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Congressman Ney Pleads Guilty to Accepting Lavish Gifts, Cites Alcohol Dependency
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ShareSeptember 15, 2006 12:23 PM
Congressman Bob Ney (R-OH) has agreed to plead guilty to accepting lavish gifts from lobbyists, including Jack Abramoff, in exchange for taking official action at Abramoff's request.
Ney has admitted to accepting luxurious trips from Abramoff, including a golf trip to Scotland, valued at over $160,000, and a gambling trip to New Orleans, according to the plea agreement.
In exchange for these trips and other gifts, which include meals, concert tickets and tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, Ney agreed to take numerous official actions on behalf of Abramoff. Those actions included supporting or opposing legislation as Abramoff's request, inserting two statements into the Congressional record and supporting a license for one of Abramoff's other clients involving a multi-million dollar contract, according to the plea agreement.
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Congressman Ney issued a statement saying that the plea will enable him to accept responsibility for what he has done.
"I have gone through a great deal of soul searching recently, and I have come to recognize that dependence on alcohol has been a problem for me," Ney said. "I am not making any excuses, and I take full responsibility for my actions."
Ney is the most powerful of Abramoff's co-conspirators to plead guilty following Abramoff's own guilty plea in January. Ney's former chief of staff, Neil Volz, pleaded guilty to bribery and corruption charges earlier this year.
In the agreement, Ney agrees to plead guilty to a criminal information charge, including conspiracy to commit multiple offenses, including honest services fraud, making false statements and violations of his former chief of staff's one-year lobbying ban and with making false statements to the U.S. House of Representatives.
He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $500,000.
Read the Justice Department's Press Release on Rep. Ney's Plea Deal.
Read Rep. Ney's Plea Agreement.
Read the Factual Basis behind Rep. Ney's Plea - See page 4 for the facts on Ney's trip to Scotland.
Read the Statement by Rep. Ney's Lawyers.
September 15, 2006 in Abramoff Lobbying Scandal | Permalink | User Comments (10)
It's not me, it's the alcohol. If I was a Democrat it would be due to my weak morals, but as a Republican it's the alcohol!!
Posted by: Marc | Sep 15, 2006 4:07:22 PM
"I'm not making excuses..."
THEN DON'T!
Posted by: Brian | Sep 15, 2006 5:34:45 PM
hey, instead of a possible 27 months, maybe it should be 27 years. I, as a USA citizen am tired of being used and abused and raped for profit! if we cant trust the elected officials, then they have to go! i dont care if your last name is washington, lincoln, kennedy or clinton, or bush, if your on the take or abusing your power, then you have to go! period!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: james tilton | Sep 15, 2006 6:57:17 PM
Don't expect much to happen here. Politicians (excuse me, public servants) usually get an easy ride. Ney has come up with a sympathy excuse, it might be years before any action is taken, the public forgets, he gets off with a fine and probation, AND gets to keep most of his money. Aren't we glad that this is a country where one can make it by going into politics. After that, these guys become lobbyists or consultants and really strike it rich. The problem is that we keep electing these moochers even while knowing about the things they do. We certainly do have the best politicians that money can buy.
Posted by: AL | Sep 15, 2006 10:51:55 PM
Elected public oficials, whether in our country's capitol or our state's capitol who abuse the laws that they have established should have all of their benefits taken away from them immediately. Including medical,pensions, wages,as well as thier spouses benefits.
Posted by: Tony Irvin | Sep 16, 2006 2:33:15 AM
How come no one is pointing out the indians... the casino operators for whom he was working? silence.
Posted by: Dave Mallery | Sep 16, 2006 4:27:52 PM
In response to the post by Dave Mallory; no one is pointing out the indians because they weren't the ones accepting bribes/payoffs. They were the ones being defauded of millions of dollars. It is time to start placing the blame on the guilty parties and demanding accountability from our elected officials.
Posted by: Scott Hudson | Sep 19, 2006 11:47:06 AM
I think we should clean house.....oust every one of them and start all over. I mean it. Just kick their butts out, establish 2 term limits for senators and 3 term limits for congressmen ande women.
Barney
Posted by: Barney-TUCSON | Sep 20, 2006 10:51:02 PM
Are all Reoublicans alcoholics? Or are all alcoholics Republicans?
Posted by: Raulin Angulo | Oct 4, 2006 11:38:12 AM
Why is it that everytime a Republican congressman gets in trouble it suddenly turns out they are an alcoholic? Foley recently admitted to sexually explict messages with a underage male page - and guess what, he announces he is a life-long alcoholic. What does that have anything to do with taking the bribes or in Foley's case having sexually explict messages with an underage page? Absolutly nothing. And the Repubicans call themselves the party of family values....
Posted by: Greg | Oct 13, 2006 11:24:42 AM
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