Lobbyist Jack Abramoff -- A Washington Post Special Report

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2006 Pulitzer Prize Winners

Explanatory Journalism | Criticism | Investigative | Beat Reporting

Investigative Reporting | The Washington Post's Susan Schmidt, James V. Grimaldi and R. Jeffrey Smith won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for coverage of the Jack Abramoff scandal. Read their coverage below:

The Players | Timeline | Abramoff's Galaxy | Latest News

Jack Abramoff, Michael Scanlon, Tom DeLay

Former Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison on March 29, after pleading guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials in a deal that requires him to cooperate in an investigation into his relationshps with members of Congress. Sources familiar with the federal probe have told The Post that half a dozen lawmakers are under scrutiny, along with Hill aides, former business associates and government officials.

The scandal prompted Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and Rep. Robert Ney (R-Ohio) to give up their leadership posts, and on Oct. 13, 2006, Ney pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the scandal. On Jan. 19, 2007, Ney was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in the scandal. Two of Abramoff's former business partners have pleaded guilty. Three men have been arrested in the slaying of Gus Boulis, who sold Abramoff and partners a fleet of Florida casino ships in the fall of 2000. Another former Abramoff associate, David H. Safavian — most recently the top contracting official in the White House Office of Management and Budget — was convicted for lying about his dealings with Abramoff.

(Abramoff photo by Gerald Herbert - AP)

Post Coverage

Roots of the Scandal
• A Jackpot From Indian Gaming Tribes (Feb. 22, 2004)
• Probe Is Sought on Potential Corruption (Feb. 25, 2004)
• Insiders Worked Both Sides of Gaming Issue (Sept. 26, 2004)
• Papers Show Tribe Paid to Try to Sway Bill (Nov. 18, 2004)

Unraveling Abramoff's Web
• Casino Bid Prompted High-Stakes Lobbying (March 13, 2005)
• Graphic: The Abramoff Lobbying Machine (March 2005)
• Untangling a Lobbyist's Stake in a Casino Fleet (May 1, 2005)
• How a Lobbyist Stacked the Deck (Oct. 16, 2005) | Related Graphic
• The Fast Rise and Steep Fall of Jack Abramoff (Dec. 29, 2005)
• Graphic: The Abramoff Galaxy (Dec. 29, 2005)

DeLay and Abramoff
• Gambling Interests Funded DeLay Trip (March 12, 2005)
• DeLay Airfare Was Charged To Lobbyist's Credit Card (April 24, 2005)
• The DeLay-Abramoff Money Trail (Dec. 31, 2005)

The Federal Investigation
• Lawmaker's Abramoff Ties Investigated (Oct. 18, 2005)
• Abramoff Pleads Guilty to 3 Counts (Jan. 4, 2006)
• In Florida, Abramoff Again Pleads Guilty (Jan. 5, 2006)
• Abramoff Probe Turns Focus on DeLay Aide (Jan. 8, 2006)
• Abramoff Is Sentenced in Casino Boat Fraud (March 29, 2006)

Latest News

FAIRFAX COUNTY

Candidates in Chairman's Race Bring Up Abramoff's Legacy of Fraud

Jack Abramoff may be serving a six-year sentence at a federal prison camp in Cumberland, Md., but the former lobbyist has emerged in the race for chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Awards and Honors

On Jan. 30, 2006, Post reporters Susan Schmidt, James V. Grimaldi and R. Jeffrey Smith won the Worth Bingham Prize for their coverage of the Abramoff scandal. The prize honors the best investigative reporting of the previous year in U.S. newspapers or news magazines. The trio won a second award on Feb. 27, 2006 for their coverage of the lobbyist and his activities. The 2006 Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting recognizes the previous year's outstanding work that led to direct results.

Graphic

The Abramoff Galaxy
Jack Abramoff is negotiating a possible deal with federal prosecutors to plead guilty and cooperate with their investigation into corruption in Washington. For more than five years, Abramoff was one of the capital's most prominent Republican lobbyists. E-mails, documents and interviews with his former associates show that he set up many interlocking political and business entities to raise money, pay for lawmaker trips and other favors, fund his pet projects and gain influence for himself and his clients. The Justice Department has been looking into his relationships with a half-dozen members of Congress, as well as with Hill aides, government officials and business associates.

Former Abramoff Associate Sentenced to 2 Years' Probation (Post, September 13, 2007, Page A06)

Local and Lurid: Read All About It: INFAMOUS INCIDENTS! ASTONISHING AFFAIRS! TORRID TALES! (Post, August 19, 2007, Page M01)

Judge Orders Prison Time for Ex-Interior Deputy (Post, June 27, 2007, Page A02)

Prison Time Is Urged for Griles: Ex-Interior Official Admitted Lying About Ties to Abramoff (Post, June 16, 2007, Page A05)

GOP Environmentalist Linked to Abramoff to Plead Guilty (Post, June 7, 2007, Page A04)

Ex-Justice Dept. Lawyer Under Scrutiny in Probe: Ties With Abramoff Associate in Question (Post, April 28, 2007, Page A06)

Ex-Hill Aide Pleads Guilty in Abramoff Probe: 18 to 24 Months in Jail Recommended for Providing Information, Steering Clients (Post, April 25, 2007, Page A08)

Former Hill Staffer to Plead Guilty in Abramoff Probe (Post, April 24, 2007, Page A04)

Congressman Quits Panel After Raid (Post, April 20, 2007, Page A08)

: Rep. Doolittle Gives Up Committee Seat (Post, April 19, 2007; 5:36 PM)

: FBI Raids Business of Congressman's Wife (Post, April 19, 2007, Page A18)

Abramoff's Specter Rises Again, Troubling GOP Hopeful (Post, April 19, 2007, Page VA04)