With the recent confirmation by the former Malaysian prime minister that indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff was bribed with $1.2 million to facilitate a 2002 meeting with President Bush, is there any question how corrupt the Republican Party is?

If so, see the examples below found in recent court filings. These are just a few of the Republicans, at the state and federal levels, under indictment:

• House member Tom DeLay for money laundering.

• Lobbyist Jack Abramoff for bribing government officials and defrauding his clients of millions.

• Lobbyist Michael Scanlon, for conspiracy to defraud the United States.

• Ohio Rep. Bob Ney has been named as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in Abramoff’s plea agreement.

• Former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham for tax evasion, bribery and fraud.

• Former vice presidential chief of staff “Scooter” Libby for obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements.

• Former chief of staff for the General Services Administration, David Safavian for making false statements about his relationship with Jack Abramoff.

• Maine resident James Tobin, the former New England director for the Republican National Committee, for conspiracy to commit interstate telephone harassment. He helped thwart get-out-the-vote efforts in New Hampshire during the 2002 elections.

• Ohio Republican operative Tom Noe, for laundering contributions to the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004.

Is there a pattern here? Does that sound like a party that should running our government at either the state or local levels?

Dave Chirayath, Auburn