Plain Dealer - Confession brings investigation closer to Ney

(Ohio Democratic Party)

Aide's confession brings investigation closer to Ney

Washington- A federal corruption investigation moved closer to Ohio GOP Rep. Bob Ney Monday when Ney's former chief of staff admitted brokering deals between the lawmaker and rogue lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Neil G. Volz, 35, a longtime Ney aide who joined Abramoff's lobbying team in 2002, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate mail and wire fraud laws and agreed to assist an influence-peddling probe of Capitol Hill.

Volz faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He admitted accepting perks from Abramoff, including U2 concert tickets, while he worked for Ney. He said in court documents that he plied Ney and staffers with gifts, sports tickets and meals while he was a lobbyist, and violated a one-year ban on lobbying his former employer.

The gifts to Ney included trips to Scotland and Lake George, N.Y., according to documents released by the Justice Department.

The documents also list numerous official acts that Ney did on Abramoff's behalf, with Volz acting as intermediary. Many were on behalf of casino-operating Indian tribes that Abramoff represented.

Volz declined to comment after his court appearance.

His lawyer, Tim Broas, issued a brief statement saying Volz regrets "how his actions have affected the people most important to him."

Ney's office released a statement that said Ney did nothing wrong and if Volz "crossed an ethical line, he did so without Congressman Ney's knowledge."

"I have always considered Neil Volz my friend and while I am very saddened to see what has happened today, I also understand that Neil has been under tremendous pressure from the government," Ney said in the statement.

Ney's lawyer, Mark Tuohey, said many of the government's Ney-related accusations are false. For example, he said Ney paid his own way on the August 2003 trip to the Sagamore Resort at Lake George. Tuohey said none of Ney's official actions were motivated by lobbyists' gifts or favors, and he accused Abramoff and his colleagues of implicating Ney to lessen penalties for their own crimes.

"If the facts are followed in this case, there won't be and shouldn't be an indictment against Congressman Ney," added another of Ney's attorneys, Bill Lawler.

In addition to Abramoff and Volz, former Abramoff associates Michael Scanlon and Tony Rudy have pleaded guilty to lobbying improprieties.

The latter were aides to Texas Republican Rep. Tom DeLay, who decided against running for re-election shortly after Rudy's guilty plea.

Case Western Reserve University political scientist Alexander Lamis called Volz's plea deal "big trouble" for Ney, and said it would be difficult for Ney to remain in Congress if he faces criminal charges.

Ohio Republicans say they will ask Ney to drop his re-election bid if he's indicted. If Ney agrees, GOP leaders in the 16 counties Ney represents would choose a candidate to replace him on the November ballot.

"Until the facts come out, this is all speculation," said Ohio GOP spokesman John McClelland. "Congressman Ney has consistently told us that he is innocent."

Ney's ties to Abramoff have already cost him dearly. House Speaker Dennis Hastert demanded that he give up chairmanship of the House Administration Committee. Ney has racked up more than $200,000 in legal bills.

Democrats hoping to pick up congressional seats in Ohio have made Ney their poster boy for scandal.

Volz accepted a trip to the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, from Abramoff while he worked for Ney, the documents say, and Ney agreed to back a bill that would let manufacturers from those islands label products "Made in the USA" without complying with U.S. labor standards.

Volz also took Washington Redskins tickets, restaurant meals, drinks and golf games from Abramoff while he worked for Ney, the documents say.

Court documents say that Volz and Ney agreed to help one of Abramoff's clients, Foxcom Wireless, obtain a contract to wire the House of Representatives for cellular telephone service. Volz later went to work as a lobbyist for the company.

After leaving Ney's staff, the documents say, Volz worked to get Ney's help for Indian tribes in Texas that sought special legislation that would let them reopen closed casinos.

According to court filings, Ney also helped Abramoff by:

Signing a letter opposing creation of a commission to study Indian gaming.

Promising to help Abramoff get federal property for a private school.

Agreeing to help a California tribe with tax and post office legislation.

Signing a letter recommending a Congressional Gold Medal for an Abramoff client.

Entering statements in the Congressional Record designed to influence Abramoff's purchase of a Florida casino boat line.

Assisting Abramoff to get a visa for a Russian client's family member.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

seaton@plaind.com, 216-999-4212