Jack Abramoff asks Democratic group for rights to website domain bearing his name

Chris Moody
·Political Reporter

Five months after finishing a prison sentence for corruption charges, former lobbyist Jack Abramoff published a tell-all book about his time in Washington and is attempting to rebrand himself as an anti-corruption advocate, but despite his efforts, some aren't letting him off the hook.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee bought the rights to JackAbramoff.com in 2006, where they posted an anti-Abramoff website complete with an online petition to defeat "ethically-challenged Republicans."

Not surprisingly, Abramoff isn't all too pleased that Democrats are using an online domain bearing his name, and he allegedly called the DCCC about buying it last week. The DCCC posted a message he left with the IT department on the website.

"I wanted to discuss with you guys whether I could wind up amicably figuring it out with you in getting it back," Abramoff says in the voicemail. "I would be very grateful for a call back in any event."

A spokesman for the DCCC told Yahoo News that the organization has no intention of removing the petition or turning the site over to Abramoff.

Abramoff was convicted in 2006 of fraud and conspiracy when he tried to bribe public officials in relation to an Indian casino deal.