Court Filing Suggest OH Rep in Abramoff Case Gave False Report to Congress

[kpete]

Court filing suggests Ohio rep. in Abramoff scandal provided false report to Congress

Court filing in case of indicted Bush official provides strong support for claims Ohio congressman gave false report to Congress

John Byrne and Ron Brynaert
Published: Friday April 21, 2006

A pre-trial motion filed by federal prosecutors in the case of indicted former Bush administration official David Safavian contends that his share of the costs in a trip to play golf in Scotland and England arranged by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff should have been nearly five times more than what he paid, RAW STORY has found.

Perhaps more significantly, however, it also provides the first formal evidence that powerful Ohio Republican Bob Ney – then-chairman of the House Administration Committee – provided false figures for the cost of his own trip to Scotland. Ney has been under fire for his role in allegedly helping Abramoff help his clients in violating of House ethics rules and possibly federal laws.

Ney was referenced as “Congressman #1” in plea agreement Abramoff made in January, in which he admitted to bribing members of Congress and their staff.

David Safavian, chief of staff of the United States General Services Administration (GSA) at the time, paid Abramoff $3,100 for a trip that prosecutors say "was in excess of $130,000." According to The Washington Post, tax records show that a non-profit owned by Abramoff, the Capital Athletic Foundation, doled out $150,225 for the trip.

more at:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Court_filing_in_case_of_indicted_0421.html

[EST]

1. With the additional charges that Ney may face, with the

advent of the lawsuits being filed against the vote tampering machine providers, including his quid pro quo of preventing verification measures in the HAVA act, his goose should be pretty well cooked. Wonderful!