tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58011111096927169892012-01-26T18:03:36.525-08:00<big><big><b>Demonstrating that Republicans hold their own Accountable</b></big></big><p><p> <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Texas_FM_518.svg/384px-Texas_FM_518.svg.png"> <p><p><p> <big><big><b>Proudly published in Brazoria County, Texas since 2006</b></big></big></p></p></p></p></p>ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.comBlogger5221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-17737693483884923662010-11-28T02:15:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:52:59.321-08:00

Tom DeLayFrom the very first post at the old place, we have steadfastly maintained that charges related to money laundering against former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Abramoff) were without merit. Mr. DeLay's recent conviction does not change that view. This verdict is a miscarriage of justice. Every single transaction was legal -- TRMPAC money to the RNC and RNC money to seven Texas House candidates (

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-44902824566687247692010-10-27T04:21:00.000-07:002010-10-27T04:37:25.008-07:00

This isn't a comeback; we just had to share an article in today's Houston Chronicle. We laughed out loud while reading R.G. Ratcliffe's description of jury selection in Tom DeLay's trial:Another potential juror on his questionnaire said he thought DeLay "dressed badly and looked cheap." Under questioning, the man said he had mistaken DeLay for Houston criminal defense lawyer Rusty Hardin.Three

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-82909640502292478232010-08-19T04:41:00.001-07:002010-08-19T05:16:14.646-07:00

As everyone is undoubtedly aware, the Justice Department has told attorneys for Tom DeLay that its investigation into him has quietly ended. This is obviously very disappointing development to the ACR Blog, but it should not be interpreted as an exoneration of our former Congressman. There is some sort of partisan Rosarch test related to scandals involving elected officials. Typically, people

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-50873838821163255682010-08-14T20:31:00.000-07:002010-08-14T20:46:32.030-07:00

From time to time, the ACR Blog likes to give a quick update on all Abramoff-related cases that have yet to reach sentencing ....Ring, Kevin (1:08-cr-274-ESH)Status: Mistrial; Retrial pendingLast action date: August 5, 2010Next action date: August 20, 2010Next action item: Government Exhibit List dueVerrusio, Fraser (1:09-cr-64-RWR)Status: Pled not guiltyLast action date: August 12, 2010Next

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-65436001457154551102010-08-12T18:41:00.000-07:002010-08-14T19:00:09.695-07:00

1994 Region II PlayoffsJohn Tyler v. Plano EastOur favorite season of the year is football season. With the 2010 football season upon us, we'd like to share the best game of all time, OF ALL TIME, with you.We pick up the action with 2:42 left in the game and John Tyler (white) leading Plano East (black) 41-17. Since we're sharing the game with you, which team do you think won? You're probably

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-61293732476067673012010-08-11T18:57:00.000-07:002010-08-11T19:33:00.674-07:00

Mark ZacharesOver the past few posts, we've discussed the post-Skilling world of Honest Services Fraud (HSF). Today, we use our knowledge to examine how this affects Mark Zachares, a former aide to Rep. Don Young (R-Ak.) who has pleaded guilty to HSF related to the Abramoff scandal.A couple of weeks ago, Roll Call's Jennifer Yachnin wrote an article highlighting how the Kevin Ring case will

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-14194661595100702532010-08-10T18:54:00.000-07:002010-08-10T20:48:08.934-07:00

[B]ribery requires a specific intent to give or receive something of value in exchange for an official act. We note that evidence of a quid pro quo can be implicit, that is, a conviction can occur if the Government shows that [the defendant] accepted payments or other consideration with the implied understanding that he would perform or not perform an act in his official capacity. As we have

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-68802206500257548792010-08-09T19:50:00.000-07:002010-08-10T05:42:51.138-07:00

The Washington Post's Amanda Becker writes that many Honest Services Fraud (HSF) defendants would, unsurprisingly, like to use the Supreme Court's recent Skilling decision to evade accountability:The Supreme Court's decision earlier this summer to narrow the scope of a federal law often used by prosecutors to target fraud has led to a string of dropped charges and new trials in "honest services"

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-32139433028722008212010-08-09T19:27:00.000-07:002010-08-09T19:35:25.201-07:00

Regular readers know that the author of the ACR Blog was a McCainiac in 2008. At that time, we listed our top voting issues:1. Integrity and Character ...2. National Security (win the War on Terror)3. Fiscal policy (lower spending and growth-oriented tax cuts -- I'm a supplysider)I'm pro-life and pro-immigration.As a result, it shouldn't be a surprise that Sen. John McCain's latest campaign ad

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-86262989937617461192010-08-08T20:35:00.000-07:002010-08-09T19:43:28.166-07:00

Kevin RingJuly 1, 2000Kevin Ring's defense team has argued that the government must prove that Mr. Ring entered into a corrupt agreement to exchange things of value (TOVs) for official acts. Without such an agreement, the defense says, the government cannot prove Mr. Ring had corrupt intent and he must be found not guilty.Last week, U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle rejected Mr. Ring's

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-13488716949379848362010-08-05T21:06:00.000-07:002010-08-05T22:25:24.683-07:00

Channing Turner of Main Justice is the first to report on a hearing today in U.S. v. Kevin Ring:A judge denied a motion to dismiss the heart of the government’s corruption case against former Abramoff-associate Kevin Ring Thursday, clearing the way for prosecutors to proceed to a second trial.In a motion filed last month, Ring had argued new restrictions imposed on prosecutors’ use of the honest

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-61753591492479374772010-08-05T18:28:00.000-07:002010-08-09T19:25:02.696-07:00

