Rep. Bob Ney pleaded guilty Friday in the Jack Abramoff influence- peddling investigation, the first lawmaker to confess to crimes in a scandal that has stained the Republican-controlled Congress and the Bush administration.
Standing before Judge Ellen S. Huvelle, Ney pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making false statements. He acknowledged taking money, gifts and favors in return for official actions on behalf of Abramoff and his clients.
The 52-year-old lawmaker faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Huvelle said prosecutors had agreed to recommend a term of 27 months, and said federal guidelines suggest a fine of between $5,000 and $60,000.
Despite his guilty pleas, Ney did not resign his seat in Congress. His lawyer, Mark Touhey, told the judge he would do so before sentencing on Jan. 19. Under the Constitution, he’ll be gone before then. His term expires when the new Congress is sworn in at noon on Jan. 3.
In a statement distributed to reporters after the court session, Ney said, “I accept responsibility for my actions and I am prepared to face the consequences of what I have done.”
Clearly this is another plot by the Democrats to win back the House and Senate- why else would his court date have been scheduled for today? Therefore, using right-wing blogosphere logic, Ney is innocent since this happened in October. Just like the Lancet study is false because it was released in October and the House GOP did nothing wrong because the Foley scandal surfaced in October.
Accountability- it is for the little people.
Matt
Ah, John. We love you.
neil
Judge ELLEN Huvelle? Isn’t it the case that female voters are more likely to support Democrats? I think that’s all we need to know about this politically biased feminazi. She should most certainly be impeached and, perhaps, executed for treason if she is found guilty of that crime.
(In case you’re googling your name, Ms. Huvelle, hi!)
JWeidner
John Cole: En Fuego!
ThymeZone
Ditto.
When I think of all the times I bitched at him for not getting behind an overthrow of the GOP junta …
I know he’s doing this to spite me. Now I have nothing to really bitch about. I’m a shadow of my former self.
Krista
Just make up some way in which you feel persecuted, and bitch about that. Works for War on Christmas(tm) crowd…
Tony J
Let’s be clear that Robert Ney is a Democrat, right?
Just trying to get it out there ahead of Faux News, you understand.
Paddy O'Shea
We can only hope there was a plea bargain in there somewhere. A lighter sentence in exchange for a little bit of chirpin’ stool pigeon action. Insights into the peculiar voting practices of Ohio in the 2004 election would be a nice place to start.
Warble, Bob. Warble.
Proud Liberal
you know there is nothing more satisfying to me than seeing former Bush supporters now seeing the light. And like those that become born again or give up cigarettes, they become vehement in their new found vision. It is happening more and more as “true” conservatives see how their party was taken over by this gang of incompetent dishonest religious zealots.
The only one’s left supporting the unsupportable are the deadenders that could rightly be thought of as a cult. The psychological causes that would lead someone to drink kool aid in Jonestown or to defend the Bush Administration are quite similar.
Tsulagi
I smell a whole lot of presidential pardons in about two years. His little hand would get cramped from writing his signature so much, but he never shies away from the hard, hard work.
It would be so in character for him, and a fitting little cherry on his presidency. Probably even issue a blanket one for himself for anything he didn’t blame on someone or something else.
Perry Como
I’m glad Rep. Ney has the wherewithal to retain his seat after this vicious attack from the George Soros wing of the judiciary. I applaud Ney for not stepping down after being railroaded by the Democrat prosecutors and courts.
sidereal
I remember hearing somewhere (I can’t quite recall where) that George Soros and some Democrat Operatives were shopping around information about Ney’s activity months ago, which only proves they have more interest in politics than in protecting Native Americans from temptations to bribery.
Pb
He can pardon people for things they didn’t do too, right? Like, maybe he could pardon John Kerry for being a traitor in Vietnam, or pardon the Clintons for drug trafficking and murder. I don’t think his supporters would get the joke, though, they’d probably just end up being pissed at Bush for doing it.
Vladi G
I’m very proud of you, John. It’s never been your willingness to call out the Republicans that we’ve questioned. But three months ago, this would have had a “but Harry Reid did accept those boxing tickets once” attached to the end. I’m very happy to see you’ve moved past all that.
Faux News
Perry Como Says:
As much as this is a very funny post, the sad reality is that I’m certain someone like Lead (Pb) is posting this as a serious comment on RedState or FreeRepublic.
Pb
I guarantee you that no one like me is seriously posting anything like that anywhere. Trollling, perhaps, serious, no. And I personally am not doing it at all–after all, I was blocked from posting at RedState over a year ago, and I don’t bother posting at FreeRepublic–it has always been even more of a cesspool.
erg
Clearly John Cole himself has been a mole for the Democrats all these years, pretending to build up his conservative credentials, and just waiting for a moment when the forces of Right were weakened to stick the shiv in…
Andrew
Well, he may be labeled ( R-OH ) but you can be sure his dark soul is ( D-Iran ) through and through.
Faux News
My apologies to you Pb. No, I’m not being sarcastic.
You are correct. No one is posting anything like that on Red State. In fact as of 4:12pm EST there are NO topics or threads about Ney’s guilty plea at all on Red State. Everyone on there today is gloating about Air America going Chapter 11.
The Kool Aid is strong with those Red State folks.
fishbane
Someone call Ann Althouse – I’m sure she feels offended. But it isn’t about the boobies!