Abramoff Scandal gets another guilty plea


Consistent corruption and cronyism...


Abramoff’s investigation and prosecution was headed by - you guessed it - Robert E. Coughlin II

A former high-ranking official in the Justice Department has pleaded guilty to accepting thousands of dollars worth of meals and sports tickets from Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff in exchange for helping a variety of Abramoff’s clients.

Robert E. Coughlin II, the former deputy chief of staff of the Justice Department’s criminal division, became the latest of more than a dozen public officials, lobbyists and congressional staff members to be convicted or to plead guilty in the wide-ranging federal investigation of Abramoff’s activities.

As part of his plea agreement, Coughlin, 36, agreed to cooperate with investigators, making him a potentially important witness in the ongoing scrutiny of Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.)…

Also unresolved is an investigation of former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), whose wife, Christine, worked for a lobbying firm that received client referrals from Abramoff…

In 2006, Coughlin won an award from then-Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales for his efforts to prevent fraud and white-collar crime. Gonzales said at an awards ceremony that Coughlin deserved recognition for “exceptional dedication and effort to prevent, investigation, and prosecute fraud and white-collar crimes.”

So far, the revelations of corruption and cronyism in the Bush Administration have occurred while these thugs are still in power. Can you imagine what might be exposed to the light of day - if the whole rotten crowd was kicked out of office?

Posted: Wed - April 23, 2008 at 08:24 AM