WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- If investigators in the ongoing Washington lobby scandal asked about White House links to lobbyists, U.S. President George Bush said he would welcome them in.
The Bush administration has been asked about pictures of Bush and lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who has pleaded guilty to a series of charges related to his lobbying business. The White House has refused to release the pictures, saying they are not relevant to the investigation and would be used for political purposes.
Bush characterized the Abramoff affairs as a "serious investigation" that is important to give the U.S. public confidence in the ethics of their elected officials.
The president said he has lots of pictures taken -- some 9,000 just this past holiday season, he said -- and not every person would be someone Bush knew well. He said he did not know Abramoff.
"There is a serious investigation going on by federal prosecutors, and that's -- that's their job," Bush said. "And if they believe something was done inappropriately in the White House, they'll come and look, and they're welcome to do so."
