Schadenfreude Not the Only Benefit of Congressional Bribes

With everyone publically dropping Ambramoff money all over town (it's not dropped until the press knows it's dropped, apparently), charities are benefiting.

Rep. Thomas Davis III (R-VA) - $4,500 to Annandale Christian Community for Action child-development center

Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.) - $1,000 from the Tigua Indian tribe to the Pentagon Memorial Fund

Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) - $2,000 from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe back to the tribe

Sen. George Allen (R-Va) - also donating $2,000 from Abramoff and an associate to the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond

Rep. Eric I. Cantor (R-Va.) - $10,000 to the William Byrd Community House

And oops - Maryland Gov. Ehrlich (R) - announced he'd give $16,000 from Abramoff to a Baltimore charity. But apparently Maryland laws forbid donating campaign funds to charities, so now that money is being returned to Abramoff (who no doubt needs it for legal fees)

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) - $5,000 in contributions from Indian tribes to the American Indian College Fund

Rep. Jim McCrery (R-La.) - $35,000 to Salvation Army

Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) - $2,250 to Salvation Army