Aide Pleads Guilty in Abramoff Lobbying Scandal
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WASHINGTON — A one-time top aide to a former Oklahoma representative, Ernest Istook, pleaded guilty yesterday to a conspiracy to defraud the House as part of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
John Albaugh admitted in federal court in Washington that he accepted meals and sports and concert tickets, along with other perks, from lobbyists in exchange for official favors.
Albaugh, 41, is the latest in a string of more than a dozen former government officials and lobbyists to plead guilty in the scandal involving members of Congress, their aides, and Bush administration officials. He faces between 18 and 24 months in prison, but that sentence could be reduced based on his continued cooperation with the government’s investigation.
“Mr. Albaugh decided to accept the government’s proposal and move on with his life,” his attorney, Jeffrey Jacobovitz, said after the hearing before U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle. “He deeply regrets and accepts full responsibility for his involvement in these matters and their impact upon his family and the community.”
