British lawyers linked to $1m payment for favours at US Congress

[Coastie for Truth]

A British law firm is at the centre of the investigation into America's biggest influence-buying scandal in decades.



British lawyers linked to $1m payment for favours at US Congress
By Philip Sherwell in Washington and David Harrison in London
(Filed: 08/01/2006)

A British law firm is at the centre of the investigation into America's biggest influence-buying scandal in decades.

The London-based solicitors, James & Sarch, channelled $1 million (£565,000) into a conservative United States pressure group linked to Jack Abramoff, the disgraced lobbyist.

The firm, which was dissolved in 2000, made the payment by a single cheque in June 1998 to the US Family Network, a now-defunct organisation that had close ties to the embattled Republican Congressman, Tom DeLay, and was largely funded by groups associated with Abramoff.

The revelations that the $1 million is thought to have originated from Russian oil and gas executives seeking to shape US legislation have fuelled pressure for a shake-up in the Republican leadership in Congress.

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Mr DeLay, Mr Buckham and Mr Abramoff met Russian gas and oil entrepreneurs before and after the payment. But the Congressman's spokesman insisted that he made decisions only "based on good policy and what is best for his constituents and the country"..

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- ties to DeLay, Abramof, Russian, oil and gas deals.