CNN: Sources: Two lawmakers could face charges in Abramoff probe

[DeepModem Mom]

Sources: Two lawmakers could face charges in Abramoff probe
Rep. Ney among a half dozen who could face charges
From Kelli Arena and Kevin Bohn
CNN Washington Bureau
Wednesday, January 11, 2006


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Up to a half dozen people, including two members of Congress, could face charges after high-powered lobbyist Jack Abramoff's plea deal with the Justice Department, sources with knowledge of the investigation tell CNN....

***

Authorities have focused on about 20 people who possibly committed wrongful acts, government sources have previously told CNN. The number is a moving target as new information comes in.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation say at least two members of Congress are under scrutiny as part of the ongoing investigation. One is Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, who sources say was the person identified in Abramoff's plea agreement as the official who took action for Abramoff after receiving from him such things as a golf trip to Scotland.

The sources would not identify the other member, and they told CNN that no charges appear imminent.

DeLay staffers under scrutiny

Also under scrutiny, the sources say, are some current and former congressional staffers, including at least two people who used to work for then-House Majority Leader Rep. Tom DeLay. DeLay, R-Texas, and Abramoff had a long working relationship....


http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/11/abramoff.probe/index.html

[Demeter]

1. Gotta Be More Than Two

That's way too much money for two pigs to hog all by themselves.

[rusty_parts2001]

2. The No. 2 guy has to be Sen. Conrad Burns

[tularetom]

3. WTF is going on? The other day I heard

up to 60 members of congress might be implicated and now its effin TWO? And one of them is Ney who we already knew about? I think it just proves that nobody really knows. Since this came from CNN it wouldn't surprise me that it came directly from the daily RNC talking points. As long as the bugman is one of the ones caught in the net I don't care who else goes down. Most of "em need to be replaced anyway, and I mean from BOTH parties.

[Posteritatis]

5. You sure it was members, and not members+staff? (n/t)

[wookie294]

7. "Time to cool the Watergate comparison"

I don't think the GOP attorneys in the Justice Department will be very aggressive.

This from US News and World Report....

Sorry, scandal lovers, but some sources close to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal are assuring us that the list of indictments won't include a bunch of representatives and senators. Instead, a key insider said, the probe will most likely snare lots of congressional staffers who allegedly took goodies like sports tickets and trips in exchange for pushing lobbyists' projects. In fact, one source told us today that the probe might not go further than Ohio Rep. Bob Ney, who was implicated when Abramoff copped a plea deal. "This just isn't ABSCAM or Watergate," said the source, referring to two old scandals. Still, reports like that aren't giving any comfort to Republican lawmakers. Their worry: Any link to the scandal or even K Street lobbyists is a potential perception problem that could undermine re-election plans.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/archive/january2006.htm

[Toots]

4. Is every single Delay staffer involved in this?

Virtually every person so far indicted and from what we are hearing soon to be indicted are ex Delay Staffers..

[bluestateguy]

6. "sources"

:eyes:

[phoebe]

8. does this include the aide(s) who demonstrated against 2000 recount?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31074-2005Jan23.html

snip

No. 1. Tom Pyle, who had worked for Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), went private sector a few months later, getting a job as director of federal affairs for Koch Industries.

No. 7. Roger Morse, another House aide, moved on to the law and lobbying firm Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds. "I was also privileged to lead a team of Republicans to Florida to help in the recount fight," he told a legal trade magazine in a 2003 interview.

No. 8. Duane Gibson, an aide on the House Resources Committee, was a solo lobbyist and formerly with the Greenberg Traurig lobby operation. He is now with the Livingston Group as a consultant.

No. 9. Chuck Royal was and still is a legislative assistant to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a former House member.

there's so much to say about this and Abramoff..anyway

http://www.physicsdaily.com/physics/Dorothy_Bush

Dorothy Bush Koch

Dorothy Bush Koch (born August 18, 1959), sometimes called "Doro", is the younger sister and youngest sibling of George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States. Her four siblings are George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Marvin Bush, and Neil Bush. She is also the younger daughter and youngest child of former President of the United States George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush.

In 1975, during a visit to Beijing, (it is said) she became the first person publicly baptized in China since its communist government began discouraging foreign religious practices in 1949. She has served as a Pioneer fundraiser for her brother's presidential campaigns.

She has two children by her first husband, William LeBlonde, and two children by her second husband, Robert Koch of Koch Industries.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. I had the same thought. I'll be very interested to know...

if any of those included in that famous picture, aiming an arrow into the very heart of our democratic system, will be on their way to court, and, eventually, jail.

[phoebe]

10. seem to recall Tom Pyle is possibly facing indictment but when

you note his connections.. let's see what else we can find on this lot..it's worth reminding DU'ers..

more on Tom Pyle

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=46650

AP: Tom DeLay's Staff Tried to Help Jack Abramoff

By JOHN SOLOMON and SHARON THEIMER
Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Tom DeLay's staff tried to help lobbyist Jack Abramoff win access to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, an effort that succeeded after Abramoff's Indian tribe clients began funneling a quarter-million dollars to an environmental group founded by Norton.

"Do you think you could call that friend and set up a meeting," then-DeLay staffer Tony Rudy wrote to fellow House aide Thomas Pyle in a Dec. 29, 2000, e-mail titled "Gale Norton-Interior Secretary." President Bush had nominated Norton to the post the day before.

Rudy wrote Abramoff that same day promising he had "good news" about securing a meeting with Norton, forwarding information about the environmental group Norton had founded, according to e-mails obtained by investigators and reviewed by The Associated Press. Rudy's message to Abramoff was sent from Congress' official e-mail system.


more

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=56893

snip

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17,2005

U.S. Newswire/ -- Ethical lapses and a recent indictment on money laundering charges are not deterring a "Who's Who" of Republican lobbyists from hosting a huge fundraiser for former Majority Leader Tom DeLay tonight.

"Even a serious criminal indictment can't deter these Washington insiders from trying to buy even more influence with Tom DeLay," said Campaign for America's Future Deputy Director Ellen Miller. "But this is how business in Washington works for the powerful and well connected. Without shame, they show loyalty and buy influence by fundraising for lawmakers."

The 67 lobbyists listed as hosts for the event include:

Gary Andres, James J. Baker, Jim Barnett, Anthony Bedell, Wayne Berman, Tim Berry, David Bockorny, Jim Boland, Britton Clarke, Red Cavaney, Kirsten Chadwick, Mike Chappell, Roy Coffee, Chris W. Cox, Amy Jensen Cunniffe, J.D. Derderian, Robert Dotchin, Marcel Dubois, Gov. John Engler, Craig Felner, John Fish, Chris Giblin, Geof Gradler, Bruce Gates, Michael Hanson, Steve Hart, Ralph Hellmann, Mike Henry, Susan Hirschmann, David Hobbs, Mark Isakowitz, John Keliher, Tom Kuhn, Ed Kutler, Jennifer Lukawski, Kathryn Lehman, Glenn LeMunyon, Nelson Litterst, Jeff MacKinnon, Drew Maloney, Ann Meyer, Dan Meyer, Susan Molinari, Bill Morley, Jeff Munk, Bill Paxon, Tom Pyle, George Ramonas, Stuart Roy, Tim Rupli, Bob Rusbuldt, Bill Sarpalius, Rick Shelby, John Shelk, Bob Slaughter, Juli Sullivan, Edlu Thom, David Thompson, Carl Thorsen, Bill Timmons, Matt Trant, Mark Valente, Todd Walker, Robb Watters, Bruce Wilkinson, Darren Willcox, and Jim Whittinghill.