Scanlon, Abramoff `Backroom Guy,' Points Probers at DeLay, Bob Ney (R-OH)

Troubling news for House Administration Chairman Bob Ney (R-OH)?


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aLHX6Q_LZC4A


Scanlon, Abramoff `Backroom Guy,' Points Probers at DeLay, Ney

Nov. 21 (Bloomberg) -- For more than a year, Michael Scanlon has been a shadowy presence behind former partner Jack Abramoff, the Republican lobbyist at the center of a corruption probe. Now, Scanlon may help prosecutors raise the investigation to a higher level.

Scanlon, a former aide to Representative Tom DeLay, is scheduled to appear today in U.S. District Court to present a plea bargain with the Justice Department likely to lead to his cooperation with investigators. His testimony would ratchet up the pressure on Abramoff and aid prosecutors in widening the investigation to members of Congress, such as Republicans DeLay and Representative Robert Ney of Ohio.

Scanlon, 35, is the second person to face criminal charges in connection with the Justice Department-led probe of the 46- year-old Abramoff. In October, a federal grand jury indicted the White House's former chief procurement officer, David Safavian, once an Abramoff associate, for obstruction and making false statements.

``Now you have two people instead of one,'' said Stan Brand, a former counsel to the House of Representatives when it was controlled by the Democrats. ``What you're building is a ladder. You have Abramoff at the intermediate step, elected officials above him, and Scanlon and Safavian underneath.''

Beyond the potential legal concerns, Scanlon's cooperation with authorities may spell political jeopardy for Republicans leading into next year's elections, especially if he helps draw other lawmakers into the investigation. ``He knows where all the bodies are buried,'' said a congressional aide who worked with Scanlon. <snip>

the future of my rep, the bugman.:hi: I plugged this over in the TX forum, too.

Rep. Nye would not allow John Conyers subpoena power but then in March of
05 he came to Columbus and held hearings looking into the Ohio election.
A Mr. Mark F. "Thor" Hearn testified @ those hearings representing American
Center for Voter's Rights or ACVR. ACVR gave testimony on 3/22 after being
formed on 3/17 in Dallas TX with the the funding of T. Boone Pickens. The
spokesman for the group Mr. Hearn was the chief legal consul for
bush/ cheney 04 and he was located in St. Louis, MO. But surprisingly
enough he was able to come and speak @ length about democratic election
irregularities in OH.

And who called Mr. Hearn into "muddy the waters?"

Class ..... anybody?

Rep. Bob Nye of Ohio.

He would not call meetings to consider voting machines allowing SOS's like Blackwell to interpret their own rules about voting.

He is one mean, nasty, vile man who denigrates anyone who questions him.

Please let me have another congressman ASAP. (And let it be Zack Space.)