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Abramoff Pleads Guilty: An explosive
corruption scandal
The Times Online (UK)
Tim Reid
January 4, 2006
A LOBBYIST at the heart of a Capitol Hill bribery investigation pleaded
guilty last night after agreeing to provide prosecutors with evidence that
could implicate up to 20 politicians, most of them Republicans.
The move sets the stage for an explosive corruption scandal involving
President Bush's party.
Jack Abramoff, a lobbyist with extensive financial ties to numerous
politicians — including Tom DeLay, the former Republican House leader
— pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion, under a deal in
which he is believed to have named high-profile politicians he bribed in a
cash-for-favours racket.
Appearing in a Washington court, Abramoff agreed with Ellen Huvelle, the US
District Court Judge, when she said that he had engaged in a conspiracy
involving "corruption of public officials", and had provided campaign
contributions, trips and other items "in exchange for official acts".
The plea agreement drawn up by the US Justice Department is believed to list
extensive bribes, including cash, gifts, expensive meals and foreign trips,
that Abramoff and his associates are alleged to have given politicians in
exchange for legislative action favourable to the lobbyist's clients.
"Words will not ever be able to express my sorrow and my profound regret for
all my actions and mistakes," Abramoff told the court. "I hope I can merit
forgiveness from the Almighty and those I've wronged or caused to
suffer."
According to the charges, Abramoff and Michael Scanlon, a business associate
who pleaded guilty last month to conspiring to bribe politicians, overcharged
several Native American tribes by millions of dollars and used that money to
shower golf trips, sports tickets, lavish dinners and other favours on
politicians. The tribes had hired Abramoff to lobby politicians to get
legislation favourable to their gambling interests.
Abramoff faced up to 30 years in prison, but under the deal the sentence
will be reduced to between 9 and 11 years. He has also agreed to pay at least
$25 million (£14.3 million) in restitution.
The investigation, which has been expanding for nearly two years, has been
viewed as a time bomb for the Republicans.
Yesterday's plea deal now makes the prospect of politically explosive
criminal charges on Capitol Hill very real.
According to one unconfirmed report, Abramoff is believed to have thousands
of e-mails that detail what politicians did in exchange for the money he sent
to their campaign accounts.
Although Republicans have been hit by a series of sleaze scandals, including
the indictments of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief of staff of Dick Cheney,
the Vice-President, and Tom DeLay, it is the Abramoff scandal that has made
White House strategists the most nervous. Court papers in Scanlon's plea
last month say that he and Abramoff "provided a stream of things of value to
public officials in exchange for official acts".
Scanlon's papers, and Abramoff's yesterday, referred repeatedly
to an unnamed congressman, acknowledged by his lawyer to be Bob Ney, a
Republican from Ohio. Mr Ney has been subpoenaed in the inquiry but denies any
wrongdoing.
It is alleged that in addition to $14,000 in campaign contributions, Mr Ney
also got a golfing trip to St Andrews. Among others who went on a paid-for trip
to St Andrews was DeLay.
More than 30 members of Congress were found to have taken legislative action
favourable to Abramoff's Native American clients after taking money from
the lobbyist or the tribes. Most are Republican, but include Harry Reid, the
Democrats' Senate leader, and Byron Dorgan, a Democrat senator from North
Dakota.
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