Illinois congressional candidate who thinks his candidacy is Gods plan hires Abramoff friend

http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=421507

Martin Ozinga's faith pulling him to congressional race

WASHINGTON -- When Republican county chairmen recruited Martin Ozinga III of Homer Glen to step into the race for the 11th Congressional District seat, they secured what appeared to be a wealthy, successful businessman to the ticket with little political background.

Ozinga, 58, is certainly well off. According to his federal candidate financial disclosure, he earned $478,421 last year as president of the Ozinga Bros. ready-mix concrete company and 26 other companies and entities that he runs or is affiliated as a board member. snip

Bobbi Peterson, of Beecher, who serves as GOP state central committee member for the district, said she was attracted to Ozinga due to his business background and his charitable works. She said he did not set out to become a politician, but feels drawn to the race by his faith.

"They believe that this is in God's plan," Peterson said of Ozinga and his wife, Ruth.

Ozinga describes himself as a conservative Christian, and said his upbringing in a Christian family and years in Christian schools, including college, form the base of his adult life. They are members of the conservative Eagle Rock Community Church in Orland Park.

http://progressillinois.com/2008/05/23/ozinga-consultant-tied-to-abramoff

Ozinga Consultant Tied To Abramoff by Mose Buchele on May 23, 2008

Central to Republican Marty Ozinga's bid for the open 11th Congressional District seat is his claim to be a Washington outsider. His campaign's slogan -- "I am not a politician" -- says it all. But if this is the image Ozinga wants to project, he probably should have thought twice about hiring GOP political operative Jonathan Poe as his media consultant.

According to the Associated Press, from his post at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in 2002, Poe consulted since-convicted Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff on how to use "large political donations as a way to pressure lawmakers into securing federal money for a tribal client." In case you've forgotten, Abramoff's lobbying firm tried to buy votes for the Indian tribes it represented through political contributions to GOP lawmakers. From the April 11, 2006, AP article: