Ex-DeLay Aide Pleads Guilty
Former Top Aide To GOP Lawmaker Agrees To Plea In Lobbyist Fraud Case
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Play CBS Video Video Focus On DeLay Gloria Borger reports a plea deal with a former top aide to Rep. Tom DeLay is bad news for the ex-House majority leader.
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The plea agreement by a former top aide to Rep. Tom DeLay contains no allegations that the congressman, who it describes as Representative 2, did anything wrong. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, left, leaves the federal courthouse in Miami after sentencing in the SunCruz fraud case Wednesday, March 29, 2006. (AP)
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Tony Rudy, a former deputy chief of staff to Rep. Tom Delay, leaves Federal Court in Washington, Friday, March 31, 2006, after pleading guilty to conspiracy and promising to cooperate with the government;s investigation of lobby fraud. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
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Interactive DeLay's Dilemma Here's a look at the career and the woes of the former House majority leader.
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Interactive Wheeling & Dealing Learn more about the scandals involving former lobbyist Jack Abramoff
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Interactive The 109th Congress Meet the leaders and follow the action in the House and Senate.
"Yes your honor," he said quietly.
His lawyer, Laura Ariane Miller, objected when Huvelle described the allegation that he took things "in exchange" for official acts. Instead, Miller said that her client sought and received gifts.
Huvelle said that under the sentencing guidelines, which are not mandatory but often used by judges, Rudy could receive 24 to 30 months in prison because he does not have a criminal record and acknowledged his crime.
The judge said that prosecutors could ask for a lower sentence, depending on his cooperation. Rudy was allowed to remain free pending the sentencing
Rudy and his lawyer left the courthouse without commenting to reporters.
Ney's lawyer, Mark Tuohey, said a guilty plea by Rudy doesn't change Ney's situation. The congressman continues to maintain his innocence. Tuohey said he hadn't seen the court papers filed Friday and couldn't comment in detail on them.
Court papers say Rudy sent an e-mail inviting Ney and his then-chief of staff Neil Volz to Scotland in 2002, promising golf and "drinking and smoking Cubans." Ney contends he thought the trip was properly paid for by a GOP policy group for a legitimate international parliamentary event.
"Mr. Rudy had nothing to do with Mr. Ney's Scotland trip at all, nothing," Tuohey said. When asked whether Rudy could have sent the e-mail invite, he said, "If he did, I haven't seen it."
Ney is cooperating with Justice Department requests for information. For example, Ney spokesman Brian Walsh said the Ohio Republican has provided prosecutors with stacks of receipts to prove he and his staff paid for their own food at Abramoff's downtown Washington restaurant. Ney also has said he was duped by Abramoff into entering statements on the Congressional Record in support of Abramoff's purchase of a fleet of Florida casino boats.
After leaving DeLay's office, Rudy first joined Abramoff's lobbying team at the Greenberg Traurig law firm. Soon after, he signed on with another former DeLay staffer, Ed Buckham, at the Alexander Strategy Group.
Abramoff, 47, was sentenced Wednesday to nearly six years in prison for committing fraud in a case in Florida involving the purchase of a fleet of gambling boats.
He will remain free while helping prosecutors with the vast bribery investigation involving members of Congress.
CBS News correspondent Bob Fuss reports that Abramoff still faces sentencing for his guilty pleas in Washington to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy.
No date has been set for his sentencing in that case.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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