The LA Times has a piece today that outlines the trail of sleaze that has followed Bob Ney since his days in the Ohio legislature.

In his quarter-century as a state legislator and U.S. representative, Ney, 51, has demonstrated a talent for turning such political connections into opportunities for gifts, travel and other forms of personal gain, records and interviews show.

Then the Miami Herald does a tick-tock on how the investigation into Abramoff's SunCruz deal morphed into the bribery/public integrity case in Washington, with Bobby Ney featuring prominently. 

Senator Conrad Burns changed his vote on a key issue affecting the Marianas Islands after receiving a $5,000 check from an Abramoff client.

The Missoulian reports:

U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., met with a Marianas official who had close ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff in the weeks before Burns received an Abramoff-related $5,000 contribution from the Marianas and reversed his earlier position on a bill about the islands.

The politician, Gov. Benigno Fitial, has said he will cooperate with the Justice Department's ongoing investigation into potential bribery of public officials involving Abramoff, a man Fitial once described as a “close friend,” according to Pacific Magazine, a Hawaii publication that covers the Pacific region.

The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands is a U.S. territory near Guam. Citizens there are U.S. citizens, although the island is exempt from many U.S. standards, including minimum wage.

As Fired Up! reported on December 8, 2005, it appears that the federal investigation into Jack Abramoff's activities has zeroed in on the CNMI.

A news report in the The Standard, China's business newspaper reveals:

US government investigators probing Washington's explosive Congressional bribery scandal centered on disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff recently visited Hong Kong, according to a witness interviewed by the authorities.

The investigators reportedly are chasing convoluted money trails leading to Abramoff and government officials he sought to influence.

Anthony Sanchez, who was the Administrative Director for the Superior Court of Guam during its questionable dealings with Jack Abramoff, has ended his bid to serve on Governor Felix Camacho's cabinet.

In May, Governor Camacho nominated Sanchez to serve as the director of the Bureau of Statistics and Plans.  According to the Pacific Daily News, on Wednesday, Sanchez sent a letter to lawmakers seeking to withdraw.

Governor Camacho has already announced his intention to name a member of his personal staff to the cabinet post, and Sanchez will be given a nice soft landing on the Governor's staff.

Senator Conrad Burns, who has taken more money from interests related to Jack Abramoff than any other member of Congress, has yielded to public pressure and moved his planned birthday bash from the headquarters of Cassidy & Associates to the Republican Senatorial Committee headquarters instead according to the Billings Gazette.

Burns has taken a pounding in the press over the last few days over his decision to have a birthday fundraiser at Cassidy & Associates, a firm where Abramoff sought refuge after is schemes became public. 

Today's issue of Roll Call has a (subscription only) story about the Congressional GOP making different funding arrangments for a caucus retreat that traditionally had been funded largely by DC lobbyists.  Apparently, these Republicans are wary of taking gifts from lobbyists --now that they know the public is watching...

House Republicans’ high-profile embrace of lobbying reform and the possibility of a sweeping private travel ban has prompted GOP leaders to change the funding formula — and the list of attendees — for their upcoming retreat just three weeks before the event is scheduled to take place.