The government has also given Ring the opportunity to review the FBI's indices of evidence it has received in the course of investigating Ring, Jack A. Abramoff, and related individuals (the "Abramoff Investigation"), and to review and copy any items from those indices. Ring has accepted that invitation and will review the indices on April 24, 2009. The government will also give Ring the opportunity to review and copy discoverable items from any indices maintained by the other law-enforcement agencies involved in the Abramoff investigation, which agencies the government listed in its November 17, 2008 letter to Ring. 3
3 They are the (1) Defense Criminal Investigative Service, (2) Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, (3) Department of Interior OIG, (4) Department of Labor OIG, (5) General Services Administration OIG, and (6) Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG, in addition to the (7) FBI and (8) DOJ OIG, discussed above.
Emphasis added
Wow! That's a lot of indices to look through, decide what is relevant, and make copies. Mr. Ring - and presumably his team of attorneys - should have a very busy day today.
The ACR Blog would like to know with certainty what interest each of these investigative agencies has in Mr. Ring. Here's the complete agency list, along with a plausible explanation of why each agency might be interested in Mr. Ring.
1. Defense Criminal Investigative Service - NO GUESS A
2. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation - Tax investigations of various scandal individuals, including Kevin and Kerrie Ring. For example, were payments made to KAR Consulting and other alleged kickbacks declared as income on appropriate tax forms?
3. Department of Interior OIG - Various investigations related to fraud/bribery in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands and/or various Indian tribal issues (e.g.. recognition of the Mashpee Wampanoag)
4. Department of Labor OIG - Investigation into CNMI labor practices.
5. General Services Administration OIG - Investigation related to David Safavian / Eshkol Academy
6. Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG - Appropriations related to Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe
7. FBI - General law enforcement investigation
8. DOJ OIG - Investigation related to securing a $16 million grant to build a Choctaw jail; possible collusion with Robert Coughlin expediting visas for athletes to attend Eshkol Academy, etc.
I guess we need to learn more about the role of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service in this case. The work of the ACR Blog is never done.
A The ACR Blog does not know why the Defense Criminal Investigative Service would have something relevant to provide to Mr. Ring's defense. The ACR Blog does know that the Defense Criminal Investigative Service was involved in the investigation of convicted Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.). Brent Wilkes was convicted in that scandal. Tom DeLay's former chief of staff, Ed Buckham, was Mr. Wilkes' lobbyist.
1 comments:
Perhaps we now know what Ring's lawyer meant when he said he wanted to go "plumbing" - as in plumbing through the depths of what surely must be a massive pile of paperwork!
I think the pic you selected is worth a thousand words, though please don't interpret that to mean we want you to stop writing! :)
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