Washington, D.C.
In a potentially explosive deal that could uncover payoffs to powerful members of Congress, Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty this week to charges of fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy to bribe officials. In exchange for a reduced sentence of 9 ½ to 11 years in prison, Abramoff agreed to testify about the lawmakers he plied with lavish meals and trips as they considered legislation of interest to his clients. Ohio Republican Robert Ney has been identified as one recipient of Abramoff’s largess, but many others, including former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay as well as some Democrats, are known to have had dealings with him. The case could spark the largest congressional corruption scandal since the Abscam investigation about 25 years ago, in which seven lawmakers were convicted after accepting bribes from agents posing as Arab sheiks. Abramoff says he has information to implicate 60 lawmakers.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Scorching hot sauces that pack a punchThe Week Recommends The best sauces to tingle your lips and add a fiery kick to your food
-
Syria’s strange post-Assad electionThe Explainer Sunday’s limited vote ‘suited the phase Syria is undergoing’, says interim president
-
Why did the China spying case collapse?Today’s Big Question Unwillingness to call China an ‘enemy’ apparently scuppered espionage trial
