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- iHaveNet.com: Politics
by Paul Bedard
The bungling Justice Department Abramoff lobbying prosecution of an ex-Bushie and conservative pundit ended on a startling note today when federal lawyers agreed to drop its five-count felony indictment in exchange for a guilty plea by Horace Cooper to a simple misdemeanor.
"My family and I are so grateful that this ordeal is over. It will be so good to get this whole thing behind me," said Cooper after leaving court with assurances that the maximum sentence he'll face will be up to six months in prison and a
After Cooper pleaded guilty to filing a false disclosure report in 2003 while working at the
Cooper's legal team issued a statement (printed below) that noted that his case was the only one in the
Initially, Justice leveled five charges, including conspiracy, against Cooper. He was charged with allegedly taking sports and concert tickets and free meals from Abramoff. The one-time lobbyist pleaded guilty in January 2006 to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, honest services fraud, and tax evasion. Abramoff was sentenced in September 2008 to 48 months in prison and is cooperating in the investigation.
In the Cooper case, the judge slapped the prosecutor for a sloppy indictment and for not stating what it is the government thought Cooper provided Abramoff in return for the gifts. Last month, the judge threatened to rip up much of the case if the prosecution didn't cough up a better case. They didn't and instead went with the simple misdemeanor charge.
Below is the statement from Cooper's attorney.
GOVERNMENT AGREES TO DISMISSAL OF ALL FELONY CHARGES AGAINST DEFENDANT IN ABRAMOFF-RELATED PROSECUTION
Attorneys from
Following the hearing, prosecutors from the Public Integrity Section of the
Mr. Cooper, a former chief of staff for former Rep. Dick Armey and a nationally recognized conservative commentator and author, has been described as a Republican "Top Gun" in a front page
Said Mr. Cooper: "My family and I are so grateful that this ordeal is over. It will be so good to get this whole thing behind me."
Lead counsel from
Michelle Peterson and Mary Petras from the Federal Public Defender's office also represented Mr. Cooper.
Available at Amazon.com:
The Political Fix: Changing the Game of American Democracy, from the Grassroots to the White House
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Justice Gives up Bungled Abramoff-Related Lobbying Case | Paul Bedard
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