breaking news
Former DeLay Aide Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy
[n.y. times, free, registration required]
WASHINGTON, March 31 - A onetime top aide to Representative Tom DeLay, the former House Republican majority leader, pleaded guilty to conspiracy today and agreed to cooperate in a widening investigation into lobbying fraud and influence-peddling.
Tony C. Rudy, Mr. DeLay's former deputy chief of staff, entered the plea in United States District Court here. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Prosecutors asked that sentencing be deferred until Mr. Rudy is finished telling them what he knows.
"Guilty, your honor," Mr. Rudy, 39, replied when Judge Ellen S. Huvelle asked him how he pleaded. Mr. Rudy appeared calm and replied to questions with simple "yes" and "no" answers.
Mr. Rudy was the third major figure in the affair to plead guilty, and the first since Jack Abramoff, the powerful and wealthy Republican lobbyist, pleaded guilty to three felonies in January in exchange for a reduced sentence of about 10 years, a promise to pay tax penalties and make restitution to former clients he defrauded and cooperate with the investigation.
Michael Scanlon, a former aide to Mr. DeLay and a former partner of Mr. Abramoff, has also pleaded guilty and is cooperating.
The affair in which Mr. Rudy was caught up is widely believed to be focusing on a dozen or more members of Congress, some of whom were wined and dined by Mr. Abramoff and accepted lavish trips arranged by him. The growing scandal has sparked calls for restrictions on spending by lobbyists and acceptance of favors by lawmakers. [more, emphasis mine]
...anybody want to bet how many of these lawmakers are democrats? based on delay and abramoff's prior patterns, my guess is none!
[n.y. times, free, registration required]
WASHINGTON, March 31 - A onetime top aide to Representative Tom DeLay, the former House Republican majority leader, pleaded guilty to conspiracy today and agreed to cooperate in a widening investigation into lobbying fraud and influence-peddling.
Tony C. Rudy, Mr. DeLay's former deputy chief of staff, entered the plea in United States District Court here. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Prosecutors asked that sentencing be deferred until Mr. Rudy is finished telling them what he knows.
"Guilty, your honor," Mr. Rudy, 39, replied when Judge Ellen S. Huvelle asked him how he pleaded. Mr. Rudy appeared calm and replied to questions with simple "yes" and "no" answers.
Mr. Rudy was the third major figure in the affair to plead guilty, and the first since Jack Abramoff, the powerful and wealthy Republican lobbyist, pleaded guilty to three felonies in January in exchange for a reduced sentence of about 10 years, a promise to pay tax penalties and make restitution to former clients he defrauded and cooperate with the investigation.
Michael Scanlon, a former aide to Mr. DeLay and a former partner of Mr. Abramoff, has also pleaded guilty and is cooperating.
The affair in which Mr. Rudy was caught up is widely believed to be focusing on a dozen or more members of Congress, some of whom were wined and dined by Mr. Abramoff and accepted lavish trips arranged by him. The growing scandal has sparked calls for restrictions on spending by lobbyists and acceptance of favors by lawmakers. [more, emphasis mine]
...anybody want to bet how many of these lawmakers are democrats? based on delay and abramoff's prior patterns, my guess is none!