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Effect of Ney’s Guilt Could Weigh Heavily
“Rep. Bob Ney’s admission of guilt comes at a terrible time for Republicans, both in Ohio and nationally. . . .

“For the first time in months, GOP strategists had been enjoying a spate of good news and were starting to believe that the upcoming congressional elections may not be the disaster they were all dreading. But now, Ney bursts back into the news with sordid tales of taking thousands of dollars in poker chips from a Syrian businessman while accepting untold free trips, fancy meals and golf junkets from corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

“Just when they need it most, Democrats – courtesy of Ney – have been given a great opportunity to change the subject from national security back to Republican corruption.” (Copley News Service)

Casino Chips Sealed Ney’s Fate
“For Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), his relationship with former lobbyist Jack Abramoff may have been what first brought him to the attention of federal prosecutors, but it was two gambling trips to London in 2003 that proved to be the most damaging to his legal case. . . .

“GOP leadership sources said Ney could be forced to give up his gavel on the housing and community opportunity subcommittee of the Financial Services Committee as early as this week. “If [Ney] is going to plead guilty and check himself into rehab, he may have to give up that post. It’s clear he’s no longer capable of running that committee,” said a Republican leadership aide.” (Roll Call) (sub. req.)

Ney Admission Brings Condemnation from GOP
“. . . . ‘I have always known Bob as a skilled legislator and a good friend. Clearly Bob made mistakes, and he is now feeling the full weight of those mistakes. His actions violated the law, and he must be held accountable,’ said House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) in a public statement. . . .

“Ney’s guilty plea had long been expected by his Republican colleagues, as Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) already had stripped Ney of his House Administration Committee chairmanship in January.

Hastert issued a brief statement Friday afternoon, saying, ‘The illegal behavior that Congressman Bob Ney has admitted doing is unacceptable. I am glad he has recognized and accepted the consequences of his actions. My thoughts and prayers are especially with him and his family at this time.’

“Most people just think it’s pathetic,” said one Republican leadership source, adding, in reference to Ney’s chairmanship of House Administration, “It’s a sad story about someone who needs a lot of help, which is made even worse by the fact that he could have been something.”

“The source added that Ney largely has eroded any sense of goodwill among House Republicans because on May 10, Ney stood in front of his colleagues at their weekly meeting to offer an impassioned self-defense, which was met with a standing ovation led by Hastert.

“‘Ney stood up in front of the entire Conference and said that he was innocent and that he was taking on these allegations and it was the media’s fault and that he would clear his name,’ the source said. ‘He lied to everybody. I hope he gets better in rehab, but he needs to have a great sense of shame for what he’s done. No apologies.'” (Roll Call) (sub. req.)

New Clues in the Plame Mystery
“A well-placed conservative source has added an important clue to the mystery of the Bush administration’s “outing” of CIA officer Valerie Plame after her husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, became one of the first Establishment figures to accuse George W. Bush of having “twisted” intelligence to justify the Iraq War.

“The source, who knows both White House political adviser Karl Rove and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, told me that the two men are much closer than many Washington insiders understand, that they developed a friendship and a working relationship when Bush was recruiting Colin Powell to be Secretary of State.” (Consortium News)

Major Bioterror Protection Effort Stymied
“. . . .Project BioShield, a $5.6 billion effort to exploit the country’s top medical and scientific brains and fill an emergency medical cabinet with new drugs and vaccines for a host of threats. . . . critics say has largely failed to deliver. . . .

“‘I find this all rather repugnant,’ said D. A. Henderson, a former top bioterrorism official. ‘You have people here who, in the face of a problem of serious import, are using every tactic they can to line their own pockets.'” (NYTimes)

Who’s the Next Target in the Abramoff Probe?
“A source close to the investigation told TIME that scores of US prosecutors and FBI agents continue to examine the activities of other sitting members of Congress and prominent individuals who could face prosecution, though not necessarily before the November 7 election. The source confirmed previous public reports that particular scrutiny is being paid to Sen. Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican who faces a tough campaign for reelection.” (Time)

Report Blasts NY GOP Congressman
“Two powerful New York state legislators issued a scathing report Friday about a publicly funded annual ski weekend that Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.) has used to bring Congressional leaders, lobbyists and campaign contributors to upstate New York.

“The state lawmakers, in addition to releasing the report, extracted a promise from the organizations that host the ski weekend that they will take control of the invitation process away from Sweeney.

“The release of the potentially embarrassing report comes as Sweeney is embroiled in a bare-knuckle fight for a fifth term.” (Roll Call) (sub. req.)

