In article <f6uml2pb3pfq5lfhdtu116jrth98od6k1l@4ax.com>,
Scott in Florida <askifyouwant@mindspring.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
> Abramoff Reports to Prison; Officials Focus on Reid, Others
>
> November 15, 2006 1:23 PM
>
> Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz Report:
>
> Reid_nr As convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff reported to federal prison
> today, a source close to the investigation surrounding his activities
> told ABC News that Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was one of the members of
> Congress Abramoff had allegedly implicated in his cooperation with
> federal prosecutors.
>
> A spokesperson for Reid, elected yesterday as the Senate Majority
> Leader, said the senator had done nothing illegal or unethical.
>
> "We have no idea what Abramoff is telling prosecutors to save his
> skin, but I do know that these kind of old allegations are completely
> ridiculous and untrue," Sen. Reid's spokesman Jim Manley told ABC
> News.
>
>
> A source close to the investigation says Abramoff told prosecutors
> that more than $30,000 in campaign contributions to Reid from
> Abramoff's clients "were no accident and were in fact requested by
> Reid."
>
> Abramoff has reportedly claimed the Nevada senator agreed to help him
> on matters related to Indian gambling.
>
> The Associated Press reported earlier this year that Reid wrote at
> least four letters helpful to the tribes that had contributed money to
> his campaign.
>
> Reid has denied there was any connection between the letters and the
> contributions and has said he is a longtime opponent of certain kinds
> of Indian reservation gambling.
>
> The AP reported that Reid acknowledged "routine contacts" with
> Abramoff's lobbying partners and intervening to block rival tribal
> casinos.
>
> The AP also reported that Abramoff's billing records showed extensive
> contact with Reid's office over a three-year period in which Reid
> collected more than $68,000 from Abramoff's firm, partners and
> clients.
>
> Prosecutors have said that Abramoff's cooperation is essential to the
> corruption investigation, but, so far, they have brought only one
> prosecution against a member of Congress connected to Abramoff,
> Republican Bob Ney of Ohio, who resigned.
>
> The source said prosecutors do not intend to rely solely on Abramoff's
> account of events, and his allegations against Reid and others will
> not necessarily result in criminal charges.
>
> Sources close to the federal investigation say Abramoff has offered
> testimony about his contacts with "six to eight seriously corrupt
> Democratic senators" and an ever larger number of Republican members
> of Congress.
>
> In addition to Reid, the sources say Abramoff has been most closely
> questioned about his contacts with Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), who
> was defeated in last week's election.
>
> "Being defeated may have been one of the best things that ever
> happened to Burns," said a source close to the investigation. "There
> is much more interest in members of Congress who are still in office,"
> the source said.
>
> Burns, who received more than $150,000 in Abramoff-connected campaign
> contributions, has strongly denied any wrongdoing and returned the
> money.
>
> Sen. Reid has been an outspoken critic of the connections between
> Abramoff and Republican legislators.
>
> In a speech earlier this year, Sen. Reid described it as "a program
> where the lobbyists paid and the Republican members of Congress
> played."
>
> The Justice Department said it would have no comment on the ongoing
> Abramoff investigation.[/color]
Seems we're just getting started with the Abramoff investigation. Harry
Reid looks gaunt has he been sleeping ok?
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