When the U.S. Department of Justice prosecutes its toughest cases, it sends in its toughest prosecutors. This afternoon, we came across this Justice Department press release:WASHINGTON – Paul Magliocchetti, the founder and president of PMA Group Inc. (PMA), a lobbying firm in Arlington, Va., was arrested today on charges of making illegal campaign contributions and making false statements to a

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-51005021823412280552010-08-04T19:05:00.000-07:002010-08-05T19:54:46.622-07:00

Richard Mauer of the Anchorage (Ak.) Daily News is the first to report that Abramoff Republican Don Young (R-Pork Barrel) has escaped accountability:Rep. Don Young's office has announced that the long-running criminal investigation of him by the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department's Public Integrity Section has concluded and that no charges will be filed.Meredith Kenny, the press secretary for

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-26133219380698639912010-07-27T19:47:00.001-07:002011-08-12T10:25:09.763-07:00

.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-85574252127984706032010-07-26T20:47:00.000-07:002010-07-27T06:52:43.778-07:00

Regular readers of the ACR Blog know that this author is a fan of James Taranto's Best of the Web column at the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Taranto is credited with coining the term "Dowdification". A practice pioneered by New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, to "Dowdify" means to selectively omit words or phrases from a quote in order to radically change the quote's meaning. The ACR Blog

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-71696969866656971012010-07-25T20:13:00.000-07:002010-07-25T20:55:39.941-07:00

On July 16, 2010, the Justice Department filed an unopposed routine motion to extend a deadline in U.S. v. Fraser Verrusio. On that day, the government provided this reason for its extension request:Co-lead counsel for the Government on this case has been re-assigned other matters and another attorney recently assigned to replace him. New counsel will requires [sic] a reasonable but brief period

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-20277648517069294192010-07-22T05:44:00.000-07:002010-07-22T18:10:17.978-07:00

Pay attention when it gets in the Gulf.***UPDATE***Invest 97L became Tropical Depression #3 during the day and is now Tropical Storm Bonnie. Galveston has a 13% chance of seeing tropical storm force winds due to TS Bonnie.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-41500032011560313942010-07-21T19:29:00.000-07:002010-07-21T21:40:05.205-07:00

Erik Einertson, a.k.a. "The Viking", is a former staffer for Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.). We've previously written about Rep. Wilson's appearance in the Kevin Ring indictment, concluding that she was unlikely to face any legal jeopardy in the Abramoff scandal. We also speculated that the relationship between her office and an unnamed lobbyist at Firm B [Todd Boulanger at Greenberg Traurig]

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-33760857752559880842010-07-20T19:35:00.000-07:002010-07-21T03:54:54.242-07:00

The title of this post is inspired by a draft title for Kevin Ring's book, an insider's view of the Abramoff scandal. We've written about Ring's book before, but the Justice Department kindly provided us excerpts of the rough draft of Mr. Ring's book proposal just yesterday.Here's an interesting snippet (page 13):I spent two years secretly cooperating with the FBI and DOJ on an investigation

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-25509673991067588182010-07-15T17:50:00.000-07:002010-07-15T20:14:57.448-07:00

Yesterday, we wrote about the Bill of Particulars (BoP) filed by the DoJ in the pending case of U.S. v. Kevin Ring. We listed the specific public officials named in the BoP, and because former Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif) has protested so loudly that there is "no evidence" to support a corruption investigation of him, we kindly listed the official actions he allegedly took on Team Abramoff's

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-18666943985461025292010-07-14T04:07:00.000-07:002010-07-14T05:10:46.034-07:00

U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle issued an order last week requiring the Justice Department to file a Bill of Particulars (BoP) in U.S. v. Kevin Ring. Yesterday, the DoJ complied. As always, the ACR Blog provides access to primary sources. Click here for the BoP.The BoP specifies allegations related to Count 1 of Kevin Ring's Retyped Indictment. This count is conspiracy to violate the (1)

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-43178311562617444642010-07-09T05:01:00.000-07:002010-07-09T05:14:38.040-07:00

U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle held a hearing earlier this week related to the prosecution of former Abramoff lieutenant Kevin Ring. Neither the author of the ACR Blog nor our Washington Correspondent could attend this proceeding. Fortunately for all of us, there were two informative articles written by professional journalists to help keep us all up to date. Roll Call's Jennifer Yachnin

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-75551138245193988282010-07-06T18:50:00.000-07:002010-07-06T19:02:38.526-07:00

Horace Cooper -- GUILTYOn Thursday, July 1, U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle sentenced Abramoff scandal figure Horace Cooper for the misdemeanor charge of "Making and Using a False Certificate or Writing".According to the Judgment filed last week, Mr. Cooper was sentenced to:3 Years Probation$500 fine$25 special assessment300 Hours Community ServiceJudge Huvelle determined that Mr. Cooper did

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-34525027090490262282010-07-06T18:14:00.000-07:002010-07-06T18:45:06.624-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, the ACR Blog examined some inside baseball related to U.S. v. Fraser Verrusio. The Justice Department alleges that Mr. Verrusio made false statements (Count III) on a financial disclosure form he was required to file as a staff member of the U.S. House of Representatives. In the effort to prosecute Mr. Verrusio for this alleged felony, prosecutors subpoenaed John Sassaman

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-10765027271859616972010-06-27T19:03:00.000-07:002010-06-27T19:14:59.958-07:00

On Friday, June 25, 2010, the following notice appeared on PACER:NOTICE OF HEARING as to KEVIN A. RING Status Conference set for 6/28/2010 at 4:15 PM in Courtroom 14 before Judge Ellen S. Huvelle.Given that the SCOTUS issued its opinion on Honest Services Fraud (HSF) on Thursday, June 24, 2010, it seems reasonable to believe that U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle scheduled this hearing to

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-6674660839282086502010-06-24T17:58:00.000-07:002010-06-25T05:13:11.057-07:00

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its long-awaited opinion today in Skilling v. United States, and, in so doing attempted to clarify its view of the Honest Service Fraud (HSF) statute. While the Court certainly narrowed the reach of HSF to the realm of "bribery and kickback schemes", it emphatically stated the law was constitutional (page 9):Interpreted to encompass only bribery and kickback schemes

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-83757461846992291962010-06-24T08:11:00.000-07:002010-06-24T08:13:15.054-07:00

According to the Los Angeles Times, an honest services fraud conviction can be sustained if there is a "bribe or kickback".More analysis to come ...

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-20261304349557056572010-06-22T18:52:00.000-07:002010-06-22T20:04:18.036-07:00

The big news from the state of Maryland today that has everyone - including the ACR Blog - trying to come up with a punny headline is this: Jack Abramoff has a new job working at a Baltimore pizza parlor. And not just any pizza parlor, but a kosher place named Tov Pizza. Our always astute readers will immediately recognize the significance of this news: Mr. Abramoff will no longer be serving

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-32080035792529371112010-06-21T20:10:00.000-07:002010-06-22T19:34:53.079-07:00

"Free Money" Hayworth! Wearing a noticeable red, white and blue tie and lapel ribbon, J.D. Hayworth appeared in a bizarre infomercial making its way around the internet. We like the take of E.D. Kain of the right-of-center Washington Examiner: So while I got a good chuckle over the whole “Free money! You never have to pay it back!” bit, I wasn’t exactly shocked. Hayworth is a big spender

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-5700247833038375882010-06-21T16:14:00.000-07:002010-06-21T20:09:56.175-07:00

John Doolittle isn't the only former Abramoff-tainted Congressman from the Golden State in the news. His buddy, the almost equally disgraced former Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), has also been in the news lately because Republican voters in the 19th Congressional District of California had the good sense to nix his attempt at a political comeback.Mr. Pombo finished third in a four-way race for

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-27018912140697060872010-06-21T08:46:00.000-07:002010-06-21T08:55:31.176-07:00

A friend of the ACR Blog points us toward a John Doolittle interview on the Tom Sullivan show, a radio show we've never heard of. During the course of the interview, Mr. Doolittle claims that Public Integrity (PIN) chief William Welch II was on a personal vendetta against him. Mr. Sullivan asks Mr. Doolittle why Mr. Welch would want to investigate him. Mr. Doolittle doesn't think that the

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-19502459797387994932010-06-18T06:10:00.000-07:002010-06-18T06:27:07.987-07:00

Original Post:U.S. v. Fraser Verrusio: Superseding IndictmentFraser Capone VerrusioWhile we often quote MSM sources and other reputable blogs, ACR Blog readers know that we rely on primary sources - and often provide them to our gentle readers so you can read them yourself. No exceptions today. Here is your redlined version of Fraser Verrusio's superseding indictment. The basic charges remain

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-7438845890506928822010-06-14T21:04:00.000-07:002010-06-15T19:34:35.840-07:00

In a filing with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, standout prosecutor M. Kendall Day advised the court that he will be representing the people of the United States against Kevin Ring. A champion of justice, Mr. Day is an Abramoff scandal ace, with at least five convictions under his belt including James Hirni, Tony Rudy, Michael Scanlon and Neil Volz. Mr. Day even signed

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-35829305832002454642010-06-14T08:33:00.000-07:002010-06-14T10:59:29.334-07:00

The Justice Department filed a superseding indictment today against Abramoff-linked official Fraser Verrusio.==See this update on today's hearing by the Blog of Legal Times' Mike Scarcella.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-46943730973750529212010-06-14T04:43:00.000-07:002010-06-14T04:44:50.013-07:00

Fraser Capone VerrusioThanks to Mike Scarcella at the Blog of Legal Times (BLT), we learn a little more about the legal wrangling in U.S. v. Fraser Verrusio:The Justice Department and the House of Representatives General Counsel's Office are feuding over a subpoena that DOJ issued last month that seeks to compel the testimony of the chief counsel of the Senate Ethics Committee.DOJ's Public

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-85780419930265113072010-06-13T13:25:00.000-07:002010-06-15T20:35:05.717-07:00

As the AP reported Friday, the Justice Department has dropped its criminal investigation into Jack Abramoff co-conspirator John Doolittle. Let's see what more we can mine from the news reports. McClatchy Newspapers' John Doyle provides some of the best coverage.Statute of LimitatationsA Justice Department corruption investigation that helped drive John Doolittle from office has now been closed

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-47665580171748561782010-06-11T13:54:00.000-07:002010-06-13T15:22:58.122-07:00

AP: Doolittle Investigation Closed ... more to come ....Click here for Follow-up Post

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-63275683595478785312010-06-08T20:42:00.000-07:002010-06-08T20:58:21.048-07:00

Via Wendy, we learn that Jack Abramoff is transitioning from prison to a halfway house in Baltimore.We don't have a lot to say about this except that the ACR Blog truly believes in the story of sin and redemption. Mr. Abramoff has served and is serving the punishment that our criminal justice system has demanded of him. When an individual has capitulated and accepted responsibility, the ACR

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-54490032312479113762010-06-02T05:43:00.001-07:002010-06-02T07:10:14.894-07:00

 Many Abramoff scandal defendants have pleaded guilty to Honest Services Fraud (HSF), a statute under Constitutional challenge before the Supreme Court of the United States. Persons admitting felonious acts in violation of the HSF statute include:Michael Scanlon (2005)Jack Abramoff (2006)Tony Rudy (2006)Neil Volz (2006)Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) (2006)Will Heaton (2007)Mark Zachares (2007)John

