Culture of Corruption: Rush to return Rudy cash

The Hill

Thirteen House Republicans already have returned or plan to return contributions they took from lobbyist Tony Rudy, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy last week and joins former cohort Jack Abramoff as a possible witness in the government’s expanding corruption probe of lawmakers and their aides.

Of the 34 House Republicans whose campaigns or PACs received money from Rudy since 2001, the offices of six members told The Hill they do not plan to return the contributions or donate them to charity.

Rudy pleaded guilty Friday to one count of conspiracy, agreeing to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into a widespread bribery and fraud scheme spearheaded by disgraced GOP lobbyist Abramoff.

Rudy spread his contributions among a wide swath of the GOP conference, giving $48,500 since 2001 to four members of leadership, two committee chairmen and then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), Rudy’s boss from 1995 to 2000.

Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) has weathered political scrutiny for several letters he wrote to then-Interior Secretary Gale Norton on behalf of Indian tribes that were Abramoff clients. Doolittle has said he is confident that the investigation will prove his innocence and has taken the same approach to the $11,250 in Rudy donations as he has to money given by Abramoff......