US House panel demands White House turn over Abramoff documents News
US House panel demands White House turn over Abramoff documents

[JURIST] US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee [official website] Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) Wednesday called on the White House to disclose hundreds of documents relating to disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff [JURIST news archive]. In a letter [PDF text] to White House counsel Fred Fielding, Waxman said that the the White House has already turned over 3,700 pages of records, but is still sitting on over 600 others. Waxman said that the documents must be turned over unless President George W. Bush invokes executive privilege. The White House has indicated that it will fight the request.

Last year, Abramoff pleaded guilty [JURIST report] in federal court in Florida to two conspiracy and fraud charges stemming from the 2000 purchase of the SunCruz Casino [corporate website] as part of a plea agreement [PDF text] with federal prosecutors that would reduce his punishment in exchange for favorable testimony in future DOJ corruption cases. AP has more.

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