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Abramoff to Plead Guilty Email Print

By btyarbro
01/03/2006 11:57:51 AM EST

So the New Year opens with a bang--with lots of whimpers to follow.

[Update: I'll update as events unfold today, but add any details you pick up in the comments below.]

Here's the latest from the Abramoff appearance today in district court to plead guilty to three charges of fraud, conspiracy, and tax evasion:

Abramoff was scheduled to appear at a hearing in U.S. District Court here later Tuesday, said department spokesman Bryan Sierra. Abramoff was expected to plead guilty to three charges as part of his agreement.

Abramoff was then to plead guilty to two criminal charges in Florida stemming from a 2000 purchase of a fleet of gambling boats, said Neal Sonnett, his attorney there.

Abramoff will plead guilty to two of the six charges in a federal indictment, Sonnett said.

U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck has scheduled a telephone status conference for later Tuesday. Four other charges in Florida will remain pending.

Any such plea agreement likely would secure the Republican lobbyist's testimony against several members of Congress who received favors from him or his clients. The Justice Department is believed to be focusing on as many as 20 lawmakers and aides.

Pressure had been intensifying on Abramoff to strike a deal with prosecutors since former partner Adam Kidan pleaded guilty earlier this month to fraud and conspiracy in connection with the 2000 SunCruz boat deal in Florida.

Abramoff's cooperation would be a boon to an ongoing Justice Department investigation of congressional corruption, possibly helping prosecutors build criminal cases against up to two-dozen lawmakers of both parties and their staff members.

The continuing saga of Abramoff's legal problems has caused anxiety at high levels in Washington, in both the Republican and Democratic parties.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan could not Tuesday whether Abramoff ever met President Bush. But when asked at the White House about this, the spokesman said that "what he is reportedly acknowledged doing is unacceptable and outrageous."

"If laws were broken, he must be held to account for what he did," McClellan said.

That's my favorite part:  "If laws were broken, he must be held to account, .  .  ."

Do you think Scotty forgot who he works for, or did he just mispeak?


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< Dean calls for FOIA support | Alito letters [Updated] >
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Abramoff to Plead Guilty | 4 comments (4 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Here's a link to the official (none / 0)
documents that the charges are based on, thanks to TPM.

Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle. FDR

by btyarbro on 01/03/2006 12:14:02 PM EST

This will be their tactic:: (none / 0)
They will cloud the issue by citing incomplete and out of context factoids:

"Federal campaign records show that about 220 members of Congress received some $1.7 million in political contributions from Abramoff and his associates and clients, including American Indian tribes, between 2001 and 2004. According to Bloomberg news service, 201 of those members are still in Congress; Republicans received 64 percent of that money."

The "and his associates and clients" part is critical to the context of money movement since these elements web their way throughout the political establishment.

What will also be left out is the fact that some politicians, upon discovering the connection between Abramoff and some of their contribution money, hastily returned it. Others did not.

They will leave out the important fact that Abramoff directly contributed only to Republicans to the tune of $127,000.

They will leave out the fact that this is about as partisan as it gets.

Political Cortex -- Brain Food for the Body Politic

by Tom Ball on 01/03/2006 04:29:13 PM EST

I'm glad you're keeping up on this (none / 0)
I have totally lost track of where things stand. Yes, I know about the plea bargain, but the intricacies of the bribes and donations have completely left me behind. I'll be counting you someone -- you, namely -- to help me understand all this.

by SusanG on 01/03/2006 09:35:31 PM EST

Doin' my best (none / 0)
to keep up, Susan.

Dang, but this is an incredibly complex spider web.

Jack? Jack? "We hardly knew ya."

It would be funny if it weren't so insidious.  It will also be more time-consuming and difficult to unravel and re-weave for most American voters.

We'll have to distill it to a few simple pictures.

Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle. FDR

by btyarbro on 01/04/2006 03:00:36 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Abramoff to Plead Guilty | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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