DeLay Office Knew Republican Lobbyist Abramoff Arranged Trip

[Catherine Vincent]

DeLay Office Knew Abramoff Arranged Trip
By JOHN SOLOMON, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 28 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Prosecutors have e-mails showing Rep. Tom DeLay's office knew lobbyist Jack Abramoff had arranged the financing for the GOP leader's controversial European golfing trip in 2000 and was concerned "if someone starts asking questions."

House ethics rules bar lawmakers from accepting free trips from lobbyists. DeLay, R-Texas, reported to Congress that a Republican advocacy group had paid for the spring 2000 trip that DeLay, his wife and top aides took to Scotland and England.

The e-mails obtained by The Associated Press show DeLay's staff asked Abramoff — not the advocacy group — to account for the costs that had to be legally disclosed on congressional travel forms. DeLay's office was worried the group being cited as paying the costs might not even know about them, the e-mails state.

Abramoff's team sought to low-ball the cost estimates and DeLay's office ultimately reported to Congress a total that was a few thousand dollars lower than the one the lobbyist provided, the documents show.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060506/ap_on_go_co/abramoff_delay

[Catherine Vincent]

1. Mods, please lock.

[tyedyeto]

3. Why?

:shrug:

[Catherine Vincent]

4. Because someone beat me posting the story:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1119425

[annabanana]

2. They swim in such slimy water

That they can't even tell anymore how much they cheat...

"It clearly shows some members live in a dream world of high-class living and fictional accounting. DeLay's office was part of the public deception. It makes you wonder if there are more filings as fictional as this one is turning out to be," said Kent Cooper, the former chief of public disclosure for the Federal Election Commission.