Reply #78: I don't know if the case is strong or weak [View All]

[onenote]

Its going to depend on what Rudy and Volz will testify. The email between Rove and Abramoff re asking Ralson for whatever he needs is by itself not enough to establish bribery. Ralston's testimony will be key. The tickets...hard to say. There is a fair market value exception to the gift rule and the question is what was the FMV of the tickets. There was a practice for a while of the tickets to events in luxury suites being given a low face value in an attempt to differentiate the cost of the event and cost of the luxury suite. As for the bottle of wine...it probably violated the ethics rules, but Rove isn't going to jail over a bottle of wine. As mentioned, these rules (and the similar ethics rules applicable to members of congress and their staffs) are skirted on a daily basis by members of both parties. Believe me, I've bought enough lunches for staffers and have attended Super Bowls and other major events with staffers to know.