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-40956117305513133102010-05-27T21:19:00.000-07:002010-06-02T05:47:10.964-07:00

We're doing a bad job of keeping the simmering Alvin ISD scandal off the pages of the ACR Blog. And we're a week behind the news to boot. But we wanted to comment on a statement made by Manvel High School principal Darrell Alexander. From the Facts:Manvel High School Principal Darrell Alexander, in a phone interview before the meeting, moved to squash rumors that he was somehow involved.“I’m

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-70147338103147805142010-05-21T10:26:00.001-07:002010-05-22T11:25:18.446-07:00

Fraser Capone Verrusio (Right)Today, the Justice Department filed an Unopposed Motion to Extend Filing Schedule (the "Motion"). At first, we thought this document would address dull administrative matters. We were wrong. There's some good stuff to be discovered in the Motion.U.S. District Judge Richard Roberts had ordered the Justice Department to provide Fraser Verrusio with a Bill of

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-48506507439017372472010-05-20T20:20:00.000-07:002010-05-20T20:46:43.835-07:00

The ACR Blog has had several visitors looking for information regarding the sudden resignation of Alvin ISD Superintendent Robby McGowen. We don't know a whole lot about this alleged scandal -- only bare bones information. Purportedly, there are other people involved at a junior high campus and a high school who have not been held accountable. It makes us wonder what the district-level human

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-64456855304708436222010-05-16T19:14:00.001-07:002010-05-16T19:14:45.470-07:00

A friend of the ACR Blog sees two dots connected to the disastrous oil rig blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. Next, our friend notices that the two dots themselves are connected.First up, Tim Carney of the Washington Examiner reports:The Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling company has called for backup.The company that made the Deepwater Horizon oil rig currently spewing oil into the Gulf of

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-44182485659776897422010-05-05T19:44:00.000-07:002010-05-05T19:59:33.071-07:00

From time to time, the ACR Blog likes to give a quick update on all Abramoff-related cases that have yet to reach sentencing ....Ring, Kevin (1:08-cr-274-ESH)Status: Mistrial; Retrial pendingLast Action Date: February 12, 2010Next Action Date: July 26, 2010Next Action Item: Jury TrialOther: Motion for Judgement of Acquittal still pendingVerrusio, Fraser (1:09-cr-64-RWR)Status: Pled not

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-86076229492996117772010-05-04T19:10:00.000-07:002010-05-04T22:03:20.421-07:00

Attorneys for indicted scandal figure Fraser Capone Verrusio have been trying to get Count Two of the indictment, an illegal gratuities charge, dismissed. The defense claims that the Justice Department has not linked the alleged gratuity, a trip to the 2003 World Series, to an "official act". Both sides appeared at a Motion Hearing today in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Richard Roberts

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-33217319503566822772010-05-02T20:27:00.000-07:002010-05-02T21:07:59.791-07:00

Tom DeLay (R)Cash or Check?; September 1, 2008Cash or Check? (Part II); March 18, 2009While it may seem that the purpose of this blog is to document developments in the criminal cases against Fraser Verrusio and Kevin Ring, it isn't. The raison d'être for the ACR Blog is to chronicle the plight of our former Congressman, Tom DeLay (R-Sugar Land). On September 1, 2008, the ACR Blog observed that

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-79980106799473164822010-04-30T04:58:00.001-07:002010-04-30T04:58:21.221-07:00

Historically when we entitle a post "Who is [insert name here]?", we already know who we're writing about. Our intention is to profile the subject person. This time is different; we don't know who Kent Cooper is. All we know is that the DoJ wanted Mr. Cooper to be a witness against Fraser Capone Verrusio, and that the defense, in a sealed motion, objected to Mr. Cooper's appearance as a

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-4630984071147767062010-04-08T20:41:00.000-07:002010-04-09T13:38:35.710-07:00

Horace Cooper -- GUILTYAs promised, the ACR Blog will provide primary sources for our discussion of U.S. v. Horace Cooper. In the Plea Agreement filed with the Court yesterday, Mr. Cooper stipulated that the Justice Department would be able to prove facts supporting an Obstruction of Justice enhancement to the applicable sentencing guidelines. Paragraph 13 (page 5) reads:13. As detailed in the

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-42856042797898678472010-04-07T18:14:00.000-07:002010-04-07T20:13:25.632-07:00

Find the one that is DifferentHere's a roundup of professional reporters and bloggers on the Horace Cooper guilty plea:ACR BlogHorace Cooper: GUILTYPaul Bedard - U.S. News & World ReportJustice Gives up Bungled Abramoff-Related Lobbying CaseAssociated PressFormer Labor Dept. official linked to disgraced lobbyist Abramoff pleads guiltyJeremy Pelofsky - ReutersEx-House aide, Bush official pleads

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-53768546449373649612010-04-07T08:44:00.000-07:002010-04-07T08:48:20.114-07:00

From PACER:Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Ellen S. Huvelle:Arraignment as to HORACE M. COOPER (1) on Count 1 held on 4/7/2010, plea of guilty entered as to Count 1. REFERRAL TO PROBATION OFFICE for Presentence Investigation. Sentencing set for 7/1/2010 at 10:30 AM in Courtroom 14 before Judge Ellen S. Huvelle. Bond Status of Defendant: Defendant placed on personal recognizance.We

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-53465659391734002942010-04-06T08:15:00.000-07:002010-04-06T08:19:27.048-07:00

