Ohio Lawmaker Subpoenaed in Abramoff Case

By James V. Grimaldi and Susan Schmidt
The Washington Post

Rep. Robert W. Ney notified Congress yesterday that he had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury examining the lobbying activities of Jack Abramoff, making the Ohio Republican the first lawmaker to receive such a demand in the expanding influence-peddling investigation.

The subpoena, delivered to Ney in recent days, seeks records and testimony from his office. His spokesman, Brian Walsh, said it is the first contact Ney has received from federal investigators looking at Abramoff, once one of Washington's most powerful lobbyists. Ney has denied any wrongdoing.

"I voluntarily provided information to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee last year and I have offered to make myself available to meet with the House Ethics Committee," Ney said in a statement yesterday. "I believe, however, that although the government's investigation of Mr. Abramoff has been well-publicized through other sources, it is inappropriate for my office to comment in any detail about an ongoing investigation."

Under House rules, members must announce subpoenas, and they are then reported in the Congressional Record. Ney received the subpoena earlier in the week, but it was not announced to the House until yesterday. Walsh said that "we do not believe that there would be any grounds" for Ney to be a target of the investigation.

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