Travel Agency Subpoenaed for DeLay Records

[ProSense]

Travel Agency Subpoenaed for DeLay Records

Associated Press
Thursday, March 2, 2006; Page A04

AUSTIN, March 1 -- Prosecutors have asked a travel agency to turn over records on a trip to Britain that Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), then the House majority leader, took in 2000 with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

A subpoena issued Wednesday seeks documents on travel services bought by the now-disgraced Abramoff for himself, DeLay, DeLay's wife, a DeLay aide-turned-lobbyist and two others.

The subpoena includes statements from Abramoff's credit card showing that he paid the travel agency nearly $40,000 for the group's airfare for the trip to England and Scotland. It is against House rules for a lobbyist to put a congressman's expenses on his credit card.

Snip...

DeLay's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, was traveling and could not be reached for comment late Wednesday. He previously has said subpoenas in the case are not enforceable because it is on appeal.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/01/AR2006030102749.html?nav=rss_politics

[babylonsister]

1. But, but...

I thought DeLay has made it clear he doesn't know Abramoff! Ya mean, that's not true? :wow: :sarcasm:

[ProSense]

2. Lobbyist's Credit Card Bill Outs DeLay Trip

Lobbyist's Credit Card Bill Outs DeLay Trip

Delay's Trip to Golf Resort Paid for by Abramoff

March 2, 2006 — The paper trail seems so obvious, it makes you wonder whether anyone ever worried about getting caught. When Congressman Tom Delay and his wife flew from Houston to a golf resort in Scotland, in June, 2000, the first class air fare cost $14,001. A big ticket item for a public servant. But someone else was paying.

The American Express bills of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff show he footed the bill for the tickets, in an apparent violation of House ethics rules.

"The source of the travel expenses may not be&a registered lobbyist," according to the House rules. Abramoff was a registered lobbyist at the time.

Delay's attorney told the Washington Post last year Delay was unaware of the "logistics" of bill payments and did not believe Abramoff paid the cost.

more...

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=1679189&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312