Capitol Punishment (book)

Abramoff wrote Capitol Punishment in four weeks^[2] after having served four years in a federal prison for corruption connected to his lobbying. When NPR asked Abramoff why he wrote the book, he said, "When I was in prison, I started thinking about how to fix the system that is there. Because, obviously, throwing Jack Abramoff in jail didn't clean up the system",^[3] adding "I had something to give back, some way to make some recompense for what I was by telling what is going on in Washington – from the point of view of somebody who rose very high in that industry – and what goes on behind those doors, and how horrible it really is."^[4]

Content

The book details the inner workings of

The book is meant to expose what Abramoff considers the real problem of Washington, D.C.-based lobbying. The real problem, according to Abramoff, is not what is illegal in Washington, D.C., but rather what is legal.[4] In the last chapter of the book, Abramoff portrays himself as someone who supports genuine reform.^[5] He suggests to shut the "revolving door" between Capitol Hill and the K Street offices of the biggest lobbying firms by banning legislators and their aides for life from becoming lobbyists. He also proposes barring lobbyists from giving gifts to lawmakers, and prohibiting lobbyists and special interest groups from making political donations. In addition to this, he advocates instituting term limits for representatives and senators.^[2]

References