Ex-DeLay Aide Pleads
Guilty
CBS/AP from the Web,
March 31, 2006
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Washington -- A former top aide to
Rep. Tom DeLay pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy and promised to cooperate
with the government's investigation of lobbying fraud on Capitol Hill.
Tony Rudy, DeLay's former deputy chief of staff, was told by a U.S. District
judge that he could receive up to five years in prison but the sentence could be
much less depending on his cooperation with prosecutors in the case, which
earlier brought a guilty plea from lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Rudy was referred to in court papers released in connection with Abramoff's
plea. The documents referred to Rudy as Staffer A, and said that Abramoff,
on behalf of clients who wanted to stop Internet gambling and postal rate
legislation, paid $50,000 in 10 equal monthly payments beginning in June 2000 to
Rudy's wife while Rudy was a top aide to DeLay.
The Abramoff court papers allege no wrongdoing by DeLay, and his attorney,
Richard Cullen, said the former House Majority Leader "expects his current
staffers and expected his former staffers to adhere to the highest ethical
standards."
"None of this means necessarily that DeLay is going to be indicted," says CBS
News legal analyst Andrew Cohen. "But a deal like this only strengthens
the government's hand."
Cohen says "the closer these guilty pleas come to Tom DeLay the more threatened
becomes his legal position. And that's because if there is a criminal case
against him over this, and we don't know that yet, it's going to be made and
supported and perhaps ultimately proven by those who had the most direct contact
with him –- and that's people like Rudy."
Rudy joined Abramoff's lobbying team at the Greenberg Traurig law firm in 2001.
Soon after, he signed on with another former DeLay staffer, Ed Buckham, at the
Alexander Strategy Group.
Abramoff, 47, was sentenced Wednesday to nearly six years in prison for
committing fraud in a case in Florida involving the purchase of a fleet of
gambling boats.
He will remain free while helping prosecutors with the vast bribery
investigation involving members of Congress.
CBS News correspondent Bob Fuss reports that Abramoff still faces sentencing for
his guilty pleas in Washington to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy.
No date has been set for his sentencing in that case.
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