Word: scanlon
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...will it go? That's what many nervous officials in Washington are wondering as they brace for what is showing signs of becoming the biggest influence-peddling scandal in decades. An investigation that began nearly two years ago into whether lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associate Michael Scanlon bilked six Indian tribes out of $80 million now looks as though it could touch dozens of lawmakers, their current and former staff members and Bush Administration officials. The Justice Department is preparing to test whether accepting lawfully reported campaign contributions may constitute corruption, subjecting Washington politicians to an entirely new standard...
Last week produced the biggest development yet in the case: a plea agreement by public relations man Scanlon, who was once a press secretary for Texas Congressman Tom DeLay. In the agreement, Scanlon acknowledged that he and "Lobbyist A" (Abramoff) showered "Representative #1" (Ohio Congressman Bob Ney) and his staff with lavish trips, tickets to sporting events and concerts, sports-arena boxes for fund raisers, campaign contributions, golf outings and free meals at Abramoff's "upscale restaurant," Signatures. The plea agreement alleges that Ney, chairman of the House Administration Committee, provided "official acts and influence," including introducing legislation, and giving...
...plea agreement suggests that Ney is only one of numerous public officials the feds are looking at and that Scanlon, who has been cooperating with them since June, could be their star witness. Says Scanlon's attorney Stephen Braga: "The government's investigation is much broader--and Mr. Scanlon's cooperation in that investigation is much more extensive--than [the facts] recited in the plea-agreement papers." Adding to lawmakers' concerns is that federal authorities may be lowering the bar for corruption cases from earlier scandals in which, typically, individuals blatantly handed politicians expensive gifts and cash. At a time...
...House majority leader post as he fights unrelated conspiracy and money-laundering charges in Texas. They have looked into an expensive 2000 junket that Abramoff arranged for DeLay that included a golf outing at Scotland's famed St. Andrews course. But over the past decade, Abramoff and Scanlon spread money and favors across Capitol Hill. The list of lawmakers who weighed in on the partners' side on one project--blocking the planned casino of a tribal client's rival--totaled at least 33, and together the 33 received $830,000 in contributions from Abramoff clients, according to a recent Associated...
...other Washington legal news, Michael Scanlon-a partner of former uber-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and onetime aide to former Republican Majority Leader Rep. Tom DeLay-was indicted on a conspiracy charge. Scanlon is expected to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors investigating possible corruption among lobbyists, congressmen and staffers. A legal team for DeLay, himself under indictment in Texas, may try to subpoena former grand jury members to show the Texas prosecutor mishandled his case against DeLay...