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Blog
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Welcome to the Holtzman Vogel Law Blog. We aim to keep you
up to date on important legal developments and other items of interest. On this
blog, we'll track developments in the news and changes to the rules and regulations
affecting political committees, corporate PACs, trade associations, non-profit groups
and advocacy organizations. We'll also keep you updated on the lobbying and ethics
arena. The Law Blog is designed to supplement our regular newsletter.
On behalf of the Holtzman Vogel team, I hope you find this site helpful and interesting.
And we hope you'll become a regular visitor. (If you'd like to receive our newsletter,
please click here to sign up.)
Jill Holtzman Vogel
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010
NYT: Blagojevich, Guilty on 1 of 24 Counts, Faces Retrial
The New York Times reports "After deliberating for 14 days, the jury found Mr. Blagojevich guilty of a single criminal count — making false statements to the F.B.I., which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one of the least severe penalties in the charges against him. The jurors also said they could not reach a unanimous verdict on 23 of the 24 counts against him, including an accusation that he had tried to sell an appointment to fill the Senate seat once held by President Obama. On that count, one juror said, the group was split 11 to 1 in favor of convicting him. Prosecutors immediately announced plans for a retrial...."
Monday, August 16, 2010
WSJ: DeLay Won't Face Charges as Justice Department Ends Probe
The Wall Street Journal reports "The Justice Department has ended its six-year criminal probe of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay without filing criminal charges. One of Mr. DeLay's lawyers, Richard Cullen, said Monday that the Justice Department's public-integrity section informed Mr. DeLay's legal team early last week that it was ending the investigation of the former lawmaker's ties to onetime lobbyist Jack Abramoff."
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Wash. Post: Head of defunct lobbying firm PMA indicted on charges of illegal campaign gifts
The Post reports "Paul J. Magliocchetti, founder and owner of the now closed PMA Group, was indicted in U.S. District Court in Alexandria on eight counts of making illegal campaign contributions and three counts of making false statements....For nearly five years from 2003 to 2008, according to the 18 page indictment, Magliocchetti concealed campaign contributions from the Federal Election Commission....Magliocchetti now faces criminal charges. In some instances, prosecutors allege, Magliocchetti directed family members to make contributions and then paid them back. He also recruited two acquaintances who lived near his Florida vacation home to write checks to candidates, court papers allege. Magliocchetti reimbursed them by writing personal checks or company checks or by putting them on PMA's board of directors, even though they never worked as lobbyists and never attended board meetings, according to the indictment. Magliocchetti also instructed the firm's lobbyists to make political contributions, then repaid the employees with either personal or company funds, the indictment alleges."
The Washington Times reports here.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
CBS News: GOP Lawmaker Darrell Issa Poised to Call for Special Prosecutor to Investigate White House
From CBS News: "Rep. Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the House Oversight committee, told CBS News Wednesday that he will call for a special prosecutor to investigate the White House if it does not address Rep. Joe Sestak's claim that he was offered a federal job in exchange for dropping out of the Pennsylvania Senate primary....Issa said the move may have violated anti-bribery provisions of the federal criminal code as well as prohibitions on government officials interfering in elections and using federal jobs for a political purpose. Violation of each provision is punishable by up to one year in jail."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Politico: Aide to plead guilty for embezzlement
Politico reports "A former aide to ex-Rep. Christopher Shays will plead guilty to embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the Connecticut Republican's reelection campaign. Michael Sohn, Shays’ former campaign manager, was indicted in December, charged with embezzling more than $250,000 from the campaign over a four-year period beginning in 2005. Sohn was also charged with filing false campaign-disclosure statements and failing to disclose the allegedly stolen funds on his income tax returns. Sohn, who worked as a top aide to Shays from 2003-08, faces 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine if convicted on all counts."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, December 18, 2009
NY Daily News: Convicted ex-Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno will likely face jail time, say federal prosecutors
The NY Daily News reports "Get ready for some jail time Joe Bruno. That's the word from federal prosecutors who say they will likely recommend imprisonment for the 80-year-old former Republican kingpin who was convicted on corruption charges earlier this month. . . . Bruno, who presided over the [New York State] Senate for 14 years, was convicted Dec. 7 on charges of taking 11 payments worth $200,000 from two companies controlled by his pal Abbruzzese for consulting work he never performed."
