Abramoff Sentences Looming?

There's quiet buzz in Washington this week that convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff and several colleagues—including scam-artist Michael Scanlon—will be sentenced soon for their roles in the 2005 tribes-and-bribes scandal. These rumors have circulated before, so perhaps it's the natural gossip of idle politicos during the Capitol's dog days. But individuals tangentially related to the case say the sentences could come as early as next week, during the Republican convention.

That's hardly good news for the GOP, but better now than, say, a week before the election. And since John McCain chaired the Senate's credible hearings into l'affaire Abramoff, with some clever PR work party officials could claim his nomination turns the corner on a particularly ugly chapter.

Well, the GOP could claim that—except for the (allegedly) corrupt Gentleman from Alaska. No, not Rep. Don Young. The other (allegedly) corrupt one, Sen. Ted Stevens. His trial is just beginning.