It looks to me that suddenly religious Jack Abramoff is sorry for being caught, not for what he did.
Newt Gingrich, the “Contract with America”, “Republican Revolution” and “Enron business ethics”; the bright, ivy league schooled “Young Republicans”. They think stealing and “book cooking” is just good business practice and even if they are caught it’s “just business” or “just politics. “Everybody does it” so they did nothing wrong.
Two down; Scooter Libby, Jack Abramoff; who is next?
Grover Norquist, Carl Rove, Alberto Gonzales?
I guess the “white collar” criminals think that they didn’t cause a major recession by means of mortgage fraud and security fraud; they just took advantage of an opportunity. So very many “white collar” criminals who think they did nothing wrong so they can’t go to prison. They are exasperating to investigate and prosecute because they don’t “flip” easily. Mafia bosses are more likeable because they know they are criminals, getting caught is just down time and they respect good AUSAs.
If Bush and Cheney are ever successfully prosecuted will they be repentant or just sorry they were caught?
________________________________________
“New York Times
September 5, 2008
Abramoff Is Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison
By NEIL A. LEWIS
WASHINGTON — Jack Abramoff, the onetime flamboyant lobbyist who amassed a fortune by showering gifts on Congressional and executive branch officials while bilking Indian tribes of millions of dollars, was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison.
Judge Ellen S. Huvelle of Federal District Court here ordered that Mr. Abramoff serve the time for corruption and tax offenses uncovered by an influence-peddling investigation that touched Republican leaders in Congress and midlevel officials in the Bush administration, among others. Judge Huvelle said Mr. Abramoff had engaged in “a consistent course of corrupt conduct.”
Mr. Abramoff, who came to symbolize an out-of-control, even brazen style of courting government officials, told Judge Huvelle he had since realized how far he had stepped over the bounds of what was permissible. Wearing a worn brown T-shirt, pants with an elastic waistband and a Jewish skullcap, he apologized profusely and in a quavering voice said he was begging for mercy. “I have fallen into an abyss,” he said. “My name is the butt of a joke.”
The sentencing process was unusual and complicated by many factors. Prosecutors had asked Judge Huvelle to sentence Mr. Abramoff to a term less than the approximately 11 years allowed by federal sentencing guidelines to reflect his extensive cooperation with investigators.”
More at:
http://www.nytimes.com/
E-mail records were central to the investigation of Jack Abramoff. Electronic records are profoundly changing our society. They combat all manner of corruption and abuse of authority or privilege. --Ben http://hack-igations.blogspot.com/2007/12/people-in-authority-sometimes-abuse.html
ReplyDeleteBen,
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. Lt.Col.Oliver North almost single handedly made the paper shredder famous in his shredding of Iran Contra documents. If email was around at that time President Regan may have been impeached. Email leaves traces that are much harder to eliminate.
Easily disseminated audio and video add to the body of evidence that can be collected.
Jim