Abramoff's Fast Rise, and Then the Steep Fall

[cal04]

Lobbyist's Legal Troubles Could Turn Into the Biggest Congressional Corruption Scandal in Decades
Jack Abramoff liked to slip into dialogue from "The Godfather" as he led his lobbying colleagues in planning their next conquest on Capitol Hill. In a favorite bit, he would mimic an ice-cold Michael Corleone facing down a crooked politician's demand for a cut of Mafia gambling profits: "Senator, you can have my answer now if you like. My offer is this: nothing."

The playacting provided a clue to how Abramoff saw himself -- the power behind the scenes who directed millions of dollars in Indian gambling proceeds to favored lawmakers, the puppet master who pulled the strings of officials in key places, the businessman who was building an international casino empire. Abramoff is the central figure in what could become the biggest congressional corruption scandal in generations. Justice Department prosecutors are pressing him and his lawyers to settle fraud and bribery allegations by the end of this week, sources knowledgeable about the case said. Unless he reaches a plea deal, he faces trial Jan. 9 in Florida in a related fraud case.

A reconstruction of the lobbyist's rise and fall shows that he was an ingenious dealmaker who hatched interlocking schemes that exploited the machinery of government and trampled the norms of doing business in Washington -- sometimes for clients but more often to serve his desire for wealth and influence. This inside account of Abramoff's career is drawn from interviews with government officials and former associates in the lobbying shops of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP and Greenberg Traurig LLP; thousands of court and government records; and hundreds of e-mails obtained by The Washington Post, as well as those released by Senate investigators.


A senior Preston Gates partner warned him to slow down or he would be "dead, disgraced or in jail." Those within Abramoff's circle also saw the danger signs. Their boss had become increasingly frenzied about money and flouted the rules. "I'm sensing shadiness. I'll stop asking," one associate, Todd Boulanger, e-mailed a colleague.

rest of the article
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/28/AR2005122801588.html

[snowbear]

1. I sure hope he takes DeLay down with him!!

Although, it looks like the Enron executive who pled quilty today is going to be doing that anyway!!

~ What a sweet way to start out 2006!! ~

[aquart]

2. Enron take down DeLay? What did I miss?

[snowbear]

3. Oops... take out the DE..... I meant LAY... !!!

Sorry.. I'm so excited about the indictments of DELAY and LAY that I was eeee--LAY---ted.

http://eliteleague.co.uk/forum/images/smilies/lol!.gif