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Former Kennedy Staffer Indicted For Embezzlement
A former staffer in Senator Kennedy's office was indicted for stealing over $75,000 from the Senate.
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
NY Times: Bruno, Former State Leader, Guilty of Corruption
The New York Times reports "Joseph L. Bruno, the former Senate majority leader who, until his retirement last year, was one of the most powerful figures in New York politics, was found guilty on Monday of concealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from a businessman who sought help from the Legislature. . . . . After deliberating for nearly seven days, the jury of seven women and five men in Mr. Bruno’s trial found him guilty of two felony counts of mail fraud. The jury found Mr. Bruno not guilty on five counts of mail or wire fraud and could not reach a verdict on another count.
Mr. Bruno, 80, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31 and faces up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine on each felony count."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, December 04, 2009
CQ Politics: Shays’ Ex-Campaign Manager Indicted
CQ Politics reports that former Representative Christopher Shays' former campaign manager, Michael Sohn, was "indicted on embezzlement and tax evasion charges. Sohn, who is accused of embezzling campaign money, is scheduled to be arraigned Friday. According to the indictment, which was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in New Haven, Conn., a grand jury found sufficient evidence to charge Sohn with four counts of embezzlement, four counts of false statements in connection with the campaign’s filings with the Federal Election Commission and four counts of tax-related offenses. Also according to the indictment, Sohn is accused of embezzling more than $250,000 from Shays’ 2006 and 2008 campaigns."
Click here to read the entire post.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Wash. Post: Ex-Rep. Jefferson (D-La.) gets 13 years in freezer cash case
The Washington Post reports, "Former congressman William J. Jefferson was sentenced to 13 years in prison Friday for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, the longest prison term ever handed down to a member of Congress convicted of corruption charges.
The sentence for the Lousiana Democrat fell far short of the 27 to 33 years suggested under federal sentencing guidelines, a recommendation endorsed by prosecutors. But it exceeded the previous record for congressional corruption: the eight-year and four-month prison term that former congressman Randall "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) received in 2006 for taking bribes from defense contractors."
Click here to read the entire post.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Politico: Feds seek 30 year sentence for William Jefferson
Politico reports "Federal prosecutors are seeking the harshest prison sentence ever handed out to a member of Congress for former Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), arguing that his 'stunning betrayal of public trust' warrants what could be a life sentence for the long-time lawmaker. The Justice Department is asking a federal judge in Alexandria, Va, to lock up Jefferson, 62, for up to 33 years, according to documents filed by prosecutors on Friday."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, October 23, 2009
McClatchy: FBI looks at bribery allegations against Alaska Rep. Young
According to McClatchy, "An Alaska businessman admitted to giving gifts to Republican Rep. Don Young, the state's long-serving sole congressman, in a confession made public this week as part of an ongoing federal investigation into political corruption in the state."
Click here to read the entire post.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Washington Post: Head of embattled Justice Dept. unit is stepping down; Anti-corruption division under fire for handling of Sen. Stevens's case
The Washington Post reports "William M. Welch II, the head of the Justice Department's public integrity unit, will step aside and return to Massachusetts, where he spent the bulk of his career exposing corruption in the state government, according to two sources familiar with the move. . . . The unit, which leads some of the Justice Department's most explosive investigations of political figures, came under fire this year when Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. abandoned the case against former senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who had been convicted on corruption charges, citing multiple lapses by the prosecution team in the sharing of evidence.
