Posted on 03/29/2006 10:39:53 AM PST by NormsRevenge
MIAMI (Reuters) - Jack Abramoff, a disgraced lobbyist at the heart of a Washington influence-peddling scandal that has rattled top Republicans, was sentenced to nearly six years in prison on Wednesday for fraud in the purchase of a Florida casino cruise line.
Abramoff, who is cooperating in a federal investigation into whether Washington politicians gave his clients favorable treatment in exchange for campaign contributions, Super Bowl tickets and other illegal gifts, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in prison.
Abramoff, along with co-defendant Adam Kidan, was ordered to pay $21.7 million in restitution. Kidan was also sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in prison.
Abramoff pleaded guilty in a Miami federal court in January to conspiracy and wire fraud charges, acknowledging he faked documents to get a $60 million loan to buy the SunCruz fleet of gambling ships in 2000.
The documents falsely claimed Abramoff and business partner Kidan had put $23 million of their own money into the deal.
Abramoff also pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy and fraud charges in Washington, admitting he showered golf trips, meals, sports tickets and other gifts on lawmakers in return for actions that would help his clients.
Federal investigators were examining Abramoff's links to a number of Washington politicians, including former House Majority leader Tom DeLay of Texas and Republican Rep. Bob Ney (news, bio, voting record) of Ohio. DeLay and Ney have denied any wrongdoing.
In a recent Vanity Fair interview, Abramoff said that he worked closely with many top Republicans and said if they denied it, they were lying.
Abramoff and Kidan bought SunCruz from Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis, who was shot dead in an ambush on a street in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in February 2001. Three men were charged in the killing last year.
Abramoff and Kidan have both said they know nothing about Boulis' death.
Former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff leaves the courthouse in Miami in this August 18, 2005 file photo. Abramoff, a disgraced Washington lobbyist at the heart of an influence peddling scandal that has rattled top Republicans, was sentenced to 70 months in prison on Wednesday for fraud in the purchase of a Florida casino cruise line. (Carlos Barria/Files/Reuters)
My daughter's car loan is longer than that!..........
They forgot to mention his payoffs to the dems. How could THAT have happened? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.
That's 6 years in federal years, right?
later read
federal time is real time, not getting out early
5 years 10 months on my abacus... urrr, calculator. ;-)
Do congressman have Pardon authority? Can a Governor give a Pardon for a Federal Crime?
No and no.
I don't think so. Only the US President can.
Urinalism I tell you.
Rat Bastards!
I can't believe, with Drudge, the Internet and Fox that it was allowed to go on this long.
I had NO IDEA until today what he was actually being sent up the river for.
It was for lying to get money for a loan.
It had NOTHING to do with Republicans (or Democrats for that matter.)
But, because he (legitimately) is a Republican lobbyist the dems/media tried to use this to smear President Bush and republicans.
But our response was pathetic too (although it may have been the ONLY thing that would have gotten traction.)
Our response being that he was in cahoots with Dems too.
The LEGITIMATE response however is 'This is about a fake wire transfer.' Period. End of discussion.
No politics involved other than the liberals trying to exploit it as such.
Again..it's just AMAZING to me that until TODAY I had no idea what crime he had committed.
One...long...disinformation campaign.
And I do blame our side, given the voices we DO have at this point, to not make this point much clearer.
Let's see, President Bush has two more years and, as is customary, can pardon or commute sentencing for criminals before leaving office.
BillyBoy Clinton pardoned Marc Rich.
It is more like three and Pardons (like these) are done on the 19th of January 2009. I belive Clinton pardoned over 450 people during his term of office.
I believe there were a total of 88 Democrats who took money from Abramoff including Reid and Hillary Clinton but according to the MSM its a Republican scandal.
It IS a Republican scandal, but that doesn't imply that the Dems are clean by any means.
If you want to bribe a Dem, you just have to call his/her office, wine and dine them, and make a hefty contribution.
If you want to bribe a Republican, you need to hire a connected lobbyist to call his/her office, wine and dine them, and make a hefty contribution.
Abramoff is a connected lobbyist.
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