New details on Abramoff connections

Bob Ney
Ohio Representative Bob Ney is mentioned extensively in the committee's final report as having attempted to assist Abramoff in placing language in legislation that could have helped one of Abramoff's Tribal clients. Ney, who was interviewed by committee investigators in 2004, denied trying to insert a provision into election reform legislation in 2002 to help Abramoff's client, the Tigua, an Indian tribe in south Texas.

Ney even told the committee then that "he was not familiar with the Tigua." But the report quotes tribal representatives as testifying that they did, in fact, meet with Ney for more than two hours in August 2002 and he assured them he could help with legislation.  Ney testified he "could not recall ever meeting with any member of the Tigua", telling the committee he, "wouldn't even meet with the President for two hours." But, Ney's lawyer later told the committee that the congressman's schedule for that day showed a half-hour meeting with the "Taqua." A spokesman for Ney, Brian Walsh, said the congressman simply could not recall that the tribe was also known by another name - the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Indian Tribe of El Paso, Texas.

Ney's comments to the committee could complicate to his problems with the Justice Department. Abramoff and three former associates have pleaded guilty to implicating Ney in a string of official acts allegedly performed in exchange for favors.  Those favor included a golf junket to Scotland in August 2002, and campaign contributions. The Tigua gave Ney more than $30,000 in political donations.

The meeting that representatives of the Tigua had with Ney in August 2002, came just one week after the Scotland trip. It was the Tigua that Abramoff asked to pay for a golf trip. But Ney told the committee he never knew the tribe financed the trip. He said he thought the costs were covered by a private foundation.

The report said: "Congressman Ney said the purpose of the trip was to raise money for underprivileged kids in Scotland and Washington, D.C. The itinerary consisted of golfing, meeting two parliamentarians, and watching the Marine Band."

The meetings with Scottish parliamentarians never took place. And according to testimony by Ney's former chief of staff, Neil Volz, the trip amounted to $100 rounds of drinks, $400 rounds of golf and expensive hotel rooms.

Volz, Reed, Ney, Abramoff and David Safavian - who was convicted of 4 counts of lying and obstruction - were all part of the golf party to Scotland and London in 2002.

Walsh, Ney's spokesman said the Senate report merely shows just how far Abramoff and his conspirators, who "have pleaded guilty to deceiving their clients, employers and members of Congress, would go to further their own greed."

In all, so far, five people have pleaded guilty or been convicted of influence peddling - Volz, Abramoff, and two former aides to Texas Republican Rep. Tom DeLay; Tony Rudy and Michael Scanlon.  Safavian has been the only person caught up in the Abramoff scandal to be convicted at trial.  The Justice Department's investigation is continuing.

Joel Seidman is an NBC Producer based in Washington, DC

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