Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Scanlon pled guity... seen with big smile on his face.
From CNN:
Well Wolf, Michael Scanlon, former partner of high-powered lobbyist Jack Abramoff just pled guilty in court at this hour. That is, we’re told by government officials, part of a plea deal that he worked out with the justice department. Those sources say as part of the deal, Scanlon has agreed to testify against Abramoff. The government last week accused Scanlon of conspiring with Abramoff to defraud clients, mostly Indian tribes. They were also accused of trying to corruptly influence a member of Congress with sports tickets, lavish trips, and campaign donations. A government source identified that Congressman as Bob Ney of Ohio… Now Wolf, as you mentioned, Scanlon is also an ex-aide to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. DeLay is also facing scrutiny for his associations with Abramoff.
The Abramoff scandal was described in the New York Times as potentially “the biggest scandal in Congress in over a century.”
THINK AGAIN:
Bloomberg reports that Rep. Bob Ney is in trouble:
Ney, chairman of the House Committee on Administration, who took an Abramoff-sponsored trip to Scotland in 2002, said earlier this month that prosecutors had subpoenaed records.
And Rep. Tom DeLay:
“It’s likely that Abramoff has lots of dirt on Tom DeLay,'’ McDonald said. “The further Abramoff sinks into trouble, the more likely he is to start pitching that dirt.'’
And Sen. Conrad Burns:
Senator Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican, helped win a $3 million government award for the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan to build a school, the Washington Post reported earlier this year. The Interior Department ruled the tribe was ineligible because its Soaring Eagle casino makes it one of the richest, the Post reported. The tribe, an Abramoff client, donated $32,000 to Burns from 2001 to 2003.
