Feds Seek To Slash Abramoff Sentence

Justice Dept. Recommends Dramatic Prison Term Reduction For Lobbyist Turned Key Witness

(AP)  The Justice Department on Wednesday recommended a dramatic reduction in the prison sentence of imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who became the key witness against lawmakers and congressional aides he spent years corrupting.

Prosecutors asked federal judges in Washington and Florida to shave years of prison time off his sentence, citing his work in an FBI investigation that sent numerous powerful people to prison and contributed to the Republican Party's loss of Congress.

"It is appropriate given Abramoff's extraordinary cooperation to date, cooperation which can be wholly or partially credited for the convictions of a member of Congress, five high-level legislative branch officials, one high-level executive branch official and two other mid- to low-level public officials," Justice Department prosecutors said in documents filed in Washington's federal court.

In 2006, Abramoff began serving nearly six years in prison for a fraudulent Florida casino deal. On top of that, he faces about 11 years in prison when he is sentenced next week for corrupting Capitol Hill lawmakers with expensive meals, golf junkets, luxury sports tickets and other gifts.

The Justice Department is asking for a much more lenient sentence. Prosecutors asked that the Florida sentence be reduced to less than four years. They asked a federal judge in Washington to sentence Abramoff to five years and four months, with credit for the two years he has served in the Florida case.

That means Abramoff could be eligible for release sometime in 2011.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell asked for even less time, saying Abramoff has reviewed more than 500,000 documents and spent more than 3,000 hours working with the Justice Department over the past three years.

Abramoff's cooperation helped send former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, and former Deputy Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles to prison. In court documents, Lowell hinted that others may soon follow, saying Abramoff "assisted with the government's investigation of scores of other persons who have not yet been charged."

Abramoff's sentencing Sept. 4 will be his first court appearance in years. Because nearly everyone in the corruption case has so far pleaded guilty rather than going to trial, Abramoff has not had to take the witness stand and tell his story.

He will get the chance to speak next week before U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle. She has shown leniency in the case when defendants show genuine remorse, but she has shown little patience for those who arrive in court with excuses. She chastised Griles for ducking responsibility and issued a 10-month prison sentence that was twice what had been proposed.

David Safavian, the former chief of staff for the General Services Administration, is the only person to go to trial in the case. He was convicted of lying about his relationship with Abramoff, but an appeals court threw out some of the charges and ordered a new trial on others.

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif., are among lawmakers who have been investigated but not charged in the case.

[babooph]

What country club will not have his attendance?Only the little people go to prison-The"manditory sentencing" LIE showed up big time with Rush!!!The propaganda system was quick to shut that one up!!!

[chimpyout]

Sentence Abramoff to "time served," and jail Karl Rove!

[cjw3cma]

Be involved in ripping off BILLIONS of tax dollars and get a slap on the wrist? Sounds like Republican justice. But send someone in Texas to 25 years in prison for less than an ounce of marijuana - that too is Republican justice.

I remember the savings and loan disaster (does John McSame remember it?) where after ripping off hundreds of millions those found guilty had to pay these very small fines. Rip It / Keep It / Spend a liitle time in prison - if you can call what THEY get sent to prison.

Ah - the (Republican) American Way.

[babooph]

Boy those bleeding heart republicans are soft on crime-lucky they own the propaganda system & can put up a fake image.

[eggy1620]

Part of his sentence was undoubtedly the promise of a pardon signed by Bush at Christmastime.

[docpeter-2009]

From the above article, "The Justice Department on Wednesday recommended a dramatic reduction in the prison sentence of imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who became the key witness against lawmakers and congressional aides he spent years corrupting."
_________
This IS the same Justice Dept. run by GWB and clan? Jiminee, have we left the keys to the cells with the criminals? Yeah, let us just let this "good ''ol boy" out just in time to try to elect McCain!

[cbsblogger]

Since when did the Justice Dept become a political arm of the government? The answer to that is during this current administration.

The problem here is that they are worried that Libby and Abramhoff , who btw are both zionist neocons, could spill the beans on other elected officials if they aren''t pardoned.

[jmurrieta1]

Only because big bribes and kickbacks have been promised to GOP--I mean DOJ--officials.

Business as usual.

[lynxha]

coperation with the feds is no reason to reduce a sentence. The bottom line is, if you broke the law and are guilty of corruption the sentence should be appropiate to the crime. Now all he has to do is make sure that Delay and Dolittle both end up in prison also.

[formrusmcsgt]

...Abramoff, who became the key witness against lawmakers and congressional aides he spent years corrupting.
---
He didn''t corrupt these people. He DEALT with corrupt people.

If they hadn''t been currupt in the first place, they''d never have accepted his graft.

[rushliberal]

This is A Pathetic STATEMENT from our IN-Justice Department!

[pirmin3]

Bushit will pardon him and many, many others in his last days. All GOP criminals will walk free.

[mnbrant]

Do the crime pay the fine. uh, or something like that. Bush does seem to be a forgiving type guy ie. Loose Lips Libby got pardoned for doing what VP Cheney instructed him to do.

[tbweb]

`That means Abramoff could be eligible for release sometime in 2011.`

Abramoff made $22 million in profits from his scams and the money is safely tucked away for him to spend and enjoy when he is released in 2011. Real punishment would be to confiscate his $22 million and reimburse those he ripped off! Criminals like Abramoff do this sort of crime all the time, they calculate 5 or less years in prison knowing in advance they can enjoy their tucked away millions when they are released! What normal or even good paying job would pay you $22 million for 5 years of work? Would you spend 5 years in a light security Federal Prison resembling a Country Club knowing you will get $22 million to enjoy when you got out? Now Abramoff is scamming the Feds too!

[rickstas]

As if this piece of **** wasn''t informed in advance that for protecting the big enchilada''s he could get off light by giving up the small fry. The whole thing smacks of Bush-Cheney government corruption.

[kaviz]

I thought prosecuters job were to keep the guilty taken out of society equal to there crime. No deals should be made to prevent others in the future to design there crime to use information to reduce there sentence. It is no difference than negotiating with terrorists. Let him serve the time. If he wanted a deal, he should have come clean in when he got caught. It''s too late now, and parole should be removed from his options for withholding evidence.

[deacon20081]

Abramoff still has plenty to tell the courts about Dubya and Cheney, bet on it. They want him quiet.

[patriot12436]

I hate to see someone like this be given a reduction in sentencing, but without his help the prosecutors would never have convicted the others so i see it as a necessary evil.

[cdfoxtrot2]

Typical that this story comes out during the Dem. convention, so no-one will notice. The corruption of the Bush Administration is beyond belief at this point. Those who want corruption to continue should vote for his side-kick, McCain.

[omega39-2009]

What??? Bush''s Justice department is trying to spring Abramoff early? I''m shocked, shocked I tells ya.