Say, did you know that Stephen Griles is a felon? But he's about to be a felon whose silence has been bought. At least those appear to be the terms of the plea deal he just made:
Former Deputy Interior Secretary Steven Griles will plead guilty to one count of obstruction of justice in the Jack Abramoff corruption investigation, The Associated Press has learned.
[snip]
Prosecutors dropped earlier allegations that Griles did anything improper to help Abramoff or gained anything of value from the former Republican lobbyist, the AP was told. The agreement does not require Griles to help investigators with their grand jury probe.
In exchange for the plea, federal prosecutors will seek no more than a 10-month prison sentence for Griles — the minimum they could seek under sentencing guidelines — but they will agree to let him serve half that in home confinement, according to one person involved in the case.
So what has changed? Why did they drop the other charges, and why don't they want his help? Well, keep reading:
Griles lives in Virginia with Sue Ellen Wooldridge, who until January was an assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's environmental division.
The AP reported in February that Wooldridge, as the nation's environmental prosecutor, bought a $980,000 vacation home last year with Griles and Donald R. Duncan, the top Washington lobbyist for ConocoPhillips. Nine months later, she signed an agreement giving the company more time to clean up air pollution at some of its refineries.
You see, Griles ties right into this great boondoggle BushCo dreamt up, whereby favored oil companies basically get to sell us our own gas at inflated rates and then, later, they get to sell our own gas to the market at deflated rates (with kickbacks thrown in for those, like Wooldridge, arranging this gig). And it was all dreamt up by Sue Ellen Wooldridge.
According to this article, the investigation began several months before December, but picked up steam in December.
People familiar with the investigation said it had begun several months ago, but had picked up speed in the last few weeks.
Hmm. December. What happened in the Justice Department in December?
Does this post have an author?
Posted by: Melanie | March 23, 2007 at 11:07
Let me guess! The US Attourney who prosecuted the Griles case gets the "Loyal Bushie" imprimtur from the offices of Kyle Sampson et al. Or, is it that, like the prosecutor in the big tobacco case we heard from yesterday, the political wing of the Justice Department started to throw its weight around and reduced the charges (like toning down the witnesses against tobacco), and meted out a fairly fluffy penalty (10 months in jail, a lot like 10 billion, not 130 billion). I'm shocked!
Posted by: Canuck Stuck in Muck | March 23, 2007 at 11:54
It will be interesting to see McCain's response to this. His hearings involving testimony from Griles were revealing.
Posted by: mainsailset | March 23, 2007 at 11:58
Yup--it's me, fixed.
Posted by: emptywheel | March 23, 2007 at 12:14
Does this post have an author?
Posted by: Melanie | March 23, 2007 at 11:07
My newsreader shows this byline: By emptywheel
Posted by: Neil | March 23, 2007 at 12:21
Apparently the judge has yet to accept the plea deal. Any good citizen lawyers (or public interest groups) around to ask the court to review the deal with an eye toward demanding cooperation of Griles in the investigation for the public good against the background of the USA scandals? That's done now and then, isn't it?
Posted by: andhowe | March 23, 2007 at 12:51
Who knew the entire political system could be subverted so quickly? Without the majority noticing that anything was amiss? Those founding fathers were clearly too optimistic about human nature.
Posted by: MarkC | March 23, 2007 at 15:11
DoJ, the Supremes, ...I get queasey even getting the thought, but is anybody, and unfortunately I am serious here, thought about the Army? Is it beyond these people to...
Posted by: duginnj | March 23, 2007 at 15:49