now at TheMadCowMorningNews
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Jan 03, 2006–Venice, FL
Tom DeLay’s on trial, Randy Cunningham’s going to jail, the Republican Party is mired in corruption and cronyism, Sun Cruz Casino “Mob Boy” Adam Kidan’s already cut a deal, and Jack Abramoff’s plea agreement with federal prosecutors is expected to result in the biggest Congressional housecleaning in decades.
Yet, appearances to the contrary, “The Big Fix 2006” may already be in on the Republican big money scandals. The show may be over before it began.
The sight of neo-con greedheads and faux Christian leaders littering the landscape like recently-sodomized sugar plum fairies (paging Ralph Reed, white courtesy phone) may everywhere be warming the hearts of men and women of good will.
But Federal prosecutors aren’t just doling out justice. They appear to be putting a cover-up in place.
“Casino Jack” Abramoff and minion Adam Kidan just may be about to get away with murder.
read the whole story…
TheMadCowMorningNews
www.madcowprod.com
Abramoff Pleads Guilty, Will Cooperate
By MARK SHERMAN [3 January 2006 Associated Press]
In Florida, Abramoff and Kidan were indicted in August on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with their purchase of the SunCruz fleet for $147.5 million from Miami businessman Konstantinos “Gus” Boulis.
Prosecutors said the pair faked a $23 million wire transfer to make it appear that they were making a significant contribution of their own money into the deal. Based on that transfer, lenders Foothill Capital Corp. and Citadel Equity Fund Ltd. agreed to provide $60 million in financing for the purchase.
Kidan pleaded guilty Dec. 15 to one count of conspiracy and one count of wire fraud. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines at sentencing scheduled for March 1.
(Lobbying partner Michael) Scanlon agreed to cooperate in the SunCruz case as part of a plea agreement in a separate case with federal prosecutors in Washington. In that agreement, Scanlon admitted helping Kidan and Abramoff buy SunCruz, partly by persuading (Rep. Bob) Ney (R-Ohio, chairman of the House Administration Committee) to insert comments in the Congressional Record designed to pressure Boulis to sell.