Posted on 12/31/2005 2:32:42 AM PST by leadpenny
One hour ago
WASHINGTON - Federal prosecutors and lawyers for lobbyist Jack Abramoff are putting the finishing touches on a plea deal that could be announced early next week, according to people familiar with the negotiations.
The plea agreement would secure the Republican lobbyist's testimony against several members of Congress who received favors from him or his clients.
Abramoff and a former partner were indicted in Miami in August on charges of conspiracy and fraud for allegedly lying about their assets to help secure financing to purchase a fleet of gambling boats.
Pressure has 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.
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 20 lawmakers of both parties and their staff members.
The people, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks, said the lawyers spoke by phone with U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck, giving him an update on the plea negotiations.
Huck scheduled another status conference for Tuesday afternoon, but the deal could be completed before then, the people said. Abramoff could sign the plea agreement and exchange it with prosecutors via fax over the weekend, they said.
Details of where Abramoff will enter his plea are still being worked out. Abramoff's lawyers have indicated that they want the plea to be made in U.S. District Court in Washington, one person said.
If that happens, Abramoff would plead guilty to charges contained in a criminal information — a filing made by a federal prosecutor with a defendant's permission that bypasses action by a grand jury.
The lawyers could then apprise Huck about the plea and its effect on the case in Miami.
Abramoff and Kidan were charged with concocting a fake $23 million wire transfer to make it appear they were putting their own money into the SunCruz deal. Two lenders agreed to provide $60 million in financing for the purchase based on that false wire transfer, according to prosecutors.
For months, prosecutors in Washington have focused on whether Abramoff defrauded his Indian tribal clients of millions of dollars and used improper influence on members of Congress.
In a five-year span ending in early 2004, tribes represented by the lobbyist contributed millions of dollars in casino income to congressional campaigns, often routing the money through political action committees for conservative lawmakers who opposed gambling.
Abramoff also provided trips, sports skybox fundraisers, golf fees, frequent meals, entertainment and jobs for lawmakers' relatives and aides.
Kidan and Abramoff bought SunCruz from Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis, who was slain in 2001 in a gangland-style hit in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Investigators say Boulis and Kidan were fighting for control of SunCruz; Kidan has denied any involvement in Boulis' death.
Three men were arrested in September on murder charges in Boulis' killing and are awaiting trial.
Michael Scanlon, another former Abramoff associate, pleaded guilty in November in a separate case in Washington.
Scanlon said he helped Abramoff and Kidan buy SunCruz by persuading Rep. Bob Ney (news, bio, voting record), R-Ohio, to insert comments into the Congressional Record that were "calculated to pressure the then-owner to sell on terms favorable" to Abramoff and Kidan.
I love it when the lizards from Gucci Gulch and the 'critters they buy get caught with their di*** in a wringer.
L
AP updated the story about an hour ago. Originally, that paragraph stated something to the effect, " . . . possibly helping prosecutors build criminal cases against up to 20 Republican lawmakers . . ."
Gonna be an interesting week.
You got me to go to the website to check it out....
Good one, you comedian you
??
Everytime I read about the villainous bastard Abrahamoff, ripping off American Indians, I think about Bruce Ba Ba Babbitt, Clinton's Interior Secretary
http://www.savethepeaks.org/babbittwatch/
"Betrayal of Trust: Billions Stolen or Lost
As Secretary of the Interior, Babbitt was responsible for Indian Trust Accounts, a program created in 1887 to hold the proceeds of government-arranged leases of Indian lands. The government didn't believe Indians could handle their own finances. As it turned out, the Interior Department has mismanaged the trust from its inception, losing or misappropriating as much as 170 billion dollars of Indian money in one of the most shameful accounting scandals in history.
Native Americans sued the government for their lost money. The government has acknowledged in court that it still doesn't know the number of trust beneficiaries it serves. It doesn't know the value of the accounts or even the number of accounts it is supposedly administering.
Babbitt had 8 years in office to sort out the mess, but the federal judge responsible for the case grew so irritated with his department's inaction, intransigence and outright deception, that Babbitt along with two other officials were found to be in contempt of court. When Babbitt left office, the Trust Account scandal was no closer to resolution; meanwhile Native American families across the country remain cheated out of much needed income.
. . . and Babbit was supposed to be one of the better Clinton people.
With the Abramoff story there is much more to be learned than the mere money corruption concerning politics.
cases against up to 20 Republican lawmakers . . ."
I couldn't believe they would come with the 20 republicans, so I bit
and went to the link.
I'm concerned that if it involves members of both parties they'll try to sweep it under the rug.
The liberals don't like to mention stuff like that
They are too busy trying to convince themselves that their politicians are pure as new fallen snow
Yeah, I've heard the "20" figure for some time but have yet to see a complete list.
When the money/power/elite are willing to cough up one of their own, (Abramoff), they are fishing for big time catch.
I'll wager than in the end, MORE Dem congresscritters than Pubbies are involved..
Tuesday and Wednesday evening at 8pm C-SPAN will have live programming regarding this investigation. The schedule is up for Tuesday but not for Wednesday
yet.
________________
Call-In
Jack Abramoff & the Tribal Lobbying Investigation
C-SPAN
Washington, District of Columbia (United States)
ID: 190543 - 01/03/2006 - 3:40 - No Sale
The fundraising, political lobbying efforts, and the practices of Jack Abramoff in lobbying on behalf of Indian tribal interests will be discussed. Jack Abramoff's trial in Florida for wire fraud is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 9, 2006. Video clips from the Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearings will be shown. Eamon Javers, congressional correspondent for BusinessWeek, will explain how money flowed from Jack Abramoff's clients to his personal projects. He will respond to questions and comments from viewers.
Probably not with Abraham, but with people just like him. And since the Dems have opened the door...I'd say a pox on both houses of Congress. It's time to drain that cesspool.
Has McCain come riding on his white horse to clean up lobbying yet?
The Govenor of Wisconsin makes all these congressmen look like amateurs. He has taken so much Casino money that we now call him Diamond Jim Doyle.
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