Todd Boulanger
| Todd Boulanger | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Lobbyist |
| Known for | Jack Abramoff scandal |
Todd Boulanger is an American lobbyist. He was senior vice president of Cassidy & Associates and was a figure in the Jack Abramoff scandal.
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[edit] Background
Boulanger graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in political science, and served in the U.S. Army Reserves for eight years.
[edit] Early career
In 1999 Boulanger followed Jack Abramoff to work for Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds, and then in 2001 to Greenberg Traurig as a member of "Team Abramoff", and finally in 2004 to Cassidy & Associates.
In 2000 Boulanger served on the Bush recount team for Broward and Duval counties during the Florida election recount. His Greenberg Traurig online profile heralded his involvement; fellow Team Abramoff members Shawn Vasell, Tony Rudy, and Duane Gibson also participated.[1]
Boulanger was also a legislative aide to Senator Bob Smith.
[edit] Abramoff scandal
While working for Abramoff in 2002, Todd Boulanger drafted a letter to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton on behalf of the Louisiana Coushatta against the Jena Band of Choctaws from Louisiana, who were hoping to build a casino near the Coushatta's own. His original draft said to Norton: "we hold you accountable" to shoot down "reservation shopping" by the Jenas. In June, Norton received a toned-down letter, signed by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).
Billing records and emails indicate Boulanger had 31 instances of lobbying contacts with the White House while at Greenberg. On February 21, 2002, for example, Susan Ralston e-mailed Boulanger in reference to briefing materials opposing the construction of a casino in Louisiana by the Jena Band of the Choctaw: “Thanks for breakfast. I showed KR the binder . . . . He gave the binder to Mehlman to read cover to cover and to be prepared. Mehlman will be at the meeting.”[2]
Emails also show that Boulanger was involved with Abramoff, Kevin Ring, Shawn Vasell and Tony Rudy in the Team Abramoff efforts to secure $16.3 million in funding from the Department of Justice for the construction of a jail by the Mississippi Band of the Choctaw. Documents released with Boulanger's guilty plea include emails by Boulanger, Abramoff, and Ring discussing giving "Staffer E" -- identified by the Associated Press as Sen. Thad Cochran aide Ann Copland -- tickets for ice skating and Paul McCartney and Green Day concerts. The lobbyists believed Copland could assist their client, the Mississippi Choctaw.[3]
Boulanger was identified as "Lobbyist D" in the plea agreement of Trevor Blackann, a former staffer for Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) who pleaded guilty on November 20, 2008 to making false statements about thousands of dollars in gifts from Boulanger and fellow lobbyist James Hirni.[4] Boulanger resigned from Cassidy & Associates the following day.[5]
On January 28, 2009 Boulanger was formally charged in the scandal.[6] Boulanger pleaded guilty to bribing government officials the next day.[3]
Following the initial wave of the Abramoff scandal, Boulanger became a regular on Fox News and MSNBC, and was named by Politico as one of the "50 Politicos To Watch" for his "nattily attired, outside-the-box staying power."[4][7]
[edit] Personal
Boulanger is married to Jessica Incitto, a Republican spokesperson who has worked for Tom DeLay, Roy Blunt and Progress for America.
[edit] References
- ^ John Byrne, "Bush Florida 2000 recount committee still owes lobbyist's former firm $314k. White House directs queries to RNC," The Raw Story, May 5, 2005
- ^ House Government Reform Committee Report, September 29, 2006
- ^ a b Nedra Picker (January 30, 2009). "Abramoff deputy pleads guilty in corruption case". Associated Press. http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/01/abramoff_deputy_pleads_guilty_in_corruption_case.php.
- ^ a b Emma Schwartz (November 21, 2008). "Top Lobbyists Drawn in Abramoff Probe". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6307572&page=1.
- ^ Susan Crabtree and Kevin Bogardus (November 21, 2008). "Lobbyist with Abramoff ties leaves firm". The Hill. http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lobbyist-with-abramoff-ties-leaves-firm-2008-11-21.html.
- ^ "Around the Nation: Abramoff Associate Faces Federal Charges". The Washington Post. January 29, 2009. p. A07. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/28/AR2009012803474.html.
- ^ "50 Politicos To Watch: The Players". The Politico. http://www.politico.com/top50/players.html.
[edit] External links
- "Casino Bid Prompted High-Stakes Lobbying". Washington Post. March 13, 2005. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A30274-2005Mar12?language=printer.
- "Jack of Clubs: Inner Circle of Abramoff, Delay, Blunt and the Boys". Fired Up! Missouri. October 5, 2005. http://www.firedupmissouri.com/club_abramoff.
- Cassidy & Associates Todd Boulanger biography (retrieved from Internet Archive)
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