Date Posted:Friday, March 31, 12:25:09pm Author: TC Subject: Here's a surprise DeLay aide pleads guilty to conspiracy...
and I'm taking bets on if he will turn on DeLay to save his own butt. I'm betting he will, DeLay is praying he won't.
WASHINGTON - A former top aide to Rep. Tom DeLay pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy and promised to cooperate with the government's investigation of lobbying fraud.
Tony Rudy, DeLay's former deputy chief of staff, was told by a U.S. District judge that he could receive up to five years in prison but the sentence could be much less depending on his cooperation with prosecutors in the case, which earlier brought a guilty plea from lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Rudy is the second former aide to DeLay to plead guilty in the scandal.
As part of the deal for Rudy to plead guilty to the single felony conspiracy count, prosecutors agreed not pursue other possible charges against him or his wife.
Rudy, 39, stood with his head slightly bowed and his hands clasped in front of him as the judge detailed how he took free trips, tickets, meals and golf games from Abramoff while working for DeLay, who was then House Majority Leader.
Rudy and his lawyer left the courthouse by a side door, declining to talk to reporters. They walked briskly to an awaiting black Lincoln Town Car, which sped away.
The plea agreement contains no allegations that DeLay, which it describes as Representative 2, did anything wrong.
