Cagle challenges Reed to produce proof of trip payment
New Court Documents Reveal Cost of Abramoff Trip

Gainesville, GA (May 27, 2006) - The Casey Cagle for Lt. Governor campaign today challenged lobbyist Ralph Reed to provide documentation backing up his claim that he fully reimbursed convicted felon Jack Abramoff for the cost of a posh Scotland golf trip.

   Cagle's challenge comes as new court documents have been released showing " the private jet chartered by Abramoff cost $92,000, while the golfing party enjoyed accommodations at luxury hotels in Scotland and London that cost thousands of dollars for each participant."
(Source: Associated Press, May 26, 2006). The records were released in the criminal trial of David Safavian, a former federal official who faces felony charges for conspiring with Abramoff.

   Last year, the Reed campaign insisted that " Reed paid his own way to Scotland." (Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution, June 19, 2005).
Yet, in the year since, Reed has provided no proof for this claim.
Now, new court documents have been released showing Abramoff expended massive sums to pay directly for the attendance of Reed and other participants.

   "Given that Ralph Reed has proven before that his claims cannot be taken at face value, we challenge Ralph to provide proof that he actually paid Abramoff for the cost of this trip. The costs here ran well into six figures, and Ralph surely has a record of paying such a large sum -- if he is actually telling the truth. Not even Ralph Reed keeps that much sitting around in unmarked twenties, so we are simply making the very reasonable request that he produce a copy of the cancelled check showing when and how much he actually paid Jack Abramoff," said Cagle spokesman Brad Alexander.

   Earlier this week, top Reed associates and Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted of felony fraud charges in Houston.