Horace CooperLast week, the ACR Blog speculated that former Labor Department official Horace Cooper may plead guilty. It looks like that will happen tomorrow. From PACER:NOTICE OF HEARING as to HORACE M. COOPER Plea Agreement Hearing set for 4/7/2010 at 9:30 AM in Courtroom 14 before Judge Ellen S. HuvelleWe still want to know if Mr. Cooper has promised to cooperate with the Justice Department

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-5354452628568188052010-04-05T17:33:00.000-07:002010-04-05T20:12:34.789-07:00

Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s HeadGao BrothersThis statue named "Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head" is displayed in the city center of Richmond, British Columbia. The author of the ACR Blog has never been accused of having high culture taste in art, but we have been accused of being a lefty plant before. Let's play up to the second allegation.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-48725845116975642192010-04-02T19:49:00.000-07:002010-04-02T20:05:15.689-07:00

Horace CooperYesterday, we told you of a development in the criminal case against Horace Cooper. Prosecutors filed an "Information" charging Mr. Cooper with "Making and Using a False Certificate or Writing". This is a misdemeanor. Mr. Cooper's original indictment charged him with five felonies. One of those charges has previously been dismissed.When an "Information" is the charging document,

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-22059069764106807722010-04-01T19:07:00.000-07:002010-04-07T05:11:52.004-07:00

Like a bad case of herpes, DC attorney Josh Berman keeps coming back at regular intervals.Mr. Berman has represented two Abramoff scandal figures. He was Robert Coughlin's lawyer when Mr. Coughlin pled guilty to a felony conflict of interest charge. (Unlike defendants who have pleaded guilty to honest services fraud, Mr. Coughlin's conviction will remain intact regardless of the Supreme Court's

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-12997730980282703552010-04-01T07:51:00.001-07:002010-04-01T07:58:08.353-07:00

A document filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia leads the ACR Blog to believe so. The "Information" alleges that Horace Cooper of "Making and Using a False Certificate or Writing". Basically, Mr. Cooper is accused of filing a false 2003 disclosure form. An "Information" is a charging document usually leading to a guilty plea.More to come as we learn additional facts ...

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-64947309977227219632010-03-30T20:32:00.000-07:002010-03-30T21:18:16.461-07:00

Place this one in the "We Fully Expected It" file.In a court filing today, the Justice Department says it plans on calling admitted felon Trevor Blackann to testify against Fraser Verrusio in Mr. Verrusio's upcoming criminal trial:[T]he discovery identified another example of official assistance, namely Verrusio’s offer to insert the [United Rentals, Inc.] amendments in conference committee....[A

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-48638143389324269722010-03-24T18:53:00.000-07:002010-03-24T19:43:49.547-07:00

Let's take a look at Judge Huvelle's order in U.S. v. Horace Cooper in its entirety. There's a lot of good stuff in there.Defendant’s motions to dismiss Count 2 [Dkt. 22] and to sever Count 5 [Dkt. 25] are DENIED.According to the indictment, Count 2 is a Concealment charge. The government alleges that Mr. Cooper concealed his relationship with Team Abramoff by, among other things, using a

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-92036969543034986242010-03-24T09:24:00.000-07:002010-03-24T09:26:34.435-07:00

Count Four relates to allegedly false statements Horace Cooper made in his 2004 financial disclosure.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-67747241018024553892010-03-23T19:02:00.000-07:002010-03-24T18:46:46.416-07:00

In U.S. v. Horace Cooper, the prosecution and defense have been haggling over which gifts Mr. Cooper was required to report in his disclosure forms. Also, the defense wants the DoJ to show how they determined the monetary value of gifts (primarily music and sporting event tickets). In fact, one of the motions Mr. Cooper filed last month asked Judge Huvelle to order the DoJ to provide Mr. Cooper

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-26876093757456026062010-03-21T19:24:00.000-07:002010-03-23T18:48:34.440-07:00

As we became aware of national and international events in the late 1970s / early 1980s, Democrats had maintained a 25-year + majority in the U.S. Congress. Since then, the Republican Party displaced the Democrats in 1994 and the Democrats regained control in 2006. Let's take a quick look at how the majorities have ended.1994Democrats attempted a take over of healthcare. Even though it failed,

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-48832774019289105232010-03-21T18:29:00.001-07:002010-03-21T19:24:32.726-07:00

Abramoff-linked figuresGrover Norquist (L) and Richard Pombo (R)Disgraced former Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) is attempting a political comeback. He is running in the GOP primary for the open seat in California's 19th Congressional District. The 19th adjoins the district Mr. Pombo formerly represented, California's 11th Congressional district. So why isn't he running against the Democrat that

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-48711632168058923632010-03-20T16:48:00.000-07:002010-03-20T21:01:13.534-07:00

Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Richard Roberts issued an order in the criminal case United States v. Fraser C. VerrusioMINUTE ORDER denying as moot [28] Motion in Limine as to FRASER C. VERRUSIO (1),by Judge Richard W. Roberts on 3/18/10.The ACR Blog mentioned this motion back in January. Basically, the Justice Department wanted to prohibit Fraser Capone Verrusio and his lawyers from

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-79688801670484365792010-03-16T21:42:00.000-07:002010-03-20T21:01:46.231-07:00

Horace Cooper and Dennis StephensOur regular readers already know that Todd Boulanger took at least a one day break from drinking on the Hill and did his best to portray himself as a responsible adult by chaperoning Senate staffer Ann Copland's teenage son (and friends) at a Camden Yards baseball game. It was perfectly understandable for Ms. Copland to make such a request, and for Mr. Boulanger,

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-18020097052627651042010-03-15T19:30:00.000-07:002010-03-16T05:29:46.974-07:00

