Richard Tafoya
Sep 9th, 2008, 12:40 AM
That pesky GOP culture of corruption...
Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090801302.html
Former lobbyist Kevin A. Ring was arrested yesterday on conspiracy, fraud and obstruction-of-justice charges in connection with his alleged role in a four-year scheme to lavish tickets and trips on lawmakers and government officials in return for help for his clients.
Ring, 37, had worked hand in hand with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff on behalf of Indian tribes that sought to operate gambling casinos, describing the efforts in boastful private e-mails later used by prosecutors to build a criminal case against the lobbyists, according to an indictment unsealed yesterday.
Ring, a former aide to Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.), made a brief appearance yesterday in the federal courthouse in the District. Through his attorney, Ring pleaded not guilty and criticized the government, saying it was trying to pressure him to provide evidence against others.
The indictment says Doolittle asked another lawmaker to write a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers in support of earmarks for one of Abramoff's clients, threw his weight behind a bill to grant Puerto Rico statehood status that would have benefited another client and opposed an anti-gambling measure that would have hurt one of Ring's clients.
In October 2000, Ring wrote Abramoff an e-mail describing Doolittle as "such a good soldier, doing everything we asked of him. . . . I know you are great about making sure he gets his fair share of contributions, but if [client] is feeling generous, this would be a very opportune time to get something" to him, according to the indictment.
Abramoff and Ring hosted fundraisers for Doolittle at the Capital Grille, a D.C. steakhouse, and arranged for Doolittle's wife to be paid $96,000 for fundraising and bookkeeping services, the indictment alleges.
Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090801302.html
Former lobbyist Kevin A. Ring was arrested yesterday on conspiracy, fraud and obstruction-of-justice charges in connection with his alleged role in a four-year scheme to lavish tickets and trips on lawmakers and government officials in return for help for his clients.
Ring, 37, had worked hand in hand with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff on behalf of Indian tribes that sought to operate gambling casinos, describing the efforts in boastful private e-mails later used by prosecutors to build a criminal case against the lobbyists, according to an indictment unsealed yesterday.
Ring, a former aide to Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.), made a brief appearance yesterday in the federal courthouse in the District. Through his attorney, Ring pleaded not guilty and criticized the government, saying it was trying to pressure him to provide evidence against others.
The indictment says Doolittle asked another lawmaker to write a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers in support of earmarks for one of Abramoff's clients, threw his weight behind a bill to grant Puerto Rico statehood status that would have benefited another client and opposed an anti-gambling measure that would have hurt one of Ring's clients.
In October 2000, Ring wrote Abramoff an e-mail describing Doolittle as "such a good soldier, doing everything we asked of him. . . . I know you are great about making sure he gets his fair share of contributions, but if [client] is feeling generous, this would be a very opportune time to get something" to him, according to the indictment.
Abramoff and Ring hosted fundraisers for Doolittle at the Capital Grille, a D.C. steakhouse, and arranged for Doolittle's wife to be paid $96,000 for fundraising and bookkeeping services, the indictment alleges.