Abramoff May Meet With Investigators

[Judi Lynn]

Abramoff May Meet With Investigators
Attorney Says Embattled Lobbyist Abramoff Willing to Meet With Homicide Investigators
By CURT ANDERSON Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press

MIAMI Aug 16, 2005 — Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, accused of federal fraud charges in a casino deal, is willing to be interviewed by police trying to solve the gangland-style murder of the businessman who sold the floating casinos, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Abramoff, whose lobbying activities are under investigation in Washington, had expected to meet with Fort Lauderdale homicide detectives shortly after the February 2001 slaying of Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis, but the interview never took place, attorney Neal Sonnett said.

Now the detectives are expressing new interest in talking with Abramoff, and Sonnett said he would arrange that.
"He's always been willing to cooperate," he said of Abramoff.

Sonnett said he was unaware of any information Abramoff might have about the killing. Fort Lauderdale police did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1042435

[SpiralHawk]

1. Abramhoff and Delay - new meaning to ReThuggery

Taking to the limit -- and then beyond. Shameful.

[annabanana]

2. "willing to coooperate"

Now the detectives are expressing new interest in talking with Abramoff, and Sonnett said he would arrange that.
"He's always been willing to cooperate," he said of Abramoff.


WELL! Lets hope he keeps up that very helpful attitude!

[Spazito]

3. Oh, I hope he spills the beans, ALL the beans

I bet just reading "He's always willing to cooperate" is making a few of the bush cabal change their depends.

[Judi Lynn]

4. New Newsweek article: Abramoff: More Trouble Ahead?

Abramoff: More Trouble Ahead?

Newsweek
Aug. 22, 2005 issue - The Justice Department played hardball last week with former superlobbyist Jack Abramoff, in part because of concerns he might flee to Israel. Hours before Abramoff was indicted on fraud charges in Miami last Thursday, FBI agents tried to arrest him at his Maryland home. But he'd already left for Los Angeles. Agents tracked him down on his cell phone and ordered him to surrender to the local FBI office. When Abramoff did, later that day, he was handcuffed, thrown into jail, then released last Friday on a $2.2 million bond.

Abramoff's treatment contrasted with that given his codefendant, Adam Kidan, who was allowed to show up in court on his own. A senior Justice official says one reason was that some of Abramoff's friends and former colleagues have moved to Israel. "There was concern he could relocate to another country," says the official, who asked not to be identified because the matter involves a pending case. Neal Sonnett, Abramoff's lawyer, called the Feds' tactics "mean-spirited," and says his client is fully ready to show up in court to refute the charges, which involve an allegedly phony $23 million wire transfer to buy a fleet of casino boats.

Another possible reason for the Feds' stance: to pressure Abramoff to cooperate in a broader, D.C.-based probe that could touch members of Congress and Bush administration officials. The probe centers on tens of millions in allegedly inflated lobbying fees Abramoff collected from Indian gaming tribes. But that's not all that's under scrutiny. A lawyer for another client, Tyco International, tells NEWSWEEK that it's turned over to Justice evidence alleging Abramoff defrauded it with a lobbying campaign against legislation to bar federal contracts to U.S. companies, like Tyco, headquartered in overseas tax havens. Tyco, based in Bermuda, paid $1.7 million to Abramoff's firm in 2003 and 2004—plus $1.5 million for a "grass roots" campaign to gin up opposition to the effort among Tyco's domestic suppliers. The Tyco official who hired Abramoff is the firm's general counsel, Tim Flanigan, a former White House lawyer nominated by President Bush for deputy attorney general. Tyco lawyer George Terwilliger says the firm "was a victim of a rip-off." Abramoff, he says, recommended the $1.5 million be paid to Grassroots Interactive, a group that allegedly did little work and later diverted funds for other purposes. Grassroots is "controlled" by Abramoff, says Nathan Lewin, a lawyer for Tyco's registered agent. Abramoff's former law firm has agreed "in principle" to repay the $1.5 million, says a source close to Tyco who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.
(snip)

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8941526/site/newsweek/

[AlCzervik]

5. This article will give you many details about this wholoe mess

it's from May of this year and a must read imo.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/30/AR2005043001147.html