Abramoff Associate Reed Won't Face Texas Probe of Advocacy Work

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Abramoff Associate Reed Won't Face Texas Probe of Advocacy Work

March 27 (Bloomberg) -- A Texas prosecutor rejected a request by watchdog groups to investigate whether Christian activist Ralph Reed violated lobbying-registration laws, removing a potential headache for Reed in his campaign for lieutenant governor of Georgia.

Travis County Attorney David Escamilla cited a two-year statute of limitations on misdemeanors. Three groups in December petitioned him to investigate Reed's work on an anti-gambling campaign in 2001 and 2002. They said Reed, who oversaw the Southeast for President George W. Bush's 2004 re-election, may have violated Texas law by failing to register as a lobbyist while working to shut Indian casinos that would have competed with one run by a client of his associate, Jack Abramoff.

Reed's connection with Republican lobbyist Abramoff has haunted his campaign in Georgia. Abramoff, who has known Reed since the early 1980s, pleaded guilty in January to defrauding clients and conspiring to corrupt public officials.

``Without evidence involving lobbying activities within the last two years, I cannot justify initiating a formal criminal investigation,'' Escamilla said in a statement sent to reporters. ``We will continue to review any new information regarding Mr. Reed's lobbying activities and move forward to enforce Texas's lobby-registration laws should any violations not barred by the statute of limitations come to our attention.''

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