If you have solid tips, news or documents on potential ethical violations or abuses of power, we want to know. Send us your suggestions. 
Unfortunately I believe that we are limited in what we can focus on. I think that if we proceed with the partisan sideshow of prosecuting Bush admin. officials, healthcare will get lost in the brouhaha.
The Washington Post's permanent investigative unit was set up in 1982 under Bob Woodward.
Another Hill Staffer Caught In Abramoff Scandal: 'What? No Hot Dogs?'
And then there were 20: Add one more to the list of people convicted or charged in the ongoing political corruption scandal linked to the activities of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
The Post's James V. Grimaldi reports today that a former legislative aide to Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) has been accused of accepting more than $25,000 worth of meals and event tickets from Team Abramoff in exchange for helping his clients.
Ann M. Copland, 52, was charged in U.S. District Court in Washington with one count of conspiracy to commit honest-services fraud. The charge came in a criminal information, a document typically filed by prosecutors when a defendant has agreed to plead guilty.
Prosecutors alleged that Copland, who worked for Cochran for 29 years until last year, used her position to try to persuade unidentified members of the legislative and executive branches to take actions, including "inserting, protecting, removing" items in spending bills. At the time, Cochran was a powerful member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, where he is now the ranking Republican.
Court documents filed today and last month contain e-mails between Copland and the Abramoff team, including with lobbyist and former legislative staffer Todd Boulanger, who has pleaded guilty in the influence-peddling case. Copland had been dubbed "Staffer E" in papers filed with Boulanger's plea.
Discussion of tickets often accompanied requests for official action or information on legislation. In 2002, Copland requested tickets to Paul McCartney and Green Day concerts and Washington Capitals games. She also asked for the circus, but wrote, "I'm only interested in the floor for that event."
The request surprised even some on the Abramoff team, with one lobbyist replying, "Wow." But when the chain of e-mails was copied to Abramoff, he replied on March 11, 2002: "She'll get everything she wants."
In another e-mail arguing that Copland deserved prime Redskins tickets, Boulanger said, "To be honest, she's more valuable than a rank and file member."
For one event, Copland asked that Abramoff's MCI Center box be stocked with refreshments. When it wasn't, she e-mailed to complain. The lobbyists told her to buy food and she would be reimbursed. After an Orioles game, Copland groused: "Ackkk. Only beer and no Hebrew National hot dogs."
By The Editors |
February 20, 2009; 7:07 PM ET
Abramoff Scandal
,
Post Investigations
Previous: Iraq Graft, DEA Jet-Setting and Cheney's Pitch |
Next: Looking at Jack Valenti's FBI file
Posted by: Martial | February 21, 2009 12:09 AM
Post a Comment
We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
Corruption unifies humanity: both sexes, all ethnic groups, and all ages have been participants. Brass usually appears, as it did in the last quote from Copland (who might well be called Crookland).