Rep. Bob Ney Agrees To Plead Guilty

Ohio GOP Congressman Admits Guilt In Congressional Corruption Probe

(CBS/AP)  Rep. Bob Ney has abandoned months of defiant denials and agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges in the congressional corruption probe spawned by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Ney, R-Ohio, will plead guilty to two counts: conspiracy and making false statements. Each charge carries a five-year mandatory penalty, but if Ney goes along with all requirements of the plea, the government has agreed to recommend to the court a sentence of 27 months, reports CBS News' Beverley Lumpkin.

Ney became the first lawmaker to admit wrongdoing in the election-year investigation.

Ney signed the plea agreement Wednesday, but it was not approved by the Justice Department or filed with the U.S. court until Friday. He will appear in court to plead guilty on Friday, Oct. 13.

Ney acknowledged accepting all-expense-paid and reduced-price trips to play golf in Scotland in August 2002, to gamble and vacation in New Orleans in May 2003 and to vacation in New York in August 2003. The total cost of all the trips exceeded $170,000, prosecutors said. Ney also admitted accepting meals and sports and concert tickets for himself and his staff.

---

Documents
The Plea Agreement
Statement Of Facts
Ney's Lawyer's Statement on Plea

---

In exchange for the improper gifts, Ney offered legislation on three occasions in 2002 to benefit Abramoff's lobbying clients and helped another client win a multimillion-dollar government contract for wireless communications, court papers said.

The New York Times also reported Friday that Ney had recently entered an in-patient rehabilitation center for treatment of alcoholism. His rehab was not a condition of the plea, Justice Department officials said Friday, and his attorneys will address any issues concerning his rehab both in public and at the time of sentencing.

In a statement, Ney apologized for his actions and said he recently realized "a dependence on alcohol has been a problem for me."

"I have made serious mistakes and am sorry for them. I am very sorry for the pain I have caused to my family, my constituents in Ohio and my colleagues," he said.

"I am not making any excuses, and I take full responsibility for my actions. Over the years, I have worked to help others, but now I am the one that needs help," Ney's statement said. "I am seeking professional help for this problem I am hopeful that with counseling, time and the support of my family and friends, I will be able to deal with my dependency."

Ney is a former chairman of the House of Representatives' Administration Committee. In that position, he took a leading role in renaming french fries as "freedom fries" in House cafeterias, in protest of French opposition to the Iraq war.

Ney consistently denied any wrongdoing in the investigation, an insistence that he maintained even after his former chief of staff pleaded guilty in May. The aide, Neil Volz, confessed to conspiring to corrupt the congressman and others with trips and other aid. Volz became a business partner of Abramoff after leaving the congressional payroll.

The guilty plea almost certainly will renew Democratic charges of a Republican "culture of corruption" in the House.

House Majority Leader John Boehner said Friday that that he supports Ney in "recognizing that he needs help with his problem with alcohol," but acknowledged that Ney's "actions violated the law, and he must be held accountable."

In addition to Abramoff and Volz, the scandal has produced guilty pleas by two former congressional aides to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. The Texas congressman resigned his seat earlier in the year. He has not been charged in the federal investigation, but is under indictment on state charges in Texas in a different case. He has denied all wrongdoing.

Ney announced last month that he would not seek re-election. Republican voters in Ney's district selected a replacement candidate Thursday as word of the legal developments surfaced. State Sen. Joy Padgett, backed by party leaders, won easily and will face Democrat Zack Space in the fall.

[webdepot]

For months and months Ney swore up, down and sideways that he did nothing wrong. Now all of a sudden he's going to plead guilty to selling his office and vote to the highest bidder.. Goes to show you the Republican mentality, lie, lie, lie right up until they close the jail cell door on you. This is only the tip of the Culture of Corruption this Republican controlled government has spawned.. Lying about being a crook and lying about being a power hungry empire builder and murderer still comes out to lying. This Republican controlled government has no conscience and no integrity..
Elections are coming up... I hope some of the 53 million idiots from the last election have learned something these past five years.

[pope_benny]

Another black guy abusing power. They do have a less evolved brain.

[clestes-2009]

I think both Delay and Ney should do a tour of duty in Iraq as punishment for their lies and thievery

[bfroggy-2009]

This is an example of why the Congress needs a major pay raise. I know, i KNOW it sound riddiculous but think about it: they make enough money to barely pay for their private home in their district and an apartment in Washington D.C. (its very expensive there). As a result, all the best and brightest talent in America take a look at that and say "no thanks, ill take a lucrative job where I can live outside the @#$%hole that is D.C. thanks".

So the people who DO end up wanting jobs in Congress are power hungry, because thats the only real Pro- to the job.

If they got paid more itd be a TINY chunk of the overall budget. Hell pay them 500,000. At least then you'd draw in some peopel with actual talent and intelligence. The savings in government efficiency would repay the pay raise in a years time.

Plus, they could afford their own trips to scotland and vegas without sucking Abramoffs teat.

[alisonjimmy]

Let's not forget Representative John Doolittle of California who also took campaign money from Abramoff for helping with Indian gaming in the midwest. Mr. Doolittle is against gambling here in California, but used his influence to help gaming tribes in the midwest. He never returned the contributions claiming he did nothing wrong. His wife also takes 15% off the top of all campaign contributions from events she does for John. She has a business for doing this, but she is the only employee. I'm waiting for the axe to fall in California. You all better check out your congressmen too!

[newsjeff-2009]

Bob Ney is an example of why the GOP controlled congress is maybe called a "do-nothing congress" I have noticed how the GOP controlled congress and senate have said that enforcing illegal immigration laws and securing our borders is something that requires more money and manpower that we have. Of course Ney and other GOP political leaders have time to embezzel money or accept campaign contributions, but they do not have the time to focus on Bin Laden, securing our borders in border states, enforcing illegal immigrant laws,fining and punishing companies who hire illegal immigrants. I agee with AnnSteitz Republicans may hear about what needs to be done for America's future but they do not want to hear it. As far as I am concerned Bush should not be the only one with low-approval ratings, people need to remember that the senate,congress,house can overide a president's veto, or pass things without the president't approval with 2/3 majority vote. So with this being election year, voters should not be swayed by "republicans distancing themselves from Bush" The GOP controlled house and senate could have pashed tougher illegal immigrant laws,border patrol laws,raised minimum wage,passed stiff penalties and fines for companies hiring or smuggling in illegal immigrants,built a border fence,increased manpower to patrol our boders,brought Bin Laden to justice, etc. without Bush's approval if only 2/3 of them would have worked together instead of trying to blame Bush for everything.

[annsteitz]

It shows the caliber of people this party has spawned over the years to which he has been in denial and yet still refuses to take personal responsibility. It's the alcohol... Once Bush W. hit the hill all common sense, morals and good of the American people when out the door with carpet bagging policies and the "Yeah let's get em" ideas... Republicans on the hill have deaf ears to the American people and are not listening now.