George's Globes joke riles

George Clooney

The father of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff says George Clooney's off-colour joke about his son's name during the Golden Globe Awards made the lobbyist's 12-year-old daughter cry.

In a letter to Clooney posted on the website of the Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs, Frank Abramoff said he was astonished by the actor's "glib and ridiculous attack".

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