Reply #32: Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH, inmate number 28882-016) sentenced to thirty months in prison on Jan. 19, 2007.

[L. Coyote]

Former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH, inmate number 28882-016) resigned Nov. 3, 2006. Ney worked on election reform and, as Chairman of the Committee on House Administration, oversaw operations in the Capitol complex. On Sept.13, 2006, Ney admitted wrongdoing in the Jack Abramoff scandal, pleading guilty to corruption charges; to accepting gifts, vacation trips, meals, sports tickets, campaign contributions, hosted campaign fundraisers and thousands of dollars in gambling chips in exchange for legislative favors. Ney also pleaded guilty to conspiring to aid staffer Neil Volz violate a "revolving door" ban on lobbying. Ney was sentenced to thirty months in prison on Jan. 19, 2007.


The proffer for the plea agreement, which Ney signed, states (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bob_Ney):

"Beginning in or about 2000 and continuing through April 2004, Ney and his coconspirators, using mail and interstate wire communications, engaged in
a conspiracy to deprive the public of the honest services of Ney and members of his staff, to commit false statements, and to aid and abet Volz's violation of his one-year lobbying ban. That is, Ney and members of his staff corruptly solicited and accepted a stream of things of value from Abramoff, Scanlon, Volz, Rudy, and other lobbyists working for Abramoff... and the Foreign Businessman with the intent to be influenced and induced to take a series of official actions and to agree to perform a series of official actions."

The specific charges Ney pleaded guilty to are:

1. One count of conspiracy to violate the following federal laws in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371:
1. honest services wire and mail fraud, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1341, 1343 and 1346,
2. making false statements in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001, and
3. post-employment restrictions for former Congressional staff members, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 207(e).
2. One count of making false statements in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. <8>

Indian Gambling Corruption: Ney accepted bribes to further the interests of American Indian tribes. Tigua representatives stated Ney was working to add language to reopen their casino in an election reform bill. Abramoff and the tribe became Ney's biggest donors, contributing $47,500.

House leaders suspended a contract Ney awarded to MobileAccess to install wireless. Prosecutors claimed Ney awarded the contract in exchange for gifts from Abramoff, who was being paid $250,000.