Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Abramoff lobbies judge for leniency in sentence
When the new year began, superlobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to ripping off Native American clients, bribing congressmen and lying to lenders to buy a South Florida fleet of gambling ships.
On Wednesday, Abramoff, 46, faces the stone-cold reality of being sentenced to up to seven years in prison in a Miami federal court for his part in the fraudulent purchase of SunCruz Casinos.
Abramoff and his top-notch lawyers have written a sympathetic biography that seeks to elicit leniency from the judge:
• He grew up in Atlantic City, the son of Jewish parents who endured the Great Depression, wrote his lawyers, Neal Sonnett and Abbe Lowell.
• In the late 1960s, Abramoff moved with his family to Beverly Hills, where his family was ''among the non-upper class in a land of spoiled kids,'' according to a friend's letter filed with the court. He went on to set records as a weight lifter and was named an All-City and All-Conference football player in high school.
• For Abramoff, ''the biggest life-changing event'' was his conversion from a secular Jewish life to Orthodox Judaism. Abramoff bought a book on the Jewish holidays, but misunderstood a rule that he thought prevented Orthodox Jews from wearing leather or driving on major days of fasting.
''Mr. Abramoff laughs at himself when he remembers how he would walk to synagogue wearing only his socks, wondering what was wrong with all of those people from his synagogue who would stop to ask him if