Six department lawyers -- including Welch, who supervised the case but did not play a major role during last year's trial -- remain the subject of a probe by the department's internal ethics investigators and a separate criminal investigation launched by U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, who presided over the Stevens trial."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Deadlocked Jury, Mistrial in Abramoff-Related Trial
Roll Call reports "U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle officially declared a mistrial Thursday afternoon in the public corruption trial of former House-aide-turned-lobbyist Kevin Ring after jurors declared themselves deadlocked for the third time in as many days. . . . Ring has been on trial for his role working with imprisoned ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Ring was accused of providing tickets to sporting events and other gifts to Congressional staff in exchange for assistance for Abramoff’s clients."
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Politico: Department of Justice could take Sen. John Ensign case
From Politico: "The Justice Department is expected to decide within weeks whether to pursue a criminal probe into the relationship between Ensign (R-Nev.) and the staffer’s husband, and two prominent Washington defense attorneys say prosecutors are likely to find Ensign’s case irresistible. . . . The Senate Select Committee on Ethics has already begun a preliminary investigation. But if the Justice Department wants to pursue a criminal probe, the committee will almost certainly stand down until it finishes."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Adam Liptak (NYT) on the Federal "Honest Services" Law
Adam Liptak has this column in the New York Times on two pending Supreme Court cases regarding the federal "honest services" law, which makes it illegal for public officials "to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services.”
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
AP: Jury in Abramoff-Related Case Heads Into 3rd Day
According to the AP, "A jury is entering its third day of deliberations in the trial of a former lobbyist in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling scandal. . . . Prosecutors allege Ring paid 'bribe after bribe' while seeking congressional appropriations and a Justice Department grant of $16.3 million. Defense lawyers say their client was using the traditional tools of the lobbying trade."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
WSJ: Campaign Fund-Raiser Hsu Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison
The Wall Street Journal reports "A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced former Democratic fund-raiser Norman Hsu to more than 24 years in prison for illegally funneling tens of thousands of dollars to U.S. political candidates and for his role in a Ponzi scheme. . . . Mr. Hsu rose from a relatively unknown businessman to a prominent fund-raiser who pulled in hundreds of thousands of dollars for Hillary Clinton and other politicians."
Click here to read the entire post.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Washington Post: Graham Aide Charged With Taking Bribes On Taxi Issues
The Washington Post reports "The chief of staff to D.C. Council member Jim Graham was arrested on bribery charges Thursday, accused of taking trips and $1,500 in payoffs in exchange for pushing legislation that would reward some in the taxicab industry. Ted G. Loza, 44, was taken into custody at his home on Columbia Road NW a little before 7 a.m., just hours before federal agents descended on his office at city hall to search records and computers."
Click here to read the entire post.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
National Law Journal: Prosecutors Find Allies in Campaign Contributions Case Against Attorney
The FEC and CREW have both filed amicus briefs in the government's appeal of the Pierce O'Donnell case. National Law Journal has the details.
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
WSJ: Grand Jury Indicts Fund-Raiser for Democrats
The Wall Street Journal reports "A federal grand jury charged Hassan Nemazee, a New York businessman who has ties to prominent politicians, with defrauding banks of $292 million in part to benefit the Democratic Party.
Mr. Nemazee, 59 years old, used the proceeds of his scheme to donate to campaigns and political-action committees, according to an indictment made public Monday, though the amount allegedly spent on these efforts wasn't specified. The donations helped him rise to become finance chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, among other major roles."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
St. Louis Business Journal: State Sen. Smith, Rep. Brown face federal charges today
The St. Louis Business Journal reports "Missouri Sen. Jeff Smith and state Rep. Steve Brown are scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis this afternoon to face federal charges related to an investigation of Smith’s 2004 Democratic primary campaign for the U.S. senate campaign he lost to U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan. Smith, D-St. Louis, and his former campaign treasurer, Nicholas Adams, each face two counts — one for conspiracy to obstruct justice related to alleged Federal Election Commission violations and a second for obstruction of justice during the FBI’s subsequent investigation of the case, according to courthouse sources familiar with the charges." UPDATE: Smith, Brown cover-up revealed.
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Fmr. Congressman William Jefferson Convicted on Bribery Charges
The Washington Post reports "Former Congressman William J. Jefferson was convicted of corruption charges today in a case that featured $90,000 in bribe money stuffed into his freezer and a legal battle over the raid of his Washington office that reached the highest levels of the U.S. government.