Is poaching some sort of strange rite of passage for aspiring Congressional staffers in Montana? Montana media sources were all abuzz last week with news that a staffer for Abramoff-linked Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) was charged on March 3 with four counts related to the allegedly illegal taking of an elk and abandonment of the carcass. The staffer, Randy Vogel, is of course innocent until

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-6488056464329647332010-03-14T15:09:00.001-07:002010-03-14T19:09:51.552-07:00

We know, we know. We haven't been keeping up with trial related developments. Over a week ago, U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle ruled on a series of motions in U.S. v. Horace Cooper. Here's a summary:Document 27DENIED: Motion for Change of Venue and for use of Enhanced Jury Selection ProceduresMr. Cooper wanted his trial moved to Baltimore because the Abramoff case (not Mr. Cooper's case)

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-82954777098964028282010-03-14T13:21:00.000-07:002010-03-14T17:25:33.573-07:00

We've mentioned Saginaw Township, Mich. before. Astute readers may recall that the author of the ACR Blog grew up in Michigan's Saginaw Valley, though I didn't live in Saginaw County.The ACR Blog has two major premises about the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program, a current fad program to dumb down American schools. First, the academic rigor of IB is far below that of the more popular

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-72537403965023783722010-03-05T17:49:00.000-08:002010-03-06T08:23:02.888-08:00

We've written about the divisiveness caused by the International Baccalaureate Program in Santa Ynez, California before. In that post, we expressed surprise that Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District board member Jeffery Little would claim that "big-name colleges such as the University of Texas are impressed by students with International Baccalaureate credentials":Some might find it odd

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-8695510168746171792010-03-03T04:03:00.000-08:002010-03-03T04:23:42.049-08:00

Tracy HenkeLong time readers may recall the name Tracy Henke. Ms. Henke was the Justice Department official who zealously guarded taxpayer dollars in an attempt to keep a jail grant for the Mississippi Choctaw, a Team Abramoff tribal client, from ballooning from $9 million to over $16 million. Facts revealed during the course of the corruption trial of Kevin Ring indicate that a senior Justice

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-8177118025101807002010-02-28T09:46:00.000-08:002010-02-28T10:16:01.418-08:00

Horace CooperOn Friday, February 26, 2010, attorneys for Abramoff-linked defendant Horace Cooper filed a number of motions with the DC District Court. Most of them were Motions to Dismiss. Some of them made pretty good arguments, but there were precious few new facts about the case to be found in the motions. The ACR Blog has typically shied away from discussing matters of the law. While

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-78563272338502491782010-02-04T19:21:00.001-08:002010-02-04T20:17:16.377-08:00

Laura Quattlebaum Gower is currently a staffer for Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) according to her Linked-in profile. During the active period of Team Abramoff, though, she was known simply as Laura Quattlebaum and worked as a legislative aide to Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.).Laura Quattlebaum GowerOn February 4, 2002, the government alleges that Kevin Ring was baiting public officials with tickets to

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-47699421521800052152010-02-02T17:36:00.000-08:002010-02-02T18:15:27.536-08:00

The first witness in U.S. v. Kevin Ring was Henry Schuelke. Mr. Schuelke had been hired by Greenberg Traurig to perform an external investigation into the activities of Team Abramoff. Prosecutor Michael Leotta questioned Mr. Schuelke about an April 20, 2002 dinner for which Mr. Ring submitted a $2,000 expense report. Mr. Leotta questioning Mr. Schuelke:Q: And directing your attention to the

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-11008128600648398232010-01-28T21:01:00.000-08:002010-01-29T05:00:19.450-08:00

We're sure that many people have noticed that the ACR Blog has been a bit quiet lately. Trust us, there is a flurry of activity behind the scenes. A regular reader suggested that we acquire the trial transcripts for U.S. v. Kevin Ring which recently became available. (Hat tip to that reader!) We are overwhelmed with information to the point that we've reached a sort of bloggers' paralysis.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-67096591155347176072010-01-25T19:31:00.000-08:002010-01-26T05:57:42.549-08:00

Today, defense attorneys filed a Motion to Continue in the case of U.S. v. Kevin Ring:Kevin A. Ring, through undersigned counsel, respectfully moves this Court to vacate the June 21, 2010 trial date in the above-captioned matter and to continue the trial to a date certain in October 2010. The government opposes a continuance of the trial date but does not oppose the calendaring of a status date

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-79709933606924862012010-01-19T19:17:00.001-08:002010-01-20T12:47:57.384-08:00

Imagine that you were an ambitious House staffer in 2002 who scored some hot concert tickets from a Team Abramoff lobbyist in exchange for access to your boss. Or a high-ranking DOJ official who, after your timely intervention in an immigration matter, were rewarded with coveted tickets to the NCAA basketball tournament. Or maybe you were a highly-paid lobbyist yourself, and after checking your

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-41142412762202552032010-01-18T10:19:00.001-08:002010-01-18T17:37:49.814-08:00

Star DoJ attorney M. Kendall Day filed a Motion in Limine today (a federal holiday1) in the case of U.S. v. Fraser Verrusio. The DoJ is asking U.S. District Judge Richard W. Roberts to prohibit Mr. Verrusio from making certain arguments in Verrusio's upcoming corruption trial. First, the DoJ would like to preclude Mr. Verrusio from arguing that his prosecution is a vindictive one. Secondly,

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-57204891930665921802010-01-18T09:41:00.000-08:002010-01-18T10:33:38.822-08:00

Ryan Thomas is a former staffer to former Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.). Mr. Thomas is of particular interest to the ACR Blog since he was named a co-conspirator during the trial of Kevin Ring. We don't know what Mr. Thomas did to earn such a designation from the DoJ, but we'd like to take this opportunity to take a look at a couple of highlights of Mr. Thomas' career.Super Bowl 2001Federal

