The Daily Background

ABC is reporting that Republican House Majority Leader Dennis Hastert is now in jeopardy from connections the FBI is eyeing with corrupt convicted Republican mega-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Federal officials say the information implicating Hastert was developed from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government.

Part of the investigation involves a letter Hastert wrote three years ago, urging the Secretary of the Interior to block a casino on an Indian reservation that would have competed with other tribes.

The other tribes were represented by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff who reportedly has provided details of his dealings with Hastert as part of his plea agreement with the government.

The letter was written shortly after a fund-raiser for Hastert at a restaurant owned by Abramoff. Abramoff and his clients contributed more than $26,000 at the time.

They hint that the reason why Hastert was so outspoken and angry at the FBI’s raid of William Jefferson’s office last week, is that Hasert is now himself scared. AP reports:

House Speaker Dennis Hastert demanded Wednesday that the FBI surrender documents and other items agents seized on Capitol Hill in what lawmakers said was an unconstitutional raid.

“I think those materials ought to be returned,” said Hastert, adding that the FBI agents involved “ought to be frozen out of that (case) for the sake of the Constitution.”

Yeah. I’ll have more on the William Jefferson story either later tonight or tomorrow. Some interesting stuff going on.

Filed under: William Jefferson Related, Abramoff Scandal, Z-TDB Blog