Horace Cooper Pleads Guilty: Former Labor Department Official Caught Up In Abramoff Scandal

WASHINGTON — A former official with the Labor Department turned conservative commentator pleaded guilty Wednesday in a corrupt lobbyist case, saying he wanted to put the whole thing behind him.

Horace Cooper, also a one-time aide to former Republican Rep. Dick Armey when he was majority leader of the House, pleaded guilty to falsifying a document when he did not report receiving gifts from lobbyists Jack Abramoff and Neil Volz in 2003.

When Cooper was chief of staff for the Employment Standards Administration, he was required by law to report any such gifts. An indictment alleges he took expensive meals, concert tickets and sports tickets.

The 44-year-old Cooper faces a maximum sentence of a year in prison, but could receive more time because authorities say he tried to stymie investigators by lying to FBI agents.

Cooper's lawyers noted he admitted to a misdemeanor, rather than the handful of felonies with which he was initially charged.

In a statement, Cooper said: "My family and I are so grateful that this ordeal is over. It will be so good to get this whole thing behind me."

The long-running Abramoff corruption probe has led to the convictions of one former congressman, Republican Bob Ney, and 17 other lobbyists, Bush administration officials, congressional staffers and businessmen.

The original indictment against Cooper charged he also used his position in a previous job at Voice of America, as well as the Labor position, to advance the interests of Abramoff and his clients.

Abramoff was sentenced in September 2008 to four years in prison on charges of mail fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion. Since pleading guilty in 2006, the once-powerful lobbyist has cooperated with the federal investigation of influence peddling in Washington.

Prosecutors say that between 2002 and 2004, Cooper received thousands of dollars worth of free meals or drinks at Abramoff's restaurant.

The five-count indictment charged Cooper also took thousands of dollars worth of free entertainment, including tickets to professional baseball, hockey, basketball, and tennis events, as well as concert tickets.

Comments

[somsoc]

12:04 PM on 04/09/2010

Surprise, surprise, surprise, now they need to get Dick Armey and the rest of the Greedy Obstreperous Per.verts.

[Littlewords]

01:12 PM on 04/09/2010

And who is Dick Armey....

Besides being an all around bad prior house speaker, Dick Armey is the right wing leader and lead puppeteer of the contemporary, and ever conflicted, lost political tool known as 'the teabagger' who seem to not realize that they are really minions in Dick Armey's unpatriotic right wing Army of Dicks.

[grf67]

09:53 AM on 04/09/2010

Surely we have a cell for him next to that of cheney and rove.

[edgarcaycedoc]

08:33 PM on 04/08/2010

Another Sunday fundie neanderthal can'tservative RepubliK-K-Kant shows his "family values."

[1differentdrummer]

03:22 PM on 04/08/2010

Corrupt Republican:redundant.

[theRealAmerica]

11:47 AM on 04/08/2010

I find it remarkable the lack of Conservative tro// commentary on this post. When Charlie Rangel was being investigated, I read no less than 15 entries advising he should be in jail...

I'm thinking at this point...Dick Armey needs to be investigated further...because I'm sure Made-off wasn't buying this guy...he was buying the guy this guy worked for....hmmmm

[shadowanddaisy]

02:05 AM on 04/09/2010

Follow the money!

[theRealAmerica]

11:44 AM on 04/08/2010

MY GOD...is there a Conservative Republican that is not corrupt?

yeah...it's hyperbole...but Jesus...

[shadowanddaisy]

02:15 AM on 04/09/2010

I’m sure there is. But here's the thing: the guys getting their hands caught in the Abramoff jar usually tend to be the biggest "family values" blowhards in their party.

Talk about speaking with a forked tongue - with them it's hurray for me and screw everyone else. Just as long as they convince Joe Trailer Court they're in there fighting for their freedom they seem to feel entitled to enjoy all their power can reap.

We need to cut taxes (for all our corporate rich friends)
We are the party of family values (except when our VP candidate’s unwed teenage daughter is pregnant onstage at our convention)
Marriage should only be between a man and a woman (but I’ll still meet you at the airport men’s room later)
We will fight for America (don’t vote for a national health care reform bill)
Obama is exposing this country to terrorists (as we sit on a crapload of his nominees for important security positions within Homeland Security)
We LOVE this country (so we’re going to vote NO for every piece of legislation that might help us recover from the recession)

[Stretchumall]

11:42 AM on 04/08/2010

Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor and Multiple Felonies are dismissed?
Of course this happens all the time with poor people, heck i've seen armed robbers get off with just a Fine(rolls eyes).

[edgarcaycedoc]

08:34 PM on 04/08/2010

And especially it happens to black poor people. What a party of yutzes.

[Hank10303]

11:30 AM on 04/08/2010

"..Horace Cooper, also a one-time aide to former Republican Rep. Dick Armey when he was majority leader of the House"


I think one day, as we learn more about different area's of the worst recession in American history we will find, eventually, the tentacles that lead to republican congress persons, the justice department, the White House and maybe even the Supreme Court.

When we find out just how many willingly or unwillingly conspired to profit off a financial bubble bound to contract and cause severe financial harm across the globe - the investigations and trials will have to move forward. The only way for this to end is for more and more white collar criminals to do some time. Even if that includes an investigation into congress and the senate. I strongly believe there is proof somewhere that some that could have prevented or at least medigated the damages of this recession, profited from it instead.

[MimiGardner]

11:21 AM on 04/08/2010

I recall republican lobbyist Abramoff called his Indian clients morons and idiots among other things. That reminds me of that recent RNC presentation that referred to republican donors in similar terms. It must be nice for voters to know how the republican party really feels about them.

[FoonTheElder]

09:53 AM on 04/08/2010

Why wasn't Grover "Drown Government in a Bathtub" Norquist arrested and convicted of his role in the Abramhoff scandals? It just shows how American justice really works.

"Moving money from a casino-operating Indian tribe to Ralph Reed, the Christian Coalition founder and professed gambling opponent, was a problem. Lobbyist Abramoff turned to his longtime friend Norquist, apparently to provide a buffer for Reed.

The result, according to evidence gathered by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, was that Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform became a conduit for more than a million dollars from the Mississippi Choctaw to Reed's operation, while Norquist, a close White House ally, took a cut."

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0624-07.htm

[moxieme]

09:46 AM on 04/08/2010

Tom Delay and Dick Armey remind me of "godfathers" awaiting the release (probably early) of the guy who deservedly did time time that should have included them also. He certainly is making his "bones". He'll get out and fall back into the lap of luxury on K Street...again.

[missmanners]

09:03 AM on 04/08/2010

Is this conviction list longer than George Carlin's Rethug conviction list?

[muck-raker]

08:35 PM on 04/08/2010

missmanners...you reminded me of George doing "you have no rights" I think it might be appropriate here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWiBt-pqp0E

[ljc]

08:59 AM on 04/08/2010

Slap on the wrist justice for suits in America.

[Specter 2010]

07:51 AM on 04/08/2010

A corrupt republican? I'm SHOCKED!

[Enliberate]

06:21 AM on 04/08/2010

It's great to see the Jack Ruby hat again. Didn't I once hear that some of the "hijackers" of 9/11 were seen on one of his liners just before you know what......

[filo]

07:27 AM on 04/08/2010

I always thought of it as more of a Boris Baddenoff hat.

[Enliberate]

02:29 PM on 04/08/2010

He's bad enough all right.