Jury Finds Former Ill. Gov. Ryan Guilty

CHICAGO - Former Republican Gov. George Ryan was convicted of corruption Monday in the scandal that ended his political career in 2003 at the same time he was winning international acclaim for commuting the sentences of everyone on Illinois' death row.

Ryan, 72, sat stone-faced as the verdict was read, and vowed afterward to appeal.

The jury in the state's biggest corruption trial in decades found Ryan guilty on all counts, including fraud, lying to the
FBI' and racketeering conspiracy, which alone could bring 20 years in prison at sentencing Aug. 4.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald called Ryan's actions "a low watermark of public service." Fitzgerald, who also led the Washington investigation of the CIA leak, added: "If they keep stealing, we'll keep chasing them."

- Associated Press

Campaign Turns Into Reed's Nightmare

Ralph Reed is going to own this room. Granted, it's only a standard-issue campus auditorium at Emory University, half-filled at best for the annual Georgia College Republicans convention. But to the former boy wonder of evangelical politics, it looks like heavenly shelter on this drizzly February morning. The Christian Coalition co-founder's first campaign for public office — lieutenant governor of Georgia, a position Reed and his fans envision as a stepping stone to bigger things — has turned into a waking nightmare.

Every week brings a new revelation about the millions in dirty money Reed earned by duping his fellow evangelicals into putting their political muscle behind "Casino Jack" Abramoff's gambling clients. Reed's huge leads in both popularity polls and fundraising have almost disappeared. Instead of making his triumphant debut as a politician, the man Time magazine called "The Right Hand of God" is fast becoming the new poster boy for Christian-right corruption.

http://www.cbsnews.com

DeLay Announces Resignation From House

WASHINGTON - Succumbing to scandal, former Majority Leader
Tom DeLay said Tuesday he will resign from Congress in the face of a tough re-election race, closing out a career that blended unflinching conservatism with a bare-knuckled political style.

"I have no fear whatsoever about any investigation into me or my personal or professional activities," DeLay said in a statement to constituents. At the same time, he said, "I refuse to allow liberal Democrats an opportunity to steal this seat with a negative, personal campaign."

He said the voters of his Houston-area district "deserve a campaign about the vital national issues that they care most about ... and not a campaign focused solely as a referendum on me."

On Yahoo....

Good riddance!

GOP fundraiser charged in Ohio coin scandal

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) -- Prosecutors charged a prominent GOP fundraiser Monday with theft and money laundering in an investigation of a controversial state investment in rare coins that has embroiled Republicans in scandal during an election year.

The 53 charges against coin dealer Tom Noe conclude a 10-month investigation by state and federal prosecutors into the $50 million rare coin investment Noe managed for the state insurance fund for injured workers.

Noe's attorney has acknowledged a shortfall of up to $13 million of the money Noe invested for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. The state attorney general has accused Noe of stealing up to $6 million.

Noe, 51, already faced charges of using colleagues and associates to illegally funnel $45,000 to President Bush's re-election campaign. The new counts include forgery, theft, money laundering and tampering with records.

Rep. Ney to Temporarily Cede Panel Chair

WASHINGTON - Rep. Bob Ney, an Ohio Republican implicated in a lobbying corruption investigation, said Sunday he will step aside temporarily as chairman of the House Administration Committee.

"Unfortunately it has become clear to me in recent days that the false allegations made against me have become a distraction to the important work of the House Republican Conference and the important work that remains ahead for the House Administration Committee," Ney said in a written statement.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060116/ap_on_go_co/ney_abramoff

Next, the indictment! ; )

The New Face of the Republican Party

Abramoff Plea to Conspiracy, Mail Fraud, and Tax Evasion, January 3, 2006.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/abramoff-plea1.html

Abramoff Makes Plea Deal, Will Cooperate

WASHINGTON - Lobbyist Jack Abramoff will plead guilty to federal charges in Washington and Miami, clearing the way for him to cooperate in a massive government investigation of influence peddling involving members of Congress, lawyers said Tuesday.

As part of the deal, prosecutors filed conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion charges against the embattled lobbyist. The filing outlined lavish gifts and contributions that it said Abramoff gave an unnamed House member, identified elsewhere as Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Administration Committee, in return for Ney's agreement to use his office to aid Abramoff clients.

Former Enron Accountant Strikes Plea Deal

HOUSTON - Enron's former chief accounting officer, Richard Causey, has struck a plea bargain with federal prosecutors and will avoid going to trial with the fallen energy company's two top executives, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

Causey was expected to plead guilty Wednesday to one or more of the 34 criminal charges pending against him, this person told The Associated Press Tuesday on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the discussions.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051228/ap_on_bi_ge/enron_causey_8