Dad says Clooney made Abramoff’s child cry

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.  — The father of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff says George Clooney’s off-color joke about his son’s name during the Golden Globe Awards made the lobbyist’s 12-year-old daughter cry.

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In a letter to Clooney posted Friday on the Web site of The Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs, Frank Abramoff said he was astonished by the actor’s “glib and ridiculous attack” during Monday’s televised program.

“Your words were deeply hurtful to many innocent and decent people,” Abramoff wrote. “One day the truth about my son will come out and there will be a lot of people in your industry and others lined up to apologize for their efforts to destroy him and our family.”

He said the lobbyist’s daughter, who was watching the show, was in “a fit of tears” after hearing Clooney’s remarks.

“Are you proud of that?” Abramoff wrote. “Shame on you.”

Clooney’s father, Nick Clooney, told the newspaper: “I understand what it is like to have one’s son criticized in a very public way. It’s very painful and it’s very difficult.”

He added, “The difference here, and it must be said, is Mr. Abramoff’s son, instead of pursuing some positive efforts to do what he hoped would change the climate of the American politics, has confessed and has been convicted by that confession of subverting the political process.”

Clooney’s publicist, Stan Rosenfield, said Saturday the actor had no further comment.

Clooney took a jab at Abramoff after accepting a supporting actor trophy for the thriller “Syriana.”

The lobbyist has pleaded guilty to three felony counts, acknowledging he provided lavish trips, golf outings, meals and more to public officials “in exchange for a series of official acts.”