Abramoff, Prosecutors Said Close to Deal -may be finalized by Tuesday

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- Federal prosecutors and lawyers for Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff consulted briefly Friday with a federal judge in Miami as they put the finishing touches on a plea deal that could be announced as early as Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
....
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 and their staff members.

The sources, 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 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The deal could be completed before then, the sources 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 of the sources said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-abramoff-probe,0,7928013.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[rucky]

1. The guy is a murderer.

I hope that's not off the table.

[cal04]

2. Yahoo, Lobbyist, Prosecutors Said Close to Deal

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.

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 and their staff members.

The sources, 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 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. The deal could be completed before then, the sources said. Abramoff could sign the plea agreement and exchange it with prosecutors via fax over the weekend, they said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051230/ap_on_go_co/abramoff_probe

[Justice Is Comin]

5. And Ney says he will be found to have done

nothing wrong. Nay, me thinks Ney is quite wrong.

[RagingInMiami]

3. This could be so huge, beyond the lobbying favors

He is mixed up with a high-profile murder down here as well.

[Independent_Liberal]

4. 20 lawmakers and their staff members?

Why wait til November 2006 to get a new Congress? Ha!

:D

[boobooday]

6. Squeal, Jack, squeal!

Oh, our cup runneth over with squealers these days! We have Enron squealers, and two squealers now in the Abramhoff case.

Could it be there is still a breath of life left in our justice system?

[H2O Man]

7. I'd guess

that a number of republicans will not be sleeping well over the weekend.

[malaise]

8. A few may disappear

they'd better watch those private planes.

[KittyWampus]

9. IMO, that is probably very likely. I think there'll be some suicides soon

[malaise]

12. or suicided n/t

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

10. will the NSA intercept that fax?

[Oceansaway]

11. Touche !!..n/t