Jack Abramoff

Former Montana Sen. Conrad Burns is no longer part of a federal investigation of jailed Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the Justice Department said Wednesday. Burns, a Republican, narrowly lost reelection to a fourth term in 2006 after Democrats made his relationship with Abramoff a key issue. Abramoff is at the center of a corruption investigation that has led to convictions of a former congressman, legislative aides, lobbyists and Bush administration officials.

The Justice Department's corruption probe into the far-flung dealings of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff has ensnared one of its own. Robert E. Coughlin II was charged in federal court Monday with violating federal conflict-of-interest laws by aiding a lobbyist and an unnamed lobbying firm -- believed to be Abramoff's -- while serving in the department's office of legislative affairs between 2001 and 2003. According to the document filed in U.S.

A former Bush administration official, once described by Jack Abramoff as "our guy" at the Interior Department, pleaded guilty Friday to lying to Senate investigators probing the scandal surrounding the convicted Republican lobbyist. J. Steven Griles, a coal mining official who was deputy to Interior Secretary Gale A.

FBI agents have searched the northern Virginia home of Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Roseville) in a continuing investigation into the influence-peddling scandal involving former Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The search Friday related to the activities of a political consulting firm owned by Doolittle's wife, the congressman's office confirmed Wednesday. Julie Doolittle worked for Abramoff from 2002 to 2004.

A former senior staffer on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the public by steering potential clients and inside government information to disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff in return for cash, gifts and the promise of a high-paying job.

The founder of a Republican environmental organization was charged Wednesday with tax evasion and obstruction of justice as part of the continuing federal criminal investigation into lobbying practices in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal. Italia Federici, president of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, allegedly failed to pay more than $77,000 in federal income taxes from 2001 to 2003.

Italia Federici, former head of a Republican environmental advocacy group, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and obstructing a Senate investigation into the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. As part of her plea deal, Federici agreed to provide information that people close to the case said could lead investigators to officials in Congress and the Bush administration. Sentencing was set for Nov. 16.

Former Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton is urging a federal judge in Washington to show leniency in sentencing her former top deputy, but leaders of Indian and environmental organizations want J. Steven Griles to be given a stiff sentence for his crimes. Once described by GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff as "our guy" at the Interior Department, Griles pleaded guilty in March to lying to Senate investigators as they looked into the scandal surrounding Abramoff.

The governor of the Northern Mariana Islands said Thursday that he was cooperating with the Justice Department's corruption investigation surrounding imprisoned GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The tiny U.S. commonwealth is also still trying to retrieve some of the millions it paid Abramoff's firms, said Gov. Benigno R. Fitial. Fitial referred questions about the Justice Department's inquiry to his Los Angeles attorney, Tom Pollack, who didn't immediately return calls for comment.

Three aides to Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Roseville) have been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury this week in an investigation into the ties the congressman and his wife had to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Doolittle's chief of staff, Ron Rogers, and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Blankenburg received subpoenas from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, it was announced Tuesday in the House, as required by the chamber's rules.