Abramoff lobbying partner agrees to testify against Abramoff

[TheGunslinger]

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Abramoff_lobbying_partner_agrees_to_testifying_1118.html

Michael Scanlon has agreed to testify against one-time business partner Jack Abramoff in any future criminal case involving the ex-lobbying superstar, ROLL CALL reported Friday afternoon. Excerpts.
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The Justice Department has filed a “criminal information” document in federal court related to Scanlon, and there will be a hearing before a federal judge Monday afternoon.

At that time, Scanlon is expected to plead guilty to one felony count of conspiracy. Scanlon, a former aide to Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), would them testify against Abramoff and anyone else indicted in the case, according to Justice Department sources.

According to the criminal information document, Scanlon’s alleged illegal activities are linked to Abramoff and Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), although neither is named in the indictment. Only “Representative #1” and “Lobbyist A” are mentioned, although media reports and testimony before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee make clear the inference is to the two men.

This is HUGH!!!1111!11!111

[afdip]

1. now they need to take him to texas on a writ and have him

testify against delay down there. that would be even sweeter.

[TheGunslinger]

2. I'd get on my knees and kiss the ground if that happened!

[tishaLA]

3. Did anyone see Italia Federici grilled yesterday

by the Senate Indian Affairs committee about the Abramoff scandal?

She is the head of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy and McCain and Dorgan just FRIED her. Here is a good story about it:

Federici defended the nearly $500,000 in contributions that her group received from Indian tribes, saying the council did ''substantive and important" work for them.

But the leaders of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee said e-mails between Federici and Abramoff indicate that she was helping him by using her access to Steven Griles, the Interior Department's former deputy secretary, in exchange for contributions.

In some cases, Federici agreed to Abramoff's requests and made pleas for contributions in the same e-mail.

''It is clear when you mention contributions to an organization with actions you could have taken with your organization, there's a connection," said the committee chairman, Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona.

[TheGunslinger]

4. Missed it but read about it up here.

Seems like she is quite arrogant and obstinate.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Couldn't happen to a more deserving asshole

"The wackos get their information through the Christian right, Christian radio, mail, the internet and telephone trees," Scanlon wrote in the memo, which was read into the public record at a hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. "Simply put, we want to bring out the wackos to vote against something and make sure the rest of the public lets the whole thing slip past them." - Michael Scanlon

[quaoar]

6. Bob Ney is in deep doo-doo, too

LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-lobbyist19nov19,0,6276877.story?coll=la-tot-promo&track=morenews

Abramoff Associate Will Likely Plead Guilty
By Chuck Neubauer and Walter F. Roche Jr., Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON -- A federal investigation of corrupt lobbying practices on Capitol Hill intensified Friday as a former business associate of lobbyist Jack Abramoff signaled that he would plead guilty to charges that the two conspired to defraud four Indian tribes out of millions of dollars and to improperly influence a member of Congress.

In an eight-page criminal information filed in U.S. District Court, federal prosecutors charged that Michael Scanlon, 35, worked with Abramoff to extract $52.9 million in fees from the Indian tribes under false pretenses. The two then secretly shared nearly $40 million in profits, according to prosecutors.

The criminal information, a form of criminal charge that is usually a prelude to a plea agreement, also said that Scanlon and Abramoff illegally conspired to influence a member of Congress, Rep. Robert Ney, R-Ohio. Ney was identified in the information only as "Representative No. 1," but details of the charges described specific actions taken by Ney.

Ney spokesman Brian J. Walsh said Ney "will fully cooperate in the investigation of the Abramoff matter. He has not been told that he is the target of any investigation, and there would be no grounds to do so." Ney has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Scanlon was a top aide to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, before teaming with Abramoff, who was once one of the most influential lobbyists in Washington.

[TheGunslinger]

7. Heh...McCain bringing up Abramoff and the $millions on Letterman

;)