Prosecutors Cite More Favors by Lawmaker

Federal prosecutors seeking a stiff prison sentence for former Ohio congressman Robert W. Ney have listed previously undisclosed favors that he and his staff provided to clients of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, including two Russian energy executives who have been linked to former House majority leader Tom DeLay.

Ney pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy, admitting that he performed official acts for lobbyists in exchange for campaign contributions, expensive meals, luxury travel and skybox sports tickets. He is to be sentenced Jan. 19.

The Republican congressman and his staff offered to aid Abramoff's clients in the summer of 2003 as Ney prepared for a trip to Russia, according to newly released e-mails attached to a Justice Department filing in federal court late Wednesday. Abramoff's lobbying team got the congressman to intervene with the U.S. Consulate in Moscow to help resolve a passport issue for the daughter of Abramoff client Alexander Koulakovsky, the e-mails show.

Koulakovsky and his business partner, Marina Nevskaya, hired Abramoff to help them arrange meetings with DeLay and to lobby for federal aid to their businesses. The Russian executives helped pay for a trip to Moscow taken by DeLay, his wife and aides in 1997.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/04/AR2007010401913.html

It was nice knowing you. Sorry to see you go. Bye!

:)