Lobbyist Set to Plead Guilty in Florida; Second Plea in 2 Days - New York Times

Lobbyist Set to Plead Guilty in Florida; Second Plea in 2 Days - New York Times: "January 4, 2006

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 - A day after he pleaded guilty to three felony counts here, Jack Abramoff, a once prominent Republican lobbyist, was set to plead guilty today in Miami to two charges of conspiracy and fraud in a case stemming from his purchase of a casino boat line in 2000.

On Tuesday, Mr. Abramoff instantly became the star witness in a sweeping federal investigation into public corruption in Washington when he pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials as part of a settlement with federal prosecutors. The inquiry could involve as many as a dozen lawmakers, people involved in the case said.

Mr. Abramoff, 46, accepted a recommended reduced prison sentence of about 10 years in exchange for testifying against former associates in the influence-peddling case. The agreement also requires Mr. Abramoff to pay more than $26 million in tax penalties and restitution to former clients, although he has told associates he is broke.

The corruption inquiry involving Mr. Abramoff, potentially one of the most explosive in Congressional history, has expanded in recent months to encompass dozens of political operatives, including former Congressional aides and lobbyists suspected of arranging bribes in exchange for legislative work, participants in the case said.

"His testimony, coupled with that of Michael Scanlon, a former Abramoff business associate who pleaded guilty in November, reaches into the executive and legislative branches and appears to be drawing an ever-tighter ring of evidence around the former House Republican majority leader, Tom DeLay, and other senior Congressional Republicans.