WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former high-powered lobbyist Jack Abramoff will plead guilty Tuesday to corruption, fraud and tax evasion charges in a deal with federal prosecutors, a source close to the negotiations told CNN.

Abramoff has reached an agreement that would spare him the maximum 10-year sentence if he cooperates in an ongoing Washington corruption probe, the source said.

Abramoff is a longtime associate of several top GOP leaders, including former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Americans for Tax Reform director Grover Norquist, and former Christian Coalition chief Ralph Reed. (Watch details of the deal -- 4:11)

Abramoff's cooperation deal could have a wide-reaching effect in Washington.
Ripple effect

Sources told CNN's Ed Henry that the former lobbyist may have thousands of e-mails in which he describes influence-peddling and explains what lawmakers were doing in exchange for the money he was putting into their campaign coffers.

Kevin thinks Dems will get caught up in the scandal as well. (For the record, I dont doubt it, but the Republicans are in power and have been for a while, so I have no doubt that the impact on the Republicans will be much greater. There has to be a lot of people sweating in Washington right now, and most of them are wearing Elephant Lapel pins.

Tim at Balloon Juice, also has some interesting notes on the story, including this interesting little tid bit:

Josh Marshall prints a caveat sent in by a lawyeristic friend warning that the judicial branch should shy away from prosecuting cases that could fundamentally upset the balance of power in Washington. I understand that I’m interpreting the email in a slightly slanted way, but that seems to propose a novel way to get off of committing a crime. If everybody in one party robs a bank then the DOJ has to let em go because prosecuting them will put the other party ahead. Brilliant.

Lets add that to excuses of why criminals should not be persecuted.

1. Because it may impact National Security.
and now....

2. Lets not mess up the balance of Power. Put all the Republicans in Jail and you give the Democrats the power that they did not win at the ballot box... Eh... Yeah right....

Like I said, I have no doubt some Dems are going to take a fall as well. But if this all plays out as expected, DeLay is DONE.

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.grupo-utopia.com/blog/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1215