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Lobby-scandal sentence is 30 months for ex-Rep. Ney

The Ohio Republican, who had been linked to Abramoff, pleaded guilty to corruption in October.

WASHINGTON - Former Rep. Bob Ney (R., Ohio) yesterday became the second onetime House member to draw a prison term for his role in the lobbying scandals that helped doom the Republican majority in Congress in last fall's elections.

Ney, 52, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, and was fined $6,000. U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle ordered Ney to perform 200 hours of community service. She also recommended that he enter a prison alcohol-rehabilitation program for a drinking problem.

"You violated a host of laws that you, as a congressman, are sworn to enforce and uphold," Huvelle told Ney.

In brief remarks to the judge, Ney apologized to his family and constituents.

"I will continue to take full responsibility, accept the consequence, and battle the demons of addiction that are within me," he said.

Ney pleaded guilty in October to two counts of conspiracy to commit multiple offenses involving the use of his elected office for corrupt purposes.

Coconspirators in Ney's case included lobbyist Jack Abramoff; Ney's former chief of staff; and two aides to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R., Texas), all of whom have pleaded guilty in the investigation.

Ney admitted soliciting and accepting bribes from Abramoff and his lobbying staff. In return, Ney opposed specific legislation and supported an application for a contract to install the basis for a wireless-telephone network in the House. Among the items he accepted were a golfing trip to Scotland and thousands of dollars in gambling chips.

"Today's sentence makes it clear that our government is not for sale," said Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher, who heads the Justice Department's criminal division.

Ney is the second member of the 2005-06 Congress to land in prison. In a separate case, former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R., Calif.) is serving an eight-year sentence for bribery and tax evasion.

Ney, who served six two-year House terms, will be eligible to draw a congressional pension of about $29,000 a year if he waits until he is 62, the National Taxpayers Union says.

An ethics bill passed by the Senate on Thursday and sent to the House would deny pensions for members of Congress convicted of felonies. The bill would not affect Ney.