JURIST - Paper Chase: Abramoff lobbying partner pleads guilty to congressional bribery charge

[JURIST] Lobbyist Michael Scanlon [Wikipedia profile] pleaded guilty in federal district court Monday to one count of bribery, a charge anticipated [JURIST report] after a DOJ criminal information disclosed Friday accused him of defrauding Indian clients and "providing things of value" to US Representative Bob Ney (R-NY) [official website]. Scanlon agreed to pay $19 million in restitution to the Indian tribes he allegedly defrauded while representing them in attempts to gain favorable federal gambling legislation. Scanlon is a former partner of lobbyist Jack Abramoff [Wikipedia profile], currently under federal indictment for bank fraud. Abramoff is also being investigated for bribing congressmen in exchange for gambling-friendly legislation, and for providing Representative Tom Delay (R-TX) [JURIST archive], for whom he once worked as an aide. with trips abroad and a free sports arena skybox. Scanlon is expected to testify against Abramoff in exchange for a reduction or elimination of the five year maximum prison sentence he now faces. AP has more.

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