The Muckraker's Reference Section
Signatures
Jack Abramoff opened this restaurant on Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue in 2002. It offered $74 steaks, chauffer service, specialty lint-free napkins, and a kosher kitchen. It advertised "liberal portions in a conservative setting" and was patronized daily by Abramoff himself and a revolving door of Republican leaders. Decorations included a signed copy of Nixon's pardon. Under new management, the restaurant is now looking to change its name.
Key Points:
Abramoff used Signatures to evade the congressional gift ban.
Abramoff frequently dined at his restaurant with members of Congress whose meals were comped, including Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Bob Ney (R-OH), John Doolittle (R-CA), and Tom DeLay (R-TX). In one e-mail to staff announcing a visit by DeLay and his wife, Abramoff wrote "Table of six. Put it where I sit and remove that other table. Their meal is to be comped."
Over seventeen months in 2002 and 2003, approximately $180,000 worth of drinks and meals - seven percent of total revenue - went unpaid. The Mississippi Choctaws and other tribes were frequently billed by Abramoff for meals he had with members of Congress there. Recipients of the free meals have mostly claimed that they fall under the gift ban's exception for meals from close friends.
Research by Josh Eidelson
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