Another Abramoff Casualty

11 Mar 2009 // The Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal has claimed another casualty.

Today, it's Ann Copland, a former legislative aide and executive assistant for nearly 30 years to Sen. Thad Chochran, a Mississippi Republican.

She admitted today that from 2002 through 2004, she illegally accepted favors from Abramoff and two of his lobbying colleagues, which they gave her in hopes of getting her to help them get favorable treatment for an Indian tribe they represented.

Prosecutors say Abramoff and his colleagues gave her thousands of dollars worth of concert tickets as well as meals and drinks at Washington restaurants and bars. And they say she wasn't shy about making requests. For example, they say she sent this e-mail request in March 2002:

McCartney: 2 or 4
Ice: 2, 3, 4 or 5
And, any of the following:
Floor tickets for the Circus any day except Saturday, March 23 at 7:30. - 2, 4 or 6 tickets I'm only interested in the floor for that event, if available.
NSYNC - anything from 3 to 6 tickets
Hockey: Saturday, March 30: 5 to 7 tickets - any floor.
Greenday: 3 to 6 tickets.

Subsequent e-mails show Abramoff telling one of his lobbyists, "She'll get everything she wants."