Miami Herald: S. Florida pleas spur a wider inquiry

[PhilipShore]

Miami Herald
S. Florida pleas spur a wider inquiry
BY Jay Weaver
Jan. 22, 2006

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/13682309.htm

In September, a trio of Miami federal prosecutors and an FBI agent flew to Washington, D.C., to share explosive evidence with top Justice Department officials that was uncovered in the SunCruz Casinos fraud investigation.

The meeting came one month after a South Florida federal grand jury charged once-powerful Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and New York businessman Adam Kidan with lying to lenders about their 2000 purchase of the Dania Beach-based gambling fleet.

The Miami team briefed Justice lawyers about something even bigger that spun out of the SunCruz case -- an alleged bribery conspiracy involving a broader cast of political characters. They included Abramoff's ex-lobbying partner, Michael Scanlon, who was a former aide to House Republican leader Tom DeLay of Texas; U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio; and Ney's former chief of staff, Neil Volz, who later worked as a lobbyist with Abramoff.

What began as a local loan-fraud case quickly turned into a corruption investigation that may mushroom into one of the worst political scandals in modern Washington history.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. Maybe we can redeem ourselves down here in FL

by helping put these rat bastards out of business. I hope so.

[mom cat]

2. Wonder how deep the bribery is?

[MrBenchley]

3. Don't forget, there's also a murder mixed up in that case....

GOP spokesperson on Hardball: "I've got Jack Abramoff fatigue already. I mean, good grief, he didn't kill anybody. Maybe that one guy in Florida."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/007490.php

[roseBudd]

4. Clicked through to register a page view for site traffic n/t

[stillcool]

5. Oh Man...I wish they could have gone anywhere...

but Washington DC with this....what are they thinking?..