Abramoff Investigation Continues Apace

by

Last week, another former associate of Jack Abramoff’s pled guilty to charges of trying to corrupt a public office. Todd Boulanger, a former staffer in the office former Sen. Bob Smith, worked in Abramoff’s lobbying team from 1999 to 2004. (He also hilariously appears in this Daily Show clip as a CNN talking head.) Boulanger’s guilty plea provides information on more unnamed congressional staffers coming into investigation. These staffers are now known as “Staffer D,” a Transporation and Infrastructure Committee staffer; “Staffer E,” a top aide with Sen. Thad Cochran; “Staffer F,” an unknown legislative director.

“Staffer E” has been identified as Ann Copland, a former aide to Sen. Cochran now working (Copland is apparently no longer working at MPB, see the comment below) at Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Copland appears in the court documents as receiving a stream of tickets to events (NSYNC, Paul McCartney, Green Day, ice skating, and more) in exchange for using her official position to do the bidding of Abramoff and his lobbying team. She appears in the guilty pleas of both Boulanger and Kevin Ring, another lobbyist indicted in the scandal.

Below is an updated list of all the figures in the Abramoff scandal who have either pleaded guilty, been convicted, indicted, named in court documents, or had their career brought to an abrupt end by being mentioned in the scandal.

Officials and Lobbyists Brought Down in Abramoff Scandal
Jack Abramoff Lobbyist, Preston Gates, Greenberg Traurig Convicted; Sentenced to 13 Years 4 Months
Michael Scanlon Former Comm. Director to Rep. Tom DeLay; Public Relations Executive Pleaded Guilty
Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) House of Representatives; Chair of Committee on House Administration Pleaded Guilty; Released from prison after serving 17 months
J. Steven Griles Deputy Secretary of the Interior Pleaded Guilty; Sentenced to 10 months in prison
Tony Rudy Deputy Chief of Staff to Rep. Tom DeLay; Lobbyist, Greenberg Traurig Pleaded Guilty
David Safavian General Services Administration, Chief of Staff; Office of Management and Budget, Top Procurement Officer Convicted; Sentenced to 18 months in prison
Neil Volz Chief of Staff to Rep. Bob Ney Pleaded Guilty
Italia Federici President of Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy Pleaded Guilty
Mark Zachares Aide to Rep. Don Young Pleaded Guilty
John Albaugh Chief of Staff to Rep. Ernie Istook Pleaded Guilty
Trevor Blackann Lobbyist and former staffer for Sen. Kit Bond Pleaded Guilty
Will Heaton Chief of Staff to Rep. Bob Ney Pleaded Guilty
Todd Boulanger Lobbyist and former staffer to Sen. Bob Smith Pleaded Guilty
Robert Carpenter Deputy Chief of Staff, Criminal Division, US Department of Justice Pleaded Guilty
Roger Stillwell Desk Officer in charge Marianas Islands, Department of Interior Pleaded Guilty
Adam Kidan Business Partner, SunCruz Casinos Pleaded Guilty; Sentenced to 5 years, ten months in prison
James Hirni Lobbyist and former staffer for Sens. Tim Hutchinson, Bill Frist, and Jeff Sessions Indicted on one count “conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud”
Kevin Ring Lobbyist, Greenberg Traurig Indicted on ten counts
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) House of Representatives; Majority Leader Named in guilty pleas; Under investigation; Retired after the guilty plea of former staffer Tony Rudy
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) House of Representatives Named in guilty pleas; Under investigation; Houses raided by FBI; Retired from Congress
Rep. Ernie Istook (R-OK) House of Representatives Named in guilty pleas; Under investigation; No longer in Congress
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) House of Representatives Named in guilty pleas; Under investigation; Defeated for reelection
Ed Buckham Chief of Staff to Rep. Tom DeLay; Lobbyist Named in guilty pleas; Under investigation
Ann Copland Staffer for Sen. Thad Cochran Named as “Staffer E” in guilty pleas
Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) House of Representatives Linked to Abramoff scandal; Defeated in 2006 election; Since acknowledged not under investigation
Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) U.S. Senate Linked to Abramoff scandal; Defeated in 2006 election; Since acknowledged not under investigation
Ralph Reed Former head of Christian Coalition; Lobbyist Named repeatedly in reports of Abramoff’s Indian tribe swindles; Lost 2006 Lt. Gov. race; Reputation in tatters
Susan Ralston Special Assistant to the President; Deputy to Karl Rove Resigned her job; Sought immunity to testify before House committee; Justice Department still reviewing granting of immunity