Informal Advice on Trips Cited

According to the second of the e-mails, however, the ethics committee staff member noted that "the committee has never aired the issue specifically and that it was always subject to clarification and change. . . . As a matter of caution, it might be advisable for the lobbying firm to avoid paying for travel costs to be reimbursed later." The staffer also described this approach as better "for all parties concerned," according to Peckinpaugh's account.

In response to this advice, Blank said, "we encouraged that result."

A more detailed ethics committee memo published in early 2000 specifically banned such temporary payments.

Abramoff was, according to Preston Gates, always reimbursed by the firm's client, the islands' government, which was allowed under House rules to pay for the trips. The island government was seeking at the time to fend off congressional legislation imposing U.S. work and minimum wage rules.

Abramoff declined through a spokesman to make any comment on the e-mails yesterday.

One of those cited by Peckinpaugh as the source of the advice was Ellen L. Weintraub, then a committee lawyer and now a member of the Federal Election Commission. She said yesterday she has no reason to doubt that the conversation occurred, but cannot specifically recall providing this advice.

"I could have" said it was allowable, she added, but noted that under long-standing committee practices, advice given on the telephone by staff can only be considered a "best guess" about how the rules should be interpreted. If Preston Gates had wanted a "definitive ruling, it would have to be in writing," she said.

The second person cited in the e-mails, committee lawyer John Vargo, recently left the staff after being told it was unlikely he would be reappointed. He declined to be quoted for this article, explaining that he still felt bound by the committee's confidentiality rules.

Staff writer Mike Allen contributed to this report.