Feds Are Investigating Trent Lott

[derzauberberg]

Federal agents are investigating whether former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott knowingly played a role in an alleged conspiracy in 2006 to influence a Mississippi judge presiding over a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against famed plaintiff attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, according to people familiar with the situation.

Mr. Scruggs and several associates are scheduled to stand trial March 31 on charges that they offered $40,000 in bribes to State Court Judge Henry L. Lackey in return for a favorable ruling in a lawsuit against Mr. Scruggs over $26.5 million in legal fees.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120356712344082469.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news

[napi21]

1. I heard that this AM on cspan. HA! Maybe he suddenly left the Senate

for reasons OTHER than making more $$ as a lobbyiest!

[VP505]

2. Could be but I

would be real surprised if it gets past the investigation stage. I would bet he has lots of friendly acquaintances in the law enforcement and judicial good old boys club down there.

[derzauberberg]

3. More details . . .

The investigation is looking into whether several associates of Scruggs induced Delaughter to rule in favor of Scruggs in a fee dispute by promising, in return, that Lott would recommend Judge Delaughter for a seat on the federal bench. At the hearing in Oxford yesterday, Balducci testified that Scruggs tried to use the Senator to influence Delaughter.

Indeed, in early 2006, Mr. Lott called the judge and discussed his interest in the federal bench, those people say. Seven months later, in August 2006, Judge Delaughter delivered a ruling widely considered favorable to Mr. Scruggs.

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/02/21/laffaire-scruggs-fireworks-in-oxford-the-feds-look-at-lott/

[L. Coyote]

4. REDUX?? The Legend of Trent Lott and the Weblogs. Considering media and the spin of the day.

Here is an archive thread from when this story first broke:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2349017

[L. Coyote]

5. K & R