Ohio Congressman Bob Ney has agreed to plead guilty to charges including making false statements and conspiracy to commit fraud. The Republican has been under scrutiny because of his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and announced this summer that he would not seek re-election.
Ney has released a statement saying he's made serious mistakes and is sorry for the pain he has caused. Ney becomes the first member of Congress to plead guilty in the corruption probe linked to lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Federal prosecutors plan to recommend 27 months in prison. In court papers, Ney acknowledges that he received improper gifts in exchange for using his influence to help Abramoff clients. In his statement, Ney says he's not making any excuses while noting he recently realized he has an alcohol problem.
