WASHINGTON — Promising to cooperate fully in a burgeoning federal probe that has engulfed Congress, a former partner of lobbyist Jack Abramoff entered a guilty plea Monday to a charge that he and the lobbyist conspired to bribe public officials, including a senior Republican member of Congress, and to defraud Indian tribes of millions of dollars.
"Guilty, your honor," Michael P.S. Scanlon told U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle, pleading to one criminal conspiracy count leveled against him.
Scanlon faces up to five years in prison and agreed to make restitution of $19.6 million, half the amount that prosecutors say he and Abramoff split in profits from four Indian tribes.
He was released on a $5-million unsecured bond and must give notice to the court and prosecutors before traveling out of the country.
The actual sentence to be imposed on Scanlon, a onetime aide to then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas), is dependent on cooperation in the ongoing investigation, said one of his lawyers, Stephen Braga.
In the 18-page plea agreement made public after the hearing, prosecutors detailed evidence against Scanlon that would have been presented had his case gone to trial.
He and his lawyers agreed to all of the evidence. The new items include details on trips and other gifts made to the member of Congress and members of his staff.
The documents describe the recipient as "Representative #1." Details in the plea agreement describe actions taken by Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), who chairs the House Administration Committee. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
"Any allegation that Rep. Ney did anything illegal or improper is false," his spokesman, Brian J. Walsh, said in a written statement. "This plea agreement mentions a number of unsubstantiated allegations, but in fact, many of the things suggested to have occurred did not actually take place."
Walsh said that whatever steps Ney took, "he did so based on his best understanding of what was right and not based on any improper influence.... All that this plea agreement shows is that Mr. Scanlon had a deliberate, secret and well-concealed scheme to defraud many people, and it appears, unfortunately, that Rep. Ney was one of the many people defrauded."
Scanlon's guilty plea is the latest development in a long-standing criminal investigation into Senate charges that he and Abramoff defrauded Indian tribes with casino gambling interests of millions of dollars in fees. Abramoff has not been charged in the case.
