to be a problem to Rove as he tries to stay unindicted and his ass out of jail.

Luskin's Federal Election Commission records show all of his donations, except one, went to Democratic candidates. I particularly like how one recipient of his largesse, Barrow of Georgia, defeated an incumbent GOP congressman, in prime Southern Bush country.

Total amount given to Democrats by Luskin: $2,750. Donations to one GOP senator: $750

From my perch in San Francisco, I was under the illusion that Rove's attorney was a GOP hack who'd worked his way up the Republican crony ladder.

Just what the hell is Rove doing abandoning his (low) political standards by hiring the services of a lawyer whose FEC files don't show loyalty to either the GOP or Bush? Don't tell me Rove couldn't find a competent lawyer who's given to GOP candidates and hails from a fine Republican firm.

The following data is from NewsMeat.com:

Luskin, Robert
Washington, DC 20007
Patton Boggs/Attorney
BARROW, JOHN J (D)
House (GA 12)
FRIENDS OF JOHN BARROW
$250
primary06/30/05

LUSKIN, ROBERT DAVID
WASHINGTON, DC 20007
ATTORNEY
CARSON, BRAD R (D)
Senate - OK
BRAD CARSON FOR SENATE
$250
general10/28/04

Luskin, Robert
Washington, DC 20007
Patton Boggs/Attorney
BARROW, JOHN J (D)
House (GA 12)
FRIENDS OF JOHN BARROW
$250
general09/30/04

Luskin, Robert
Washington, DC 20007
Patton Boggs/Attorney
BARROW, JOHN J (D)
House (GA 12)
FRIENDS OF JOHN BARROW
$500
primary12/30/03

LUSKIN, ROBERT D
WASHINGTON, DC 20007
PATTON BOGGS
DURBIN, RICHARD J (D)
Senate - IL
FRIENDS OF DICK DURBIN COMMITTEE
$500
primary06/30/01

LUSKIN, ROBERT D
WASHINGTON, DC 20007
PATTON BOGGS
COLLINS, SUSAN M (R)
Senate - ME
COLLINS FOR SENATOR
$750
primary05/13/01

LUSKIN, ROBERT
WASHINGTON, DC 20016
COMEY BOYD & LUSKIN
FERRARO, GERALDINE A (D)
Senate - NY
FERRARO FOR SENATE '98
$1,000
primary03/23/98