Reply #6: Lobbyist confirms talks with Reid's office

[Judi Lynn]

Posted 2/11/2006 11:03 AM Updated 2/11/2006 11:05 AM

Lobbyist confirms talks with Reid's office

WASHINGTON (AP) — One of Jack Abramoff's ex-colleagues confirms he contacted Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid's office on behalf of the influential lobbyist but says he does not believe Abramoff's billing records accurately reflect the extent of his work.
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"These contacts were incidental, insofar as I simply bumped into Reid staffers at Democratic Party functions or occurred incidental to discussions regarding my clients, not Abramoff's," Platt said. "Any contacts that I may have had in regard to Abramoff's tribal clients would have been similarly incidental."

As for the 21 contacts listed in the billing records, Platt noted Abramoff has pleaded guilty to defrauding clients and said the references in the AP's story were inaccurate. He was not more specific.

Platt acknowledged he input his own time entries into his firm's billing system and that "any time billed to the Northern Marianas was to simply monitor the progress of the legislation." He said any help he provided with Abramoff's client ended in late 2001.
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http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-02-11-abramoff-reid_x.htm