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Home Front: Politix
Harry Reid Among Those Under Scrutiny In Abramoff Probe
2006-01-11
A Justice Department investigation into influence-peddling on Capitol Hill is focusing on a "first tier" of lawmakers and staffers, both Republicans and Democrats, say sources close to the probe that has netted guilty pleas from lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Law-enforcement authorities and others said the investigation's opening phase is scrutinizing Sens. Conrad Burns, Montana Republican; Byron L. Dorgan, North Dakota Democrat; and Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, along with Reps. J.D. Hayworth, Arizona Republican, and Bob Ney, Ohio Republican.

A source working with the Justice Department on the investigation told The Washington Times that Abramoff was questioned during several interviews about the lawmakers and their purported ties to the lobbyist and his former clients.

The source said prosecutors asked Abramoff whether the lawmakers had performed "official acts" in exchange for campaign cash or other favors. Although it is unknown whether any of the five will be charged in the case, the source said Abramoff was being "prepped" by five Justice Department attorneys in that event.

Others familiar with the investigation confirmed the names of the three Republican and two Democratic legislators.

All five lawmakers said that they have not done anything illegal and that all their dealings with Abramoff and his clients were legitimate.

The sources also said that at least two legislative directors and other lobbyists are under investigation in the preliminary round of inquiry. The probe is expected to widen and could ensnare "a minimum" of 20 members of Congress, they said.

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has not been directly implicated by Abramoff in the probe, but the Texas Republican's former deputy chief of staff, Tony Rudy, has emerged as a person of interest in the preliminary probe, the sources said.

Mr. DeLay's former communications director, Michael Scanlon, also worked as an Abramoff business partner and pleaded guilty in November to corruption charges. Scanlon also is cooperating in the government probe.
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Posted by:.com

#4  I hope Hayworth doesn't have Quid pro quo hanging out there
Posted by: RD   2006-01-11 10:21  

#3  I havent heard a peep out of Dirty Harry in almost a week have any of you?
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2006-01-11 09:36  

#2  Amen Deacon.
Posted by: BrerRabbit   2006-01-11 08:17  

#1  Party people, both Democrat and Republican, will get all hot and bothered about who gets the worst of this. Regardless, I see this mess as a great example ofthe reason people are so interested in corrupting politicians is because they're given so much control over our money and our ves. If they had little control, people would have little incentive to corrupt them. The reason Republicans seem to outnumber Democrats in this mess is because the Republicans are in control of the Government. If the situation were reversed it would be the Democrats outnumbering the Republicans. Why try to influence someone who has no , or very little, power?

...if you back government solutions for any given problem, the corruption just comes with the scenery. When you put people in a position to make decisions arbitrarily, there's no accounting for the arbitrariness of their decisions. When we find someone with their hand in the cookie jar, we should put 'em up in the stockades, no question.

...but that isn't the solution to the problem of corruption. The problem is that there's little substantive difference between corruption and the arbitrary manner in which government does business as usual. It's the nature of the beast.

Posted by: Deacon Blues   2006-01-11 07:35  

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