Who's Next?
As the feds expand their Capitol hill corruption case, Tom DeLay quits and opens questions about his own liability
When Tom DeLay decided last week to give up his re-election bid for a 12th term in the House, many Washington insiders were caught off guard. They figured that the celebrated Texas political gut fighter--they call him "the Hammer"--would press ahead despite polls that suggested he could well face defeat in his suburban Houston district. Instead, the former majority leader leaked word that he was calling its quits.
But don't look for DeLay to be exiting stage left any time soon. Already under indictment in Texas on campaign-money-laundering charges, he is a central figure in the Justice Department's growing investigation into influence-peddling in the nation's capital. The inquiry, which could take down several lawmakers, focuses on efforts by lobbyists to win favors from Congress for Indian tribal clients with casino holdings and for other private interests.
Aided by agents from the IRS, FBI, and Interior Department, prosecutors have methodically tracked down leads implicating former congressional aides and others in corrupt schemes. Two former DeLay aides have pleaded guilty to criminal charges, and a third is under investigation. Criminal defense lawyers say that the Justice Department is using a classic prosecutorial tactic: Nail the little guys, and they'll give you the big guys. "It looks like the noose is tightening," says Irvin Nathan, a defense lawyer and former senior Justice Department official.
Who's a target? That may be, but DeLay's lawyer, Richard Cullen, says that prosecutors have told him "on a couple of occasions" that his client is not a target. Cullen says DeLay is cooperating with investigators. "He has said repeatedly that he has nothing to hide," Cullen says, "that he has done nothing wrong."
The widening scandal, at the same time, has led to many calls for tough lobbying reforms. Yet, Congress does not appear to be listening and seems bent on passing only modest reforms. "There will be more disclosure," predicts William Canfield, a Republican lawyer and lobbyist, "but I don't think we'll have tough new restrictions on lobbying activities.'
DeLay certainly was not in the picture when the Justice Department began its investigation two years ago. At the time, agents from the FBI and the Interior Department began an investigation into whether Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff was attempting to illegally influence the election of an Indian tribal council in the Midwest.
Eventually the investigators were hot on the trail of Abramoff and some of his business associates, including DeLay's former senior aides. They also dug up information on other lawmakers, among them Republican Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio, who aided Abramoff while accepting campaign donations, a golfing trip to Scotland, and other favors from the Republican lobbyist. Ney remains a key focus of the ongoing inquiry. "Congressman Ney has never done anything illegal or improper," says Brian Walsh, his spokesman.
As the scandal has grown, Abramoff has emerged as the central figure. He copped a plea, admitting that he conspired to bribe public officials and defrauded Indian tribal clients. He also agreed to make restitution of $25 million to his victims and has been cooperating with investigators. Abramoff, say people familiar with the case, is aiding prosecutors both about his efforts to influence some in Congress and in the Interior Department, which oversees Indian gaming.
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