Federal jurors in Alexandria found the Louisiana Democrat guilty of using his congressional office and staff to enrich himself and his family, offering and accepting hundreds of thousands of bribes to support business ventures in seven West African nations. The eight-woman, four-man jury convicted Jefferson on 11 of 16 counts that included bribery, racketeering and money laundering." More.
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, July 24, 2009
New York Times: 44 Charged by U.S. in New Jersey Corruption Sweep
The New York Times reports "A two-year corruption and international money-laundering investigation stretching from the Jersey Shore to Brooklyn to Israel and Switzerland culminated in charges against 44 people on Thursday, including three New Jersey mayors, two state assemblymen and five rabbis, the authorities said. The case began with bank fraud charges against a member of an insular Syrian Jewish enclave centered in a seaside town. But when that man became a federal informant and posed as a crooked real estate developer offering cash bribes to obtain government approvals, it mushroomed into a political scandal that could rival any of the most explosive and sleazy episodes in New Jersey’s recent past. . . . Among the public officials arrested were Mayor Peter J. Cammarano III of Hoboken, who was a City Council member before he took office as mayor on July 1, and Mayor Dennis Elwell of Secaucus, both Democrats; Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith of Jersey City, also a Democrat; and Assemblyman Daniel M. Van Pelt, a Republican from Ocean County."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
O'Donnell Case Update
AP reports "A federal judge has dismissed the last campaign finance charge against Los Angeles attorney Pierce O'Donnell, who faced three felony counts of campaign finance irregularities. Judge S. James Otero signed an order prepared by both prosecutors and defense attorneys Monday. The order allows prosecutors to charge O'Donnell again, pending an appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals."
Click here to read the entire post.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Washington Post: After Stevens Case, Justice Dept. Corruption Unit in Disarray
The Washington Post reports "Two months after prosecutors abandoned the criminal conviction of former senator Ted Stevens, the Justice Department unit that polices public corruption remains in chaos, coping with newly discovered evidence that threatens to undermine other cases while department leaders struggle to reshuffle the ranks."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
AP: Charge left for lawyer accused in Edwards funding
Via Rick Hasen's site comes this article on the Pierce O'Donnell "conduit contribution" case. Most significantly: "Pierce O'Donnell had been indicted for allegedly conspiring to have 13 his employees give the campaign the maximum allowable $2,000 each and then reimbursing them. The judge held that under some circumstances such 'conduit contributions' are permissible according to the statute under which O'Donnell was charged." UPDATE: The Department of Justice has appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
CQ Politics: Corruption Trial Begins for Ex-Rep. Jefferson
From CQ Politics: "Nearly four years after FBI agents found $90,000 in the freezer of his Washington home, the long-delayed corruption trial of former Democratic Rep. William J. Jefferson will begin Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria. Jefferson, D-La. (1991-2009), faces 16 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, soliciting bribes and other charges stemming from allegations he illegally brokered business deals in Africa in return for payments to companies controlled by his family."
Click here to read the entire post.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Danbury News-Times: Shays scandal may be worse; Ex-congressman says more money likely embezzled
According to this report, "The embezzlement scandal that enveloped Christopher Shays' failed 2008 re-election campaign is far more extensive than has been previously reported -- probably reaching back into previous Shays campaigns, the former congressman told Greenwich Time."
