Former congressional aide indicted in Abramoff scandal
The scandal involving disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff continues to reverberate as another former congressional aide was indicted by a federal grand jury on public corruption charges.
Horace Cooper, a frequent television commentator and former counsel to Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas), was indicted on one count of conspiracy, one count of fraudulent concealment, two counts of false statements and one count of obstructing an official proceeding.
The indictment alleges that from 2001 to 2005, Cooper conspired with Abramoff, "to defraud the United States of his honest services and of its right to have federal executive branch business conducted without improper influence," a Department of Justice press release indicates. He did so by taking official actions at the same time as being rewarded by Abramoff with thousands of dollars in meals, sports tickets and other favors for himself and his associates. The indictment indicates that Cooper took thousands of dollars of such gifts from Abramoff from 1998 to 2000 while he was a congressional staffer.
The 44-year-old resident of Lorton, Va. is the 20th person so far to be convicted or face charges stemming from the Abramoff affair. He will first appear in court on Sept. 9.
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