Advertise:   ads@blueearthmarketing.com   712.224.5420

Abramoff Scandal
Ex-Abramoff associate pleads guilty in Montana


Shawn Vasell, a former associate of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a former staffer for Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana), pleaded guilty to poaching and trespassing in Montana, The Helena Independent Record reports.

Vasell pleaded guilty to one count of hunting without a license and a second count of hunting on private property without landowner consent, the paper said. He fined $670 and had to pay $500 restitution and cannot hunt, fish or trap in Montana for two years.

Vasell's crimes came to light after information about his hunting trip to Montana was posted on a web site. The page has since been removed from the Internet. [The D.C. Lobbyist and the Thanksgiving Deer].

Vasell appeared at a June 22, 2005, Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on the Abramoff scandal but refused to testify. He no longer works for Greenberg Traurig but is now a lobbyist for Hewlett Packard.

Get the Story:
Ex-Burns, Abramoff staffer pleads guilty in poaching case (The Helena Independent Record 12/21)

Relevant Links:
Sen. Conard Burns - http://burns.senate.gov
Montana Democratic Party - http://www.montanademocrats.org

Related Stories:
Burns to return $150K in Abramoff donations (12/16)
Editorial: Burns should return Abramoff donations (12/15)
Burns already spent donations from Abramoff (12/14)
Former Burns aide talks with Abramoff investigators (12/13)
Editorial: Don't hate Burns, hate the system (12/12)
Burns wishes Abramoff had 'never been born' (12/9)
Opinion: Burns worried about public opinion (12/9)
Sen. Burns to launch Abramoff offensive in January (12/8)
Sen. Burns wants name cleared in Abramoff probe (12/7)
Staffer for Sen. Burns went to work for Abramoff (12/05)
Ex-Abramoff associate charged in Montana for poaching (08/19)
Sen. Burns took $34K from ex-Abramoff client (11/30)
Abramoff probe spreads to members of Congress (11/28)
Abramoff probe looking into Congress, Bush (11/25)
Montana Democrats to run ads against Burns (11/22)
Ex-Abramoff associate charged in Montana for poaching (08/19)
Democrats to make change to Burns, Abramoff ad (08/10)
Democrat ad criticizes Burns for ties to Abramoff (8/9)
Democrats received donations from Abramoff tribes (06/03)
Bloomberg: Abramoff tribes gave $1.4M to Congress (05/19)
Sen. Burns: Support for Montana tribes is known (04/18)
Burns says Michigan delegation backed school funds (04/04)
Editorial: Burns has chance to restore Indian funds (3/31)
Democrats want Burns to return tribal donations (03/29)
Burns denies wrongdoing for helping Abramoff client (03/24)
Chairman: Montana tribes support Senator Burns (3/18)
Editorial: Facts don't look good for Senator Burns (03/14)
Editorial: Burns needs better story on Abramoff flap (3/8)
Firm offers $9M refund to Saginaw Chippewa Tribe (3/7)
Editorial: A 'Super Bowl' earmark for tribe (3/7)
Editorial: Burns 'enriched' by Abramoff and tribes (3/7)
Horse Sense: Burns and Baucus 'cozy' with lobbyists (3/7)
Burns promises cooperation with Abramoff probe (3/4)
Editorial: Who do you work for, Senator Burns? (3/4)
Burns looking into Abramoff ties, Dorgan denies link (3/2)
Burns, Dorgan backed $3M grant for Abramoff client (3/1)
Tribal lobbying scandal hurts ex-Abramoff firm (02/17)
Sag Chip recall targets anti-Abramoff tribal leaders (02/11)
High-priced lobbyist scam linked to lawmakers (11/18)
Documents detail lobbyists' role in tribal elections (10/04)
More hearings slated in tribal lobbyist scandal (09/30)
Senate hearing on tribal lobbying probe set (8/26)
Saginaw Chippewa leader who paid lobbyists ousted (06/04)
Indian Country awaits outcome of lobbying probe (05/18)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe wonders where $14M went (04/20)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe hires new lobbying firm (03/09)
GOP lobbyist scores big with tribes (04/03)
Embattled tribe gets new lobbyist (12/13)