Click here to read the entire post.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
AP: Corruption probe heats up on Capitol Hill
AP reports "A federal grand jury has subpoenaed a Democratic congressman in a corruption probe, the first concrete indication that a long-simmering Justice Department investigation of a top lobbying firm also has the potential to seriously damage congressional careers. On Friday, Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., acknowledged the grand jury has demanded documents from his office, some employees and his campaign committees. The probe focuses on the PMA Group, a now-defunct lobbying firm that specialized in securing federal contracts for defense firms from Visclosky, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., and others on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee that Murtha chairs."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Washington Times: Career lawyers overruled on voting case; Black Panthers had wielded weapons, blocked polls
The Washington Times reports "Justice Department political appointees overruled career lawyers and ended a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense of wielding a nightstick and intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place last Election Day, according to documents and interviews. . . . Career lawyers pursued the case for months, including obtaining an affidavit from a prominent 1960s civil rights activist who witnessed the confrontation and described it as 'the most blatant form of voter intimidation' that he had seen, even during the voting rights crisis in Mississippi a half-century ago."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Bloomberg: Ex-Fundraiser Hsu Is Guilty in Campaign-Finance Case
Bloomberg reports "Former Democratic campaign fundraiser Norman Hsu was convicted of campaign finance fraud for making tens of thousands of dollars in illegal donations by repaying six political donors and circumventing limits on contributions. The verdict came after 2 ½ hours of deliberations in the criminal trial of Hsu, 58, in federal court in New York. . . . Hsu was convicted of four counts of campaign finance fraud in a trial that lasted six days. Defense attorney Alan Seidler said he would appeal the jury’s verdict that Hsu secretly repaid about $98,000 to political donors from 2004 to 2007."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Wall Street Journal Update on Norman Hsu
The Journal reports "Norman Hsu, a major backer of Hillary Clinton's presidential bid who became the center of a 2007 campaign-financing scandal, pleaded guilty in federal court here Thursday to charges of running a multimillion-dollar investment fraud. . . . The indictment also charged that to 'raise his public profile and thereby convince more victims to invest in his fraudulent scheme,' Mr. Hsu pressured his investors into making large contributions to political candidates, sometimes in violation of federal campaign laws. In some cases, the indictment said, Mr. Hsu illegally reimbursed investors for making political contributions, using proceeds from his investment scam. . . . Mr. Hsu plans to go to trial on four remaining counts related to the alleged campaign-law violations."
Click here to read the entire post.
Monday, May 04, 2009
AP: John Edwards faces federal investigation
The AP reports "John Edwards is facing a federal inquiry. The two-time Democratic presidential candidate acknowledged Sunday that investigators are assessing how he spent his campaign funds - a subject that could carry his extramarital affair from the tabloids to the courtroom. Edwards' political action committee paid more than $100,000 for video production to the firm of the woman with whom Edwards had an affair. . . . Willfully converting money from a political action committee for personal use is a federal crime."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
New York Times: Investigators Take Closer Look at Rep. Jackson in Blagojevich Case
From the New York Times: "Federal prosecutors would not comment on the investigation, but lawyers who are familiar with it said Mr. Jackson was pressed earlier this month about his contacts with Mr. Blagojevich, who has since been removed from office and indicted on racketeering and other charges. Prosecutors want to know whether Mr. Jackson had initiated any deals with Mr. Blagojevich or his staff, the lawyers said, and whether he knew that anyone was working on his behalf to secure the seat."
Click here to read the entire post.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Update on Former-Congressman Renzi's Trial
From Politico: "A federal judge on Friday ruled against indicted former Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), denying the ex-lawmaker's attempt to have a federal prosecution team thrown off his case for constitutional and procedural violations. Renzi's legal team alleged federal prosecutors violated his immunity from prosecution under the Constitution's Speech or Debate Clause -- and had hoped to force a hearing into whether the Justice Department improperly used privileged material in charging him in Feb. 2008 on federal conspiracy, fraud and extortion charges."
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Washington Post: The Prosecutors Under Investigation
The Post provides short bios on the six DOJ prosecutors now under investigation for their roles in the Ted Stevens case.
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Boston Globe: Wilkerson faces more bribery allegations
The Boston Globe reports that former Massachusetts "state senator Dianne Wilkerson began taking bribes in exchange for political favors in 2002, five years earlier than authorities originally alleged when she was arrested last October in an alleged extortion scheme, according to a new federal indictment announced yesterday."
