Lobbyist's Credit Card Bill Outs DeLay Trip

Delay's Trip to Golf Resort Paid for by Abramoff

March 2, 2006 — The paper trail seems so obvious, it makes you wonder whether anyone ever worried about getting caught. When Congressman Tom Delay and his wife flew from Houston to a golf resort in Scotland, in June, 2000, the first class air fare cost $14,001. A big ticket item for a public servant. But someone else was paying.

The American Express bills of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff show he footed the bill for the tickets, in an apparent violation of House ethics rules.

"The source of the travel expenses may not be&a registered lobbyist," according to the House rules. Abramoff was a registered lobbyist at the time.

Delay's attorney told the Washington Post last year Delay was unaware of the "logistics" of bill payments and did not believe Abramoff paid the cost.

"This is a classic example of why the ethics rules have to be reformed," said Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21, a non-profit watchdog group. "The Scotland trip was a trip to play golf, pure and simple, and private interests should not be allowed to finance those kinds of trips and gain influence with members in return," said Wertheimer.

Congressman Tom Delay's first class flight to a luxury golf resort in Scotland was paid by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, in apparent violation of House ethics rules.

Abramoff's American Express bills of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff clearly show he paid the first class air fare for Congressman Tom Delay and his when they flew to a luxury golf resort in Scotland.

Abramoff pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy, honest-services mail fraud and tax evasion. Officials said he had brought corruption to a new level at the Capitol.

"The corruption scheme with Mr. Abramoff was very extensive, and the investigation continues," said Alice Fisher, the head of the Department of Justice's criminal division.

One aspect of Abramoff's corruption scheme was the free trips he provided to politicians to the Super Bowl, a golf resort in Scotland and the northern Mariana Islands in the South Pacific.

An ABC News hidden camera recorded Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, as he arrived in the northern Marianas and was greeted and hugged by Abramoff.

Delay was only one congressman out of dozens who accepted the lobbyist's trips and campaign contributions.

"There are many members of Congress who will not sleep well tonight," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that monitors government decisions to ensure their fairness. "This is a blockbuster of an investigation that will reach deep inside the power structure.

Federal authorities told ABC News that Abramoff started to provide details of his dealings with DeLay, and to pinpoint a long list of senators and congressmen more than a year ago.

At least nine have since returned campaign contributions from Abramoff, and all, including DeLay, have denied any wrongdoing.

Officials told ABC News that the first congressman to be indicted for bribery is expected to be Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio.

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