Reply #30: Citing cooperation, Judge postpones sentencing for former lobbyist Abramoff and Scalon

[L. Coyote]

Citing ongoing cooperation, district court postpones sentencing for former lobbyist Abramoff and ...
By Susan Crabtree
May 23, 2007
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/citing-ongoing-cooperation-district-court-postpones-sentencing-for-former-lobbyist-abramoff-and-sca-2007-05-23.html


Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associate Michael Scanlon have bought themselves more time as they cooperate with prosecutors amid renewed Justice Department activity in the case.

On Monday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia postponed the sentencing dates for Abramoff and Scanlon yet again. Abramoff and Scanlon were convicted of conspiring to bribe public officials more than a year ago, but the court has postponed the sentencing of each several times.

A status conference on their sentencing was scheduled for June 5, but the court filed a motion Monday to defer the conference to sometime after Aug. 21.

“Mr. Abramoff has been cooperating with government agents and prosecutors,” Justice Department prosecutors wrote. “The government anticipates that Mr. Abramoff’s cooperation will continue for the foreseeable future.”

Late last month, the court also put off sentencing hearings scheduled for convicted Abramoff associates Tony Rudy and Neil Volz, a former chief of staff to former Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), who is now in jail for his role in the Abramoff scandal. Rudy and Volz pleaded guilty to conspiring with Abramoff to bribe public officials.

In contrast, prosecutors note that the cooperation of William Heaton, another Ney chief of staff convicted in the scandal, is “substantially complete.” ....