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Politico: DOJ mistakes may hinder other cases
Politico reports that "The dismissal of Ted Stevens' conviction and the potential contempt charges against the lawyers who prosecuted him could hinder several ongoing corruption cases against other politicians, according to legal experts. . . . Among the pending cases are charges against Reps. William Jefferson (D-La.) and Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), who have been indicted on a host of corruption charges, including bribery and fraud. Former Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) has been implicated in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, and Reps. Don Young (R-Alaska), John Murtha (D-Pa.) and Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) have found themselves drawn into other criminal probes by the Justice Department, although no charges have been filed in those cases."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
New York Times: Judge Orders Investigation of Stevens Prosecutors
From the New York Times: "A furious federal judge on Tuesday took the extraordinary step of ordering that the prosecutors who bungled the case of former Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska be investigated for possible criminal wrongdoing. Judge Emmet G. Sullivan dismissed the charges against Mr. Stevens, which was expected given the way the case has disintegrated since the conviction in October. But the judge went well beyond that step, declaring that what the prosecutors did was the worst 'mishandling or misconduct that I’ve seen in my 25 years.'"
Click here to read the entire post.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
The Hill: Lobbyist sentenced for destroying evidence
According to The Hill, "A U.S. District judge sentenced a lobbyist and good friend of former Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) to five months home detention for destroying evidence related to a federal probe of the ex-lawmaker, the Justice Department announced Friday. Cecilia Grimes, 43, a partner in a Pennsylvania-based lobbying firm, pleaded guilty last July to charges that she threw her BlackBerry in a trash can near an Arby’s fast-food restaurant after talking with federal agents about her firm’s contacts with Weldon."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Baltimore Sun: 77 political candidates face criminal charges; Prosecutors file complaints on campaign finance reports
The Baltimore Sun reports that "State prosecutors have filed criminal charges against 77 political candidates - including former Baltimore mayoral candidate Andrey Bundley - accusing them of violating election laws regarding campaign finance reports, according to the state prosecutor's office."
Click here to read the entire post.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Washington Post: Former Illinois Governor Indicted; Charges Include Extortion, Fraud
The Washington Post reports that "A federal grand jury charged former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich on Thursday with racketeering, extortion and fraud, opening a new chapter in the prosecution of the voluble Democrat, who could spend years behind bars if convicted."
Click here to read the entire post.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Washington Post: Former Ill. Gov. Blagojevich Expected to Be Indicted Today
The Washington Post reports that "The much-anticipated corruption indictment of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich is expected to be delivered today by a federal grand jury in Chicago."
Click here to read the entire post.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
More on the Ted Stevens Case
Articles from the New York Times, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and others.
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
NPR: Justice Dept. Seeks To Void Stevens' Conviction
NPR reports that "The Justice Department on Wednesday asked a federal judge to drop all charges against former Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska." According to the report, "U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said he has decided to drop the case against Stevens rather than continue to defend the conviction in the face of persistent problems stemming from the actions of prosecutors."
Click here to read the entire post.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
New York Times: Ex-Pennsylvania Lawmaker Convicted
The New York Times reports that "A 30-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Senate was convicted Monday of defrauding the state and two nonprofit groups of $3.5 million and having state employees do political and personal tasks. After more than four days of deliberation, a federal jury unanimously found the former senator, Vincent J. Fumo, guilty on all 137 counts of conspiracy, fraud, obstruction of justice, and tax violations for using state employees and consultants to do political work and run personal errands."
Click here to read the entire post.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
AP: Ex-Cochran aide pleads guilty in corruption probe
AP reports that "A former longtime aide to Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran pleaded guilty Tuesday to swapping legislative favors for event tickets and other gifts from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's firm."
Click here to read the entire post.
Monday, March 09, 2009
More Abramoff Fallout
From the Anchorage Daily News: "A second former high-level committee aide to Rep. Don Young was accused Friday of violating federal anti-corruption laws in the long-running Abramoff lobbying scandal. A three-count indictment charged Fraser Verrusio, policy director for the House Transportation Committee when Young was chairman of the panel, with conspiracy, accepting an illegal gratuity in the form of an all-expense paid World Series weekend in New York, and failing to report the gift."
Click here to read the entire post.
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