A report released today by the House Government Reform Committee documents 485 separate contacts between convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his staff and officials at the White House, including now-Chairman of the RNC Ken Mehlman and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove.

The report, available here and surveyed in today's Roll Call is the product of thousands of pages of documentation collected from Abramoff's Greenberg Traurig firm as well as other firms like the Alexander Strategy Group, run by former Tom DeLay aides Tony Rudy and Ed Buckham.  During the period from 2001 to 2004, Abramoff billed his clients for $25,000 in drinks and meals associated with these White House contacts, and offered a large number of meals, and tickets to events to White House officials.

According to the report, during this same period the White House aided Abramoff and his clients in a number of ways, including stearing $16 million in funds towards a tribe Abramoff was representing.  Ralph Reed, acting on Abramoff's behalf, was also able to intervene with Karl Rove to block the nomination of an Interior Department official Abramoff opposed.  At one point, Abramoff said Rove's assistant Susan Ralston (who'd previously worked for Abramoff) had told him, “anytime we need something, just let him know.”

More to come as further analysis of this report becomes available, and as Abramoff's continuing cooperation with federal prosecutors yields further information about just how deeply his network of contacts penetrates Washington.