Abramoff to be Sentenced

June 16, 2008

Jack Abramoff will be sentenced on September 4, 2008. According to CBS News:

"While the government anticipates that Mr. Abramoff’s cooperation in the form of possible testimony will continue for the foreseeable future, the parties believe that they are in a position to inform the court about the full scope of his misconduct and cooperation, and that, consistent with the commitments in the plea agreement with Mr. Abramoff, sentencing in the near future in this case is appropriate."

Abramoff is already serving a 70-month prison term for fraud related to the purchase of a Florida-based casino cruise ship company. Abramoff also has pleaded guilty in a Washington-base corruption case and faces as much as 11 years in prison after admitting to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials.

The Washington Post states:

Under terms of his original plea agreement, Abramoff can expect to receive a jail sentence of 9 1/2 to 11 years, and he is required to make restitution of $26.7 million to the IRS and to the Indian tribes he defrauded. The initial plea in the lobbying corruption contemplated Abramoff serving a reduced sentence in exchange for his cooperation.

While serving his time at a federal prison in Cumberland, Md., Abramoff has been cooperating and received frequent visits from federal investigators who have secured convictions of more than a dozen lobbyists and government officials. Still under investigation are Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) and Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader.

According to The New York Times the investigations continue.

“I don’t think the Justice Department is finished,” said Representative Henry Waxman, Democrat of California and chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. “I think they are still looking into different aspects of it.”

Mr. Waxman added to the Abramoff canon this week with a report that documented the extent of the lobbyist’s relationship with the White House, a connection the White House has taken pains to minimize.

The article mentions former Republican Congressmen Bob Schaffer (R-CO) and Tom Delay (R-TX), and Congressmen Don Young (R-Alaska), and Tom Feeney (R-FL) are connected to the Abramoff scandal. Expect more indictments. Just last week John C, Albaugh, former chief of staff to Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Okla) pleaded guilty to a public corruption charge and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He agreed to cooperate with an ongoing federal probe of the dealings of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. According to CQ Politics:

Albaugh admitted routinely accepting things of value from Abramoff and his associates from March 2002 to May 2004 in exchange for official favors. Roughly $4,000 worth of tickets to sporting events and concerns as well as meals were among the “things of value” Albaugh accepted.

Albaugh also admitted that he secured the use of suites at professional sporting events and catering at Abramoff’s restaurant that were not properly reimbursed or disclosed as “in-kind” campaign contributions.

The Washington Post relates that Istook was the chairman of the House Appropriations transportation subcommittee. The Post story says:

Istook is now a fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Court documents filed in the case of his former chief of staff show that Abramoff and his clients donated $29,000 to Istook's campaigns. Abramoff claimed in an email to his clients that in a phone call Istook "basically asked what we want in the Transportation Bill.

Last week the FBI raided the lobbying offices of Powers and Company, in an investigation of former Representative John Sweeney(R-NY)another former CNMI junket goer. The Saipan Tribune covered the trip in January 2001:

Saying the Clinton administration has been unfair in providing members of the U.S. Congress of the real situation in the CNMI, Rep. John E. Sweeney (R-NY) emphasized Saturday the need to continue lobbying efforts in Washington so as to thwart attempts of a federal takeover.

"I think they (Clinton administration) have turned a blind eye. I suspect that they have done it with other motivations in mind," he said.

Sweeney's ex-wife, Gayle worked for the lobbyists, Powers and Company lo until last year. The New York Times reported:

The raid was part of an investigation of former Congressman John Sweeney, an Albany-area Republican with ties to Mr. Abramoff. During the raid on Friday, about 10 F.B.I. agents spent several hours collecting computers and files from the office of Powers & Company, the lobbying firm.

Since he left office Mr. Sweeney has been arrested for DUI and has been involved in other scandals.

The best story about Abramoff sentencing has to be dengre's from the Daily Kos. Dengre says the sentencing is a "corruption bomb" that will drop on McCain and the GOP. It's a post worth reading.