 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (August 2013) |
Capitol Campaign Strategies was an American public relations firm run by Michael Scanlon, Tom DeLay's former press secretary, which Scanlon used in coordination with Jack Abramoff to redirect about $40 million in lobbying contributions from Indian tribes to Scanlon, Abramoff, and their associates, as well as funding bribes to Republican politicians such as Bob Ney. Scanlon and Abramoff have pleaded guilty for their activities. After Abramoff left Preston Gates and went to Greenberg Traurig in January 2001, Scanlon formed Capitol Campaign Strategies. Its official location was 611 Pennsylvania Avenue SE in Washington, D.C., which is a maildrop. Scanlon also formed the dummy organizations American International Center and Atlantic Research Analysis aka Atlantic Research & Analysis, used to receive and distribute CCS money.
Their criminal scheme worked as follows: Abramoff directed his tribal clients to pay CCS for political services without disclosing his ties to Scanlon; the clients were grossly overbilled; Scanlon and Abramoff split the profits fifty-fifty in a scheme known to the two as "Gimme Five". Public relations firms are not under the same disclosure requirements as registered lobbyists such as Abramoff.