Yet another indictment in the Jack Abramoff case…
The Justice Department has announced that Fraser Verrusio, the other Hill staffer who went on that 2003 Team-Abramoff-funded trip to the World Series — including a trip to a strip club and a chauffeur-driven limousine — has been charged with accepting an illegal gift, and failing to report it on his financial disclosure form.
Last November, Trevor Blackann, an aide to Sen. Kit Bond, pleaded guilty to failing to report that same trip.
Verusio was at the time a policy director on the House Transportation committee. According to the indictment, he accepted the trip in exchange for inserting into the Federal Highway bill amendments favorable to an equipment rental company, which had hired Abramoff’s firm to lobby for it.
Todd Boulanger and James Hirni, two members of Abramoff’s team, have already pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme.
The Transportation committee was at the time chaired by Alaska GOPer Don Young. So today’s news may bring federal prosecutors closer to Young himself, whose ties to Abramoff and his firm have been amply documented.
We’re guessing it won’t be long before prosecutors announce a plea deal with Verrusio, in which he agrees to cooperate fully. Hope those strippers were worth it.
