| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
03 Dec 2005 02:06:23 PM |
| Object: |
Republican scandals on parade |
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7735.shtml
The scandal will grow
By LANCE GAY
Dec 3, 2005
Expect even more explosive disclosures of corruption on Capitol Hill
to come soon as Justice Department investigations move into high gear.
Under recent plea agreements, both former Washington lobbyist Michael
Scanlon and disgraced Rep. Duke Cunningham, R-Calif., agreed to tell
prosecutors everything they know about friends and associates involved
in misdeeds.
What they've confided isn't yet known, but the Justice Department has
reassigned more than 50 prosecutors to gumshoe the evidence.
Some very messy revelations could come as early as next month, when
ex-Washington lobbying powerhouse Jack Abramoff goes on trial in
Florida with his one-time business partner Adam Kidan.
The charges involve phony financing of the 2000 purchase of SunCruz
Casino _ an offshore gaming concern wrangled from entrepreneur Gus
Boulis, who was later assassinated by a Mob-connected hit squad.
Meantime, prosecutors in Washington are piecing together the alleged
involvement of Scanlon and Abramoff in finding lucrative lobbying jobs
for former aides to House Republican Leader Tom DeLay as well as the
contracts awarded to several defense contractors that bribed
Cunningham.
When he heads off to the slammer for pocketing more than $2 million in
bribes, at least Cunningham will have the comfort of knowing he will
have a congressional pension as a post-prison cushion.
Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayers Union says that under the lavish
benefits that lawmakers reward themselves, Cunningham is entitled to
at least $36,000 a year in pension benefits after serving 17 years in
Congress.
Sepp said it could be much higher _ $64,000 a year _ if he chose to
add in his 21 years of military service.
If Cunningham made the maximum contributions from his salary to the
congressional thrift plan _ the Capitol's version of a 401(k) plan, he
could also have a $274,000 nest egg.
_________________________________________________________
Is that all?
Harry
.
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