Yesterday we reported that Mark Zachares, a former senior staffer to Rep. Don Young (R-AK), would be pleading guilty to charges stemming from his relationship with Jack Abramoff.
Well, Zachares did plead guilty, and federal prosecutors have recommended an 18 - 24 month jail sentence, with a possible reduction if his promised cooperation is "significant." As part of his guilty plea to one count of "conspiracy to deprive the public of honest services," Zachares' wife will not be prosecuted. Some details:
Zachares, 49, admitted that between 2002 and 2004, as a lawyer on the committee staff, he provided Abramoff and his team of lobbyists information and potential clients concerning the reorganization of the Homeland Security Department, federal disaster and highway aid, and maritime issues.
I swear, these people just keep coming up with all sorts of new and creative ways to commit - and define - bribery. Oh, and of course there's always the bigger fish:
One of the gifts Zachares admitted receiving from Abramoff was a luxury trip in 2003 to St. Andrews golf course in Scotland. Court papers filed by the government made conspicuous reference to "Representative #3" who also made the trip. That person has previously been identified as Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.). Zachares "falsely reported" in travel disclosure forms that it was a fact-finding trip and he low-balled the cost at $5,643, "a figure coordinated with Abramoff to be substantially identical as the figures other attendees, including Representative #3, would report."
I'm no legal scholar, so maybe some of you lawyers out there can help me out - does that last sentence sound like it's describing conspiracy, or am I getting too far ahead of myself?
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