Customer Reviews

Heist: Superlobbyist Jack Abramoff, His Republican Allies, and the Buying of Washington

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This was a highly entertaining and readable account of the Abramoff scandal. Before I started reading it, I had a pretty vague understanding of the whole affair. I had obviously followed the story in the newspapers but tended to get lost in all the details of the intricate plot. Stone does a good job of explaining Abramoff's activities in a clear way that renders the affair understandable even to those with no prior knowledge. For the most part, Stone's voice is fairly unbiased. He presents the facts and lets them speak for themselves. He mostly refrains from making moral judgments of Abramoff and his collaborators until the last chapter, in which he situates the scandal within the larger topic of corruption in Washington. If I had to make a criticism, it might be that the author is sometimes repetitive, as he had a habit of citing certain facts and making certain arguments multiple times. Overall, however, I would recommend this book to anybody looking to gain a better understanding of the Abramoff affair. It makes for a pretty entertaining read at points, mainly just because the affair itself is so interesting and populated by such a colorful cast of characters. As far as I know, this is the only book-length treatment of the Abramoff scandal.

What a story! A classic tale of corruption in Washington, DC. I was both entertained and educated by the author's summary of this complicated series of events. He introduces the characters, the situation, and describes the "action" in a respectable narrative style.

Sometimes I pay almost no attention to the Federal Government. The unveiling of Abramoff, DeLay, Ralph Reed, and the other villains is this drama passed me by. This book has filled me in admirably. Stone's choice of level of detail seemed just right.

I take off one star for the few places where one wishes the editor had made the author clean up unnecessary repetition, and for the general lack of color. The style is that of a journalist, not a novelist.

A fine job of reducing a complicated story to a brisk, informative read.

Peter Stone's first-rate investigative reporting -- done over several years -- is a deftly handled take by an experienced Washington reporter on Jack Abramoff's scandalous activities. The thing that makes this book stand out is the incredible amount of original reporting that went into it. The tale is also well-written and not overly hyped. It doesn't have to be. It is told in delicious, understated detail that could easily be turned into a movie script.

This documentary changes one's perception of Jack Abramoff from that portrayed in the newspapers. From the start he was supremely capable, imaginative and quite a force in his own right. Of course, he went too far in terms of the means justifying the ends. He is also an example of a person getting dirty through association with some of the wrong people. Honesty, I think he could have been a very successful elected official should he have chosen that route.

The examples in this documentary show politics at its worst. I don't know how much of reality these examples portray. It's pretty bad, so prepare yourself if you're going to view this film.

What I liked about the documentary was that what it chose to show, it did so in a way that was understandable to me. Surely there must be another side, an untold side, and I would have liked to see that. Nevertheless, I enjoyed and was riveted by this film.

I really cannot judge this book as I have not read it. However, I did interview Tom Rodgers, a lobbyist who coordinated the contrived scandal against Abramoff. Tom, who provided misinformation to the media, was also Stone's source. To the best of my knowledge, Stone simply reiterated the false allegations made in Susan Schmidt's Washington Post articles.

For complete coverage of the Abramoff scandal, please read my book: Lynched! The Shocking Story of How the Political Establishment Manufactured a Scandal to Have Republican Superlobbyist Jack Abramoff Removed from Power.

You are also welcome to visit my website for more information: [...]

The problem with this book is it swallowed whole what had already been reported in the press without the author doing any analysis or insight. Stone didn't delve into the depths. He just skimmed the surface. The author simply bought everything the Washington Post said, swallowed whatever Senator John Sidney McCain claimed, and believed the verdict imposed by the Justice Department, because the matter never went to trial. He had no access to Abramoff and no access to 99% of the documentary evidence that McCain refused to release. In a word, this author didn't scratch below the surface. He just basically photocopied what the press had already reported. This book is a complete waste of time.

This knucklehead author does not have a clue as to what actually happened in this scandal or how it happened. He doesn't understand the commercial interests that were at stake in taking down Abramoff. He doesn't understand the vendettas, the resentments, the envy that drove a lot of what happened. It's instructive that Abramoff delivering for his clients (to where they signed and re-signed him over years) and owning Democratic politicians is essentially never mentioned. Basically, this book is an embarrassment

This book didnt go far enough of this neo-conman's connection to Dubja "00's" decade of greed; similar to the gopper "80's" greed. I wonder if the government will take back Casino Jack money he stole from the Indians and return it? or will the government let Casino Jack keep the Indian's money when they get out of Club-Fed, like Michael Milken and Ivan Bolsky.