Major Problems At Polls Feared
“An overhaul in how states and localities record votes and administer elections since the Florida recount battle six years ago has created conditions that could trigger a repeat — this time on a national scale — of last week’s Election Day debacle in the Maryland suburbs, election experts said.” (WaPo)

House Votes To Disclose Earmarks
“The House voted yesterday to shed more light on narrow-interest tax and spending legislation called earmarks, an incremental step toward openness that ended the prospect for a more sweeping overhaul of federal lobbying laws this year.” (WaPo)

Senate Struggles on Earmarks
“The two Senators taking the lead on reforming their chamber’s earmark rules need to come up with a measure that can sail through the Senate before GOP leaders approve it, a senior leadership aide said.

“The Senate is struggling to match the reform enacted last week by their House colleagues, and with the clock ticking down to adjournment, it is unclear whether Senators will be able to produce any workable rules changes. ” (Roll Call, sub. req.)

House Members Loath to Air Dirty Laundry
“Rep. Howard Berman, D-Van Nuys, described it as ‘an honor I could do without.’

“House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, called it ‘serving my time.’

“When Republican Joel Hefley of Colorado heard he was in line to be selected, he started ducking calls from the speaker of the House.

“Serving on the House ethics committee – the committee that is supposed to set the standards of official conduct for the House of Representatives – is the one appointment in Congress nobody wants.” (Copley News Service)

Hiring Law? What Hiring Law?
“Skirting state hiring rules, [Illinois] Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration gave jobs to at least 360 people whose applications were sent through back channels by the governor’s office and other political heavyweights, a Tribune investigation has found.

“More than 70 workers with political pedigrees were hired through internships meant for college students–even though all were older than 35 and a few were in their 60s.”

” In addition, Blagojevich’s administration nearly doubled–to more than 740–the number of high-level state jobs he can fill without following hiring rules.” (Chicago Tribune)

Bush Campaign to Donate Illegal Coingate Felon Donation
“Donations that a former coin dealer funneled to President Bush’s re-election campaign will be given to charity, barring further directions from authorities, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee said Friday.” (AP)

Contractors Sue Over Deaths In Iraq
KBR Employees say the attack that killed 7. U.S. civilians in Iraq could’ve been prevented. (CBS News)

Congressman Develops Ties With Russia
“[Rep. Charles Taylor (R-NC)] has developed extensive business and political ties to Russia….

“In the late 1990s, Taylor was a major player in the Russian Leadership Program, a congressionally funded legislative exchange with Russia’s Duma. In 2003, he purchased the Bank of Ivanovo….

“Last year, Taylor secured $100,000 in federal money for the International Trade and Small Business Institute. It brings foreign students to the U.S. to study at seven colleges and universities in western North Carolina.

“This year, the federal budget for the 2007 budget year contained a $1 million earmark for the program. Taylor has said the program is also funded by the colleges involved and by private donations.” (AP)

Rep. Bob Ney’s (R-OH) Deal Raises Pressure on Capitol Hill
“‘I would be surprised if a single congressman was the only feather in the government’s cap,’ said David H. Angeli, an Oregon defense attorney and vice chairman of the white collar unit for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. ‘They may have started with the easiest cases they have.'” (AP)

Analysis: Scandal Again Testing GOP
“Republicans decided long ago their party won’t pay a significant price at the polls for the scandal spawned by lobbyist Jack Abramoff. It’s a proposition likely to be tested anew in the aftermath of Rep. Bob Ney’s agreement to plead guilty to corruption charges.” (AP)

Corruption That Shook Capitol Isn’t Rattling Elections
“For all the influence-peddling that has been exposed in the run-up to the midterm election, corruption on Capitol Hill has not become a decisive issue — here or in much of the country. The Abramoff scandal, having ended the careers of a few lawmakers and stained the reputations of several others, can certainly rile up ardent Democrats, as the debate here demonstrated. But it is not making fundamental changes in the nation’s partisan landscape, especially in races, as with Burns in Montana, in which candidates are facing only unsavory stories rather than indictments or guilty pleas.” (WPost)

Illinois Gov. May Have Fresh Accusations Coming
“A millionaire campaign contributor linked to fraud on two state boards is planning to plead guilty to felony charges before the Nov. 7 election and there is intense speculation concerning how much he can tell prosecutors concerning corruption that took place after Ryan’s administration gave way to that of Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D).” (AP)

Firm’s Ties to Lawmaker Examined
Documents turned over to federal prosecutors by the City of Redlands show a close relationship between city officials, lobbyists at Bill Lowery’s firm and Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA). (Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise)

Small Houston Oil Company at the Center of Global Drama
“Negotiating the rocky shoals of West African politics and threats of arrest for sedition, ERHC Energy, a tiny company with no experience in offshore drilling, secures the rights from the government of Sao Tome and Principe to explore a stretch of the Gulf of Guinea thought to hold up to 14 billion barrels of crude.

“Then the FBI barges in. . . .

“To ferret out the truth, investigators will likely be examining a bizarre thread linking an elusive Nigerian billionaire, a polygamous Nigerian politician and Rep. William Jefferson, the New Orleans Democrat recently made infamous for allegedly stashing $90,000 in possible bribe money in his freezer.” (Houston Chronicle)

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