Posted on 09/15/2006 7:49:38 AM PDT by dogbyte12
Republican Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making false statements as part of a deal in which he will cooperate with an influence peddling investigation, the Justice Department said.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
The timing on this sure smells.
You beat me to it.
Because so far, only Republicans have admitted to doing anything wrong. The Democrats have been insistent that they did nothing wrong and have refused to return any money.
-PJ
The lesson is clear. If a Republican politician is tempted to take a bribe, he has to change to the Democrat party first. Democrat immunity is almost absolute.
Let's not exaggerate. Whether or not Delay was involved in any of Ambramoff's corruption, Delay's relationship with him was far more than just knowing his name. Anyway, Bob Ney is most likely to cough up others from his own state. I doubt Delay is in jeopardy from this.
As was the case with Cunningham, the campaign contributions aren't really the issue here. The bribes were under-the-table. Returning campaign contributions is a nice symbolic gesture, but it really doesn't have anything to do with the ongoing scandal.
Woo hoo what's the Capitol Hill pucker factor now?
Ney announced he would not run for re-election. Who is competing for his seat and will it be a GOP hold?
I'm also glad the Republicans are held to a higher standard.
However, I would like to see the Democrats at least be prosecuted for their crimes.
And the likes of Sandy Berger only get a slap on the wrist?
..and THAT didn't hurt much because Burgler had secret docs rubber-banded and wrapped around his wrists hidden under his coat sleeves.
Because we are still dealing with the lingering effects of a court system packed with Klintoon-era appointees to the prosecutorial and judicial seats.
Like the one that dismissed, overturned, or found not guilty the chief fundraising mastermind in Los Angeles who set up Hollywood events for Hillary under the guise of Bill appearing and rubbing elbows...
Even the man on trial was stunned beyond words at the verdict of the court.
Until we get rid of many of them somehow, this charade parade will continue.
A.A.C.
He didn't get the free chartered jet "to play golf". IIRC, he played golf once in a week-long trip that otherwise was productive.
I suppose if he'd turned on the TV in the hotel room he would have gotten a free chartered jet "to enjoy the BBC".
Well, that's the point, isn't it? DeLay is guilty of knowing Abramoff from other (presumably legal) ventures. Apparently those ventures are not a major topic of investigation here. (Although they were probably thoroughly reviewed.) If DeLay was getting bribes, he was doing a pretty poor job of it, considering Harry Reid managed to pull down more than anybody (except maybe Ney, I forget the details).
Like I said, guilty of knowing his name. I read a very interesting WaPo article on it and what was fascinating was that they went out of their way to make connections and to obscure when connections weren't there. To wit:
A quarter of a million dollars was donated over two years by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Abramoff's largest lobbying client, which counted DeLay as an ally in fighting legislation allowing the taxation of its gambling revenue."Was donated," but not to DeLay and "counted DeLay as an ally" but again, no connection to the money that wasn't given. Very duplicitous.
To put it bluntly, DeLay seemed to know what the line was and never crossed it, it was Abramoff who was doing all of the money shuffling and putting up the false fronts. In retrospect, it should have been clear that Abramoff was slimy, but otherwise, DeLay's guilt is apparently in knowing Abramoff's name.
What did he do that was in your word "productive"?
you may be right, he hasn't been burnt yet.
It's a shame he wasn't a dem... If he was, only Abramoff would be going to jail. With dems, the "briber" is the one who goes to jail. The "bribee" gets off scott free, other than having to resign. Look at "The Torch" as an example.
Mark
The first word in the article is "Republican." Can't remember the last time a Democrat was identified in the first paragraph, let alone first word.
He traded national security interests for 30 pieces of...plastic? Any elected official who would do such a shameful thing deserves prison and I don't care what party they belong to.
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