The Abramoff Black Hole, the saga continues

Reuters reports that the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday Abramoff probe broader than thought.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department's probe of Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff is broader than previously thought, examining his dealings with four lawmakers, former and current congressional aides and two former Bush administration officials, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Prosecutors in the department's public integrity and fraud divisions are looking into Abramoff's dealings with four Republicans -- former House of Representatives Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio, Rep. John Doolittle California and Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana, the paper said, citing several people close to the investigation.

Abramoff is under investigation over his lobbying efforts for Indian tribes with casinos. He has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Florida that he defrauded lenders in a casino cruise line deal.

The prosecutors are also investigating at least 17 current and former congressional aides, about half of whom later took lobbying jobs with Abramoff, as well as an official from the Interior Department and another from the government's procurement office, the Journal said.

As I have said before:

.......if the Democrats are able to gain control of the House in 2006 in will be the result of Jack Abramoff as much as Bush's unpopularity and the Iraq war. Trying to stay out of jail makes it really hard to find time to run for office.

ReddHedd over at firedoglake has a good analysis. She understands this legal stuff a lot better than this humble engineer/artist.

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