Case Links Ney and Abramoff, a Tribe, a Casino, Millions of Dollars and a Transparent Lie!
So ... What's Wrong With This Picture??? Hold out BOTH hands, Mr. Ney!! Book 'em, Danno!
By Winter Patriot on 7/26/2006, 10:33pm PT  



Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

We've been reading some very interesting news today from John Stanton at Roll Call.

Justice Department investigators have begun a review of Senate Rules and Administration Committee records relating to negotiations over the Help America Vote Act, involving then-Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and former House Administration Chairman Bob Ney (R-Ohio), as they wrap up their investigation into Ney's connections to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Senate sources said Tuesday.

Senate aides familiar with the review said Justice officials indicated the inquiry was not focused on Dodd, who now serves as the committee's ranking member, and the type of information investigators were seeking - while not specific enough to indicate they were looking for a smoking gun - appear to point directly at Ney.

The full text is available to Roll Call subscribers only, but we have a few more excerpts after the fold.

Regular BRAD BLOG readers will have have seen this coming a long time ago.

So here's a big hat tip to Brad for being way-ahead-of-the-curve on this...

and now back to our story:

Senate Rules Chairman Trent Lott (R-Miss.) acknowledged that the review by Justice was centered on the HAVA negotiations, which occurred in 2001 and 2002, and that it appears to be directed at Ney rather than Dodd.
...
Abramoff, who pleaded guilty to bribery charges late last year, had pushed Ney to include provisions in the act that would have given federal tribal recognition to the Tigua Tribe and to allow it to reopen a casino in Texas. Abramoff represented the Tiguas. Although e-mails that have surfaced as part of the Abramoff scandal revealed the disgraced lobbyist bragged that he was close to Dodd and Ney, the provision did not make it into HAVA.
...
While Ney has acknowledged he sought to include the provisions, he has insisted he was doing so on the merits and not at the behest of Abramoff.

Good luck with that line, Bob Ney. You might catch a fish or two that way, but, really... We're pleased that you admit trying to include provisions in a national voting act which would give a tribe --- represented by your admittedly money-wielding "friend" --- status and allow them to open a casino. We're very pleased to hear you admit that once again. But come on, sir! To stick to the claim that you were doing it on the merits? Isn't that just a little bit too absurd, even for an Ohio Republican?

Danno? DANNO???

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