Lobbyist Nears Terms on Plea Deal 5-7 Years and will testify!

[inchhigh]

Lobbyist Nears Terms on Plea Deal

By ANNE E. KORNBLUT
Published: December 22, 2005
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 - Jack Abramoff, the Republican lobbyist under indictment for fraud in South Florida, is expected to complete a plea agreement in the Miami criminal case, setting the stage for him to become a crucial witness in a broad federal corruption investigation, people with direct knowledge of the case said.

One participant in the case said the deal could be made final as early as next week.

The terms of the plea deal have not been completed, and the negotiations are especially complicated because they involve prosecutors both in Miami and in Washington, where Mr. Abramoff is being investigated in a separate influence-peddling inquiry, participants said. Details of what he feels comfortable pleading guilty to are "probably largely worked out," the participant said, while the details of the prison sentence are less resolved.

snip

But after a lengthy bargaining phase, Mr. Abramoff's lawyers and prosecutors in the Florida case appear closer to resolving several of the central issues in the plea deal, in which the defendant would receive a reduced prison sentence - most likely in the range of five to seven years, though that is fluid - in exchange for pleading guilty and agreeing to testify against his former associates.

edited to remove adds

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/22/politics/22abramoff.html?ei=5094&en=82198299d8888158&hp=&ex=1135227600&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1135267462-

[stop the bleeding]

1. K&R - I came in here to post this but you were already here -Wohooo!

[napi21]

2. I heard this on WJ this AM, but I don't understand why???

If most of what we've heard is true, Jack was a VERY GOOD Pub! Why wouldn't he just hold out for a Presidential Pardon? Why is he screwing his former friends instead?

[Tarc]

12. because Abramoff sees the writing on the wall

A pardon for someone such as himself could only come either from a position of strength and popularity (which Dubya certainly does not enjoy right now), or one the eve of Bush's anticipated departure in January of 2009. White-collar criminal dandies like Abramoff wouldn't last a day in federal prison, much less be able to hold out for 3 years. He'll sing to high heaven to avoid becoming some lifer's wife.

[meganmonkey]

3. Watch them go down one by one....

Oooh, it's just deeeelicious!

:bounce:

[rd_kent]

4. When the walls...come tumbling down!!!!

Love that song by John Cougar!! So appropriate. This is going to open SUCH a can or worms... I love it!!!!

[stop the bleeding]

6. Another one bites the dust .... also fits here

]

[NanceGreggs]

5. Looks like it's going to be a very, very miserable ...

... Christmas for a lot of GOPers who have something to hide.

I know you're supposed to be kissed if you're standing under the mistletoe -- but what's the traditional behaviour if it's an indictment that's hanging over your head?

Just wonderin ...

[MagickMuffin]

21. Squeal like a Pig

Sing like a canary. :rofl:

[inchhigh]

7. Details

"Details of what he feels comfortable pleading guilty to ...."

Who cares what he feels "comfortable" pleading to.

[Ezlivin]

8. Can his mouth form the truth after his hand leaves the bible?

I wonder which side of his mouth he'll be speaking out of when he testifies?

[Stand and Fight]

9. RawStory was ahead of the game again!!

RawStory funkin' ROCKS!

K&R

[alfredo]

10. I;m getting a chubby just thinking about it.

I hope Ted Stevens and John Cornyn is involved.

[gratuitous]

11. So if he's pleading out for five to seven

It usually means that the prosecutor is going after other folks for longer terms. Even way out here on the West Coast, I can hear sphincters in Washington tightening at this news.

[Stand and Fight]

13. This part is what I LOVED:

The case, being worked on by dozens of investigators as part of a multiagency task force, has expanded in recent months to put senior Republican officials and prominent party lobbyists under immense scrutiny.

Praise God -- the bastards are gonna burn!!!

[Greyskye]

14. I hope Abramoff has some good protection

I'd be sleeping very lightly were I in his shoes. :scared:

[Jim__]

18. I was just thinking, if I were Abramoff, ...

I wouldn't be getting on too many planes.

[Nordmadr]

15. Perhaps this spring it will be more than nature going through a

rebirth. Perhaps it will be the rebirth of our democracy and freedoms. Perhaps.

I'll be mightily amazed if this man doesn't get himself accidentally dead somehow before he can testify. They should have the equivalent of a damned SEAL team protecting his evil, but valuable ass.

Olafr

[AnneD]

16. What is that strange sound I hear.....

is that the collective sound of every GOP's sphincter muscle puckering.

[DemInDistress]

17. but,what about the murder case...Gus Boulis?

Is that still ongoing? Will Kidan squeal?

[Catrina]

24. Kidan has agreed to testify against Abramoff

I read last week. I also thought that Kidan was a suspect in the Boulis murder case because of a large amount of money he paid to one of the three hitmen charged with the actual murder.

This should be fun. They are all now trying to save their own skins and they are all making deals.

So far, Kidan, now Abramoff and a few weeks ago, Abramoff's assistant, Scanlon decided to 'cooperate'.

I wonder what will happen to Abramoff when both Scanlon and Kidan testify against him. And what will Abramoff have to offer prosecutors about Kidan and Scanlon?

One thing is for sure, with all of them talking, this should be a very interesting time to live in. Hopefully it will rid this government of all the criminals who bought their way into office with corrupt money, and that includes Bush, who took $100,000 from Abramoff for his 2004 campaign, making Abramoff one of Bush's 'Rangers'.

[quaoar]

25. Kidan and Scanlon won't testify against Abramoff

There won't be a trial now that Abramoff will plead guilty.

Kidan and Scanlon were offered deals solely to pressure Abramoff into flipping. Looks like it worked. They all made deals, so no need for trials now.

[trogdor]

19. Federal PMITA prison?

Or white-collar country-club prison?

[reformedrepub]

20. Uh oh

Is the hammer going to the joint? They will like a sweet little white boy like him, fix your hair Tommy.....I hope he looks like Jim Bakker getting carted off blubbering!!

[warrens]

22. I smell four or five more GOP seats flipping to Dem

Maybe even more. This is going to be fun to watch.

[Tiggeroshii]

23. Do they have a replacement government set up for Ohio?

Cause before you know it, you're gonna have the entire administration rushed away in cuffs -Blackwell, Taft, Noe and well, maybe not the entire government, but a whole heckuva lot!

[InkAddict]

26. Maybe they'll just declare Ohio

a new Federal (Prison) District and evacuate 51% of the population, leaving us Dems w/the evil-doers. - YIKES, why am I giving them any REALLY BAD ideas!