Cong. OH-18th: Noose Tightens Around Ney (R)

With today's news that Neil Volz, former aide to Rep. Bob Ney (R-Heath), has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to corrupt the embattled Congressman, it appears that Ney's remaining days in office are numbered, and the number is very small. As reported in the Columbus Dispatch:

Volz, 35, a longtime Ney confidant who joined Abramoff’s lobbying firm in February 2002, has told prosecutors that he helped provide Ney with free trips to Scotland and Lake George, N.Y.; tickets to pro basketball, baseball and football games; and free meals in exchange for Ney’s promise to help Abramoff’s business clients.

By doing so, Volz added details to the case against Ney and confirmed key testimony by Abramoff, former lobbyist Tony Rudy and one-time public-relations executive Michael Scanlon. Abramoff, Rudy and Scanlon have pleaded guilty of trying to bribe Ney.

Additional main stream media coverage appears in the Akron Beacon Journal and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Coverage in the blogs appears on Buckeye State Blog, Dayton Politics, Ohio 15th, and the LICOPAC Blog.