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Ex-DeLay Aide Reportedly to Plead Guilty
The Associated Press
Friday, March 31, 2006; 10:33 AM
WASHINGTON -- A former top aide to Rep. Tom DeLay has agreed to plead guilty to charges in the widening federal investigation of lobbyist fraud, a law enforcement official said Friday.
A hearing was scheduled Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, where Tony Rudy was expected to enter his plea.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been filed with the court. The official declined to say what the charges involved were.
Rudy, who served as deputy chief of staff while DeLay was House Majority leader, resigned in 2001 to become a lobbyist. He would be the first person to plead guilty to charges in the case since Jack Abramoff, once a leading GOP lobbyist, pleaded guilty to fraud charges in January.
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."
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.
© 2006 The Associated Press
The Associated Press
Friday, March 31, 2006; 10:33 AM
WASHINGTON -- A former top aide to Rep. Tom DeLay has agreed to plead guilty to charges in the widening federal investigation of lobbyist fraud, a law enforcement official said Friday.
A hearing was scheduled Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, where Tony Rudy was expected to enter his plea.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been filed with the court. The official declined to say what the charges involved were.
Rudy, who served as deputy chief of staff while DeLay was House Majority leader, resigned in 2001 to become a lobbyist. He would be the first person to plead guilty to charges in the case since Jack Abramoff, once a leading GOP lobbyist, pleaded guilty to fraud charges in January.
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."
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.
© 2006 The Associated Press
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