You're watching...
Cable exclusive: Ultimate Washington insider opens up on scandal, D.C. corruption in new book
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
He was America's ultimate political insider until -- highly publicized corruption scandal sent him to jail.
And took down a number of the nation's most powerful and influential lawmakers now 2006.
Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud and bribery charges related to a scheme in which.
He swindled American Indian clients manipulated public officials and pocketed tens of millions of dollars for himself his business partner.
A former communications director for former house majority leader.
And Texas congressman Tom DeLay now after serving 43 months in prison Abramoff is opening up about his fall from grace and exposing the mysterious and -- world.
That is American politics and his brand new autobiography.
Abramoff argues that while his ordeal may have changed federal lobbying laws the system is still far from fixed capital punishment.
The hard truth about Washington corruption from America's most notorious lobbyist.
It hit bookshelves today joining me now on a cable exclusive is the man himself Jack Abramoff.
-- -- I keep reading Jack Abramoff Abramoff Abramoff I -- you know the -- the subject of all these commercials.
I don't know I'm about never -- you talk to back prime minister.
Look I read your book -- It's interesting to me because it seems like.
Use it and it's very just think for me because I -- maybe it's human nature.
He didn't seem to understand what you're doing at the time was wrong but now -- state think in hindsight it's was horrible.
Right I think that when I was in the middle of being a lobbyists in the middle of that whole system.
-- lost sight of where the line in the sand bones and unfortunately that happens in life and -- paid the price.
-- said it was a perfect perfectly corrupt arrangement.
So you got four -- -- what you would Leslie stall last night do you -- you at a hundred congressional offices in your pocket.
-- hundred you -- them.
To -- -- -- -- -- 10000 offices I had a team of obvious who -- for me -- about a hundred offices probably little more than a hundred off since Franklin spent a million dollars a year on concerts and and sporting events or to give free tickets to congressman senators.
Etc.
their families.
Million dollars here.
You pay for private jets for them very clients that -- took them on junkets play golf all around the world.
I mean you didn't see that -- -- to the time.
I should've I should have it was wrong I didn't and now and -- about that and I can't un ring the bell.
I did but I did -- tell from where was I went to prison have been punished.
And I'm trying now make some recompense by talking about it.
What do you think I mean we've been talking a lot about Solyndra 535 million dollars one point two billion with us on power.
A total of 35 billion Green energy.
In many of these cases you've got big fund -- -- don't that the people donating huge money for the president in this case Obama.
They get access to the White House and then companies that they're supporting.
Get all this money right is that the same thing exactly the same thing -- buying us that they're buying taxpayer money and -- getting kickbacks basically yes.
And that's going on throughout the system that's right.
Many many congressional offices participate in things like -- administration I guess at certain levels is doing the same thing.
Him and that that's a problem for this country -- well it.
It meaning you even said in the book that.
You know they can change the laws be laughed -- it -- you knew you find a way around -- a bit even change the sense right they don't really change the laws and in the way that they have to be changed.
They'll tinker with and still have some reform so that they're they're able pat themselves on the back and point to a few lobbyists perhaps of rogue lobbyists such as myself.
Who were caught.
And and then declared that the systems -- but it's not -- -- you -- he seemed to say that your strategy and tactic that you wouldn't.
Used.
Was pretty standard.
You get to the chief of staff you get to high ranking people these offices.
And you say after he went on -- golf outings and -- toward the mintier web.
You know when you're done here right -- got a job would you could you come work for us -- and at that moment what.
Happened -- bad moment they started working for us the minute they even heard that there -- any interest in somebody to hire them.
They start thinking about where they were gonna and going to go next you.
Had to know what you're doing on human nature sure that the political business is not stable home these guys have families and they've got jobs that they may lose.
And when somebody says you lose your job become to me.
Prime then of course -- gonna do everything they can because it thinking of their future you know -- -- right I mean what I was doing is trying to win for my clients I was trying to do everything I could to win the battles that I was in.
And just like other -- -- just like anybody does in that arena.
The problem is that to a human being who's in who's competitive like I was is going to do that.
The system allows that unfortunately there's a big big bandage a few things here and there the truth is they need to do something much more how.
His 43 months and in prison because you seem pretty contrite unless you give your totalled his car salesman and once the cell may have broken down car and I didn't I don't know.
You seem pretty contrite he saved what does 43 months in prison due to a person like yourself that was live in the highlight -- millionaire.
Both brings you download it it destroys you in many ways you think -- destroyed well I I think it that.
-- person who was me is destroyed and maybe that's a good thing.
And a different person I think grows up.
From within that experience you gonna change this system Olympic.
Two things one close the revolving door between government and private sector that services the government the lobbyists and number two.
Make it so that you can't give money politically if you're going to get a benefit from the government.
Either a grand tour contract or anything like.
And no jets no tickets -- I think nobody is not have no lot of pent up not actually -- not a meal look up thing that's amazing how many people want free stuff in the wanna pay for their own -- is right.
All right -- it's fascinating insider's story it's scary.
For people to pay the bill the taxpayers out there that have to pay that means for shaving with a -- and.
