Golfing in Scotland = $160,000, Trip to NY = $3,500, Gambling in London = $47,000, Convicted Congressman = Priceless

Bob Ney, former Ohio Representative and ‘Mayor of Capitol Hill,’ is now awaiting his sentencing after pleading guilty on charges of bribery in mid-October of this year.  According to numerous plea bargains in the Jack Abramoff nightmare, Ney is implicated in accepting bribes from Michael Scanlon, Tony Rudy, Neil Volz, and none other than the man himself, Jack Abramoff.  Apart from the Abramoff debacle, he is also reported to have taken thousands of dollars worth of bribes from Syrian business man and leader of FN Aviation, Fouad al-Zayat.

The Congressman denied any wrong doing for weeks before he finally submitted a guilty plea, which he did after the confessions of numerous other Abramoff accomplices, including that of one of his former aides.  Most likely, Ney realized that the evidence against him was far too incriminating for him to maintain his ‘innocence.’ 

The timeline that follows is a record of all known meetings that Representative Ney had with lobbyists and their clients in the period of 2000 to 2003; undoubtedly there have been more that have gone undocumented.  Imagine what would have happened if even half of these meetings and trips were documented and put on-line for anyone to see.  Having this information, combined with other data already on the internet covering political fundraising, PACs, other financial statements, etc., it is not out of the realm of possibility that citizens could have uncovered his corrupt dealings early on. 

2000- Robert Ney (R-OH) and his staff accept meals and drinks paid for by Abramoff; he also gets tickets to sports and entertainment events in Washington valued at more than $1,100 (Jan-2000 – Mar 2004)

February 2002 – Ney (with Abramoff, Ralph Reed – Director of Christian Coalition, and David Safavian – Head of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy) goes on golf trip to Scotland which some argue was paid for by the Tigua tribe. 

March 2002 – Ney and Abramoff meet to discuss supporting the Tigua tribe.

August 3-9, 2002 – Ney and 2 staffers join Abramoff, Niel Volz (Ney’s Chief of Staff) and 4 others on an all-expenses-paid golf vacation to Scotland.

August 2002 – Ney hosts a meeting with the Tigua tribe.

October 13, 2002 – Abramoff sets up a conference call that takes place between Ney and the Tigua tribe.  He apologizes to the tribe about the failure of the bill getting passed which the tribe had lobbied for.

Feb 20-23, 2003 – Ney and staffer travel to London where Ney agrees to help Syrian, Fouad al-Zayat, seeking US visa and exemption from US law prohibiting sale of airplanes and parts to Iran.

May 9-12, 2003 – Ney and staffer travel w/Volz and another lobbyist to New Orleans. Cost reimbursed by Abramoff’s office.

July – August, 2003 – Ney and staffers meet al-Zayat in London two more times and receive more gambling chips from him.

August 24-27, 2003 – Ney and 2 staffers spend 2 nights at Sagamore Resort in Lake George, NY.

            - The tab of approximately $3,500 was picked up by Abramoff.

Throughout the years Ney and his staff also enjoyed free meals and drinks at Abramoff’s restaurant, Signatures, and took advantage of the many skyboxes he leased in the D.C. area as well.

The point of this article is not necessarily to rehash all that Robert Ney did wrong, but rather, to appreciate the fact that the public, especially his constituents, should have been able to know what their Representative was doing in Congress.  The fact that Ney was even running for office in 2006 until November 3^rd is unconscionable considering his involvement in more than one illegal deal. 

The Sunlight Foundation is pushing for information such as this to be easily accessible and on-line for the public to access.  Voters have a right to know exactly who they are represented by and what their tax dollars are being use for.  Having a more open government in essential for a more honest (and ‘Ney-free’) group of lawmakers in Congress.