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-61674975672315805522010-01-16T09:23:00.001-08:002010-01-16T18:42:51.800-08:00

Scott Brown now predicted to win Massachusetts Senate raceWe are always quite hesitant to use the pages of the ACR Blog to display our partisan leanings. Please humor us for a minute.Long time readers of the ACR Blog know that we admire the predictive ability of Intrade markets. For the first time, the smart money of Intraders now predicts that Republican Scott Brown will defeat Democrat Martha

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-13366471400518740402010-01-13T19:13:00.000-08:002010-01-14T05:17:59.047-08:00

Michael ScanlonRoll Call's Jennifer Yachnin reports ($):U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle issued an order Wednesday scheduling Scanlon’s sentencing hearing for Aug. 4. He pleaded guilty in November 2005 to one count of conspiracy to violate federal laws including bribery and honest services fraud.In addition to honest services fraud (HSF), Mr. Scanlon also pleaded guilty to bribery of public

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-68047792514862503002010-01-10T21:33:00.000-08:002010-01-11T06:01:23.063-08:00

Mark ZacharesThis news is a little dated, but on December 30, 2009, U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle deferred sentencing and continued a status conference in U.S. v. Mark Zachares until April 8, 2010. In 2007, Mr. Zachares pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to commit Honest Services Fraud (HSF) (Section 1346) and wire fraud (Section 1343). According to the Information filed in

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-34202788154015635662010-01-07T21:50:00.001-08:002010-01-07T22:02:54.319-08:00

The following information related to John Albaugh's status conference today appeared on PACER:Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Ellen S. Huvelle: Status Conference as to JOHN CARLTON ALBAUGH held on 1/7/2010 ... Status Conference set for 7/1/2010 at 09:45 AM in Courtroom 14 before Judge Ellen S. Huvelle.The ACR Blog believed it was likely that Judge Huvelle would set a sentencing

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-72665919050325083462010-01-06T05:21:00.000-08:002010-01-06T05:24:39.178-08:00

Jennifer Yachnin of Roll Call ($) reports on a curious development related to Kevin Koonce, a former Legislative Director for Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.):A former top aide to Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) who became a subject of the wide-ranging influence-peddling probe centered on ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff is seeking an internal review of a Justice Department prosecutor, accusing the federal

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-45082248134447471522010-01-05T20:13:00.000-08:002010-01-05T22:02:47.657-08:00

U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle has scheduled a status conference for Thursday in U.S. v. John Albaugh. Of course, this isn't the first time a status conference has been scheduled in this case. In the past, though, the status conference has been deferred. Judging from a document filed by Mr. Albaugh's attorney last week, Thursday's status hearing will not be deferred. Jeffrey Jacobovitz,

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-44140303885911098042009-12-30T05:09:00.000-08:002009-12-30T05:15:36.139-08:00

Related Posts:Kevin Ring Retrial PrognosticationKevin Ring's Motion for Judgment of AcquittalUSA v. Kevin Ring: Get Ready for a Retrial!Government's Opposition to Ring's Motion for Judgment of Acquittal===Kevin Ring has been indicted on six counts of Honest Services Fraud (HSF) and another count of conspiracy to commit HSF1. Prosecutors must show an element of material misrepresentation and/or

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-32513873718879648032009-12-28T19:24:00.001-08:002009-12-28T20:40:38.029-08:00

Daniel P. Flynn is a former high-level staffer in Tom DeLay's old Congressional office. Mr. Flynn originally came to the attention of the ACR Blog due to his service in Mr. DeLay's so-called "War Room". Mr. Flynn was a potential witness in Corwin Teltschik's ARMPAC-related civil suit. Beyond that, Mr. Flynn has escaped our scrutiny.Recently, though, the ACR Blog has received some abstruse

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-68685640237516222582009-12-24T12:36:00.000-08:002009-12-24T13:20:01.740-08:00

Christmas AddressRonald ReaganDecember 23, 1981We here at the ACR Blog hope that everyone has had safe travels and has arrived home in time for Christmas.The author of the ACR Blog has learned a lot from the blog's readers. Throughout the year, many of you have generously given me tips and other information, and that has helped in my understanding of the subject matter of this blog. For that, I

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-74429682331235800922009-12-23T06:02:00.000-08:002009-12-24T22:10:25.095-08:00

Last Friday, U.S. District Judge Richard W. Roberts issued rulings on motions filed by the defense in U.S. v. Fraser Verrusio as well as one non-controversial joint scheduling motion. We'll only address the three contested defense motions.Motion for Bill of Particulars: Heard and DENIED. Our understanding of a Bill of Particulars is that it is a document detailing the alleged criminal activity

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-83924293300981170112009-12-20T19:10:00.000-08:002009-12-20T19:12:11.351-08:00

Kevin Ring borrows a red cup whilevisiting Todd Boulanger's homeOn Friday, the Justice Department filed its response (.pdf) to Kevin Ring's Motion for Judgment of Acquittal (MJOA). We've been eagerly waiting for this document for two basic reasons. First, we believed that the "vigor" of the Government's Response would tell us whether the DoJ was serious in pursuing a retrial against Mr. Ring.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-76464377779064862922009-12-18T08:46:00.000-08:002009-12-18T13:59:36.510-08:00

Earlier this month, we discussed a Motion for Judgment of Acquittal (MJOA) filed by former Greenberg Traurig lobbyist and Team Abramoff "COO" Kevin Ring in his on-going criminal case. Mr. Ring's basic point was that the Justice Department had failed to prove the required element of a material misrepresentation or concealment of fact necessary to sustain a conviction for Honest Services Fraud (

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-51025692209687616712009-12-15T00:42:00.000-08:002009-12-15T00:58:13.332-08:00

On Monday, the following notice related to U.S. v. James Hirni appeared on PACER:Joint Status Report due by 3/11/2010., Signed by Judge Richard W. Roberts on 12/7/09.We're not sure why it took a week for this notice to show up on PACER, but the fact that Judge Roberts deferred the status report until March supports the ACR Blog's position that the DoJ is still investigating the Abramoff scandal.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-52922776365694836152009-12-10T15:19:00.000-08:002009-12-10T18:54:21.035-08:00

Back in October, we discussed the fact that U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle had urged prosecutors to sentence individuals connected to the Jack Abramoff scandal. Judge Huvelle reasoned that if witnesses were sentenced, they would be able to testify in the retrial of Abramoff lieutenant Kevin Ring. The purpose of Judge Huvelle's entreaty was not clear to the ACR Blog. No evidence exists to

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-11315688752561379862009-12-04T19:23:00.000-08:002009-12-04T19:47:42.754-08:00

A reader recently asked for a quick update on all the Abramoff-linked defendants with on-going court cases:Cooper, Horace (RWR)Status: Pled not guiltyLast action date: November 30, 2009Next action date: January 25, 2010Next action item: Govt exhibit list dueTrial date set: May 10, 2010Linked to: Rep. Don Young; Rep. Tom DeLayVerrusio, Fraser (RWR)Status: Pled not guiltyLast action date:

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-24755097594599190142009-12-01T20:37:00.000-08:002009-12-01T20:57:29.678-08:00

We all know that Kevin Ring's trial for corruption-related charges ended in a mistrial, causing U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle to schedule a June 2010 retrial. On November 18, attorneys for Mr. Ring filed a renewed Motion for Judgment of Acquittal (MJOA). The MJOA asks Judge Huvelle to "enter a judgment of acquittal as to each of the eight counts of the indictment." This indeed would be

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-89676098073745256462009-11-30T05:26:00.000-08:002009-11-30T05:36:30.431-08:00

Today, in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle, there is a status conference in the case of U.S. v. Horace Cooper.A month ago, we examined Mr. Cooper's links to Edwin Buckham. Upon further inspection of the Preston Gates billing records, there seems to be another lobbyist with an extraordinary amount of contacts with Mr. Cooper: William Dennis Stephens.Horace Cooper and Dennis

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-82045584484528412012009-11-24T18:50:00.001-08:002009-11-25T05:26:25.578-08:00

U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle held a sentencing hearing today in U.S. v. Robert Coughlin. According to National Journal's Beth Sussman, Judge Huvelle sentenced Mr. Coughlin to 30 days in a halfway house, three years probation, a $2,000 fine and 200 hours of community service on a single conflict of interest charge. The Justice Department didn't make a forceful case for any prison time in

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-86540210322623826402009-11-23T17:57:00.000-08:002009-11-23T18:11:53.829-08:00

So says one of the Ring jurors. From Beth Sussman of the National Journal:Marshall Schreier, a juror in Ring's trial, said that he voted for conviction on all counts. Schreier said he's confident that another jury will be able to come to a conclusion in the retrial, and he predicted the eventual verdict will be guilty."After the case concluded, I said, 'Wow. If this guy is not guilty, the pope

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-68950969270233763272009-11-23T05:54:00.000-08:002009-11-23T06:12:46.630-08:00

Robert CoughlinFelonFormer Justice Department official Robert Coughlin pleaded guilty to a single conflict of interest charge in April 2008. Mr. Coughlin admitted accepting thousands of dollars worth of tickets, meals and other items in exchange for helping clients of Kevin Ring and Team Abramoff.Could Mr. Coughlin possibly have been charged with far more serious crimes? In the Government's

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-4387090289375170332009-11-19T17:05:00.000-08:002009-11-19T18:20:30.731-08:00

Jennifer Yachnin of Roll Call ($) reports that the Justice Department has dropped its investigation into Kevin Koonce, a former Legislative Director to Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.):“[The Justice Department] indicated that they are declining prosecution and they are closing [Mr. Koonce's] case,” said Josh Berman, an attorney at the firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal ...“We certainly feel Mr. Koonce is

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-54208025112270752332009-11-11T16:07:00.000-08:002009-11-11T19:53:47.877-08:00

Although we haven't posted every court document from USA v. Fraser Verrusio, we have been watching for them. The government recently responded to various defense motions that the ACR Blog read but did not find interesting enough to blog about. In fact, the government's response is largely unremarkable1 except for fact that we learn about one individual. We learn who Lobbyist F / Person #1 is.

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-68650792501027205532009-11-09T19:04:00.000-08:002009-11-09T20:46:12.738-08:00

Counts IX and X of the Kevin Ring indictment relate to side payments received by then-Greenberg Traurig lobbyist Kevin Ring from the Sandia Pueblo via Mike Scanlon's firm, Capitol Campaign Strategies (CCS). The indictment alleges that Mr. Ring repeatedly lied about the circumstances of the side payments to investigators. Later court documents reveal that Mr. Ring eventually told the truth about

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801111109692716989.post-27650894039727498432009-11-06T11:08:00.001-08:002009-11-06T12:05:29.438-08:00

Joe Palazzolo of Main Justice reports that two-thirds of the jury were in favor of convicting Kevin Ring on most of the counts he faced in his recent Abramoff-related trial. Here are some stray thoughts on Mr. Palazzolo's piece:==A juror who voted to acquit said:He could have had a lot of intentions, and those emails weren’t enough to spell them out. He could have just been plying them with

ACRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08280511747244840863noreply@blogger.com1