Americans for Tax Reform
From Free net encyclopedia
Americans for Tax Reform is an interest group seeking to reduce the overall level of taxation in the United States, at the federal, state and local level. Its founder and president is Grover Norquist, an influential Republican lobbyist; critics charge that the group is little more than a non-profit front for his partisan political activities.
Members include Jack Abramoff, Grover Norquist, and Richard Scaife.
Background
Americans for Tax Reform was founded in 1985 by future Attorney General Bill Barr to organize grass-roots support for President Ronald Reagan's 1986 Tax Reform Act. Grover Norquist was offered the title of director.
Payments from Abramoff clients
On May 9, 2001, Chief Raul Garza of the Kickapoo tribe of Texas met with President Bush, with Jack Abramoff and Grover Norquist in attendance. Days before the meeting, the tribe paid $25,000 to Americans for Tax Reform at Abramoff's direction. According to the organization's communications director, John Kartch, the meeting was one of several gatherings with President Bush sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform. On the same day, the chief of the Louisiana Coushattas also attended an Americans for Tax Reform-sponsored gathering with President Bush. The Coushattas also gave $25,000 to Americans for Tax Reform soon before the event.
The details of the Kickapoo meeting and a letter dated May 10, 2001 from Americans for Tax Reform thanking the Kickapoos for their contribution were revealed to the New York Times in 2006 by former council elder Isidro Garza, who with Raul Garza (no relation), is under indictment in Texas for embezzling tribal money. According to Isidro Garza, Abramoff did not say the donation was required to meet the president; the White House denied any knowledge of the transaction.<ref name="$25,000 to Lobby Group Is Tied to Access to Bush">Template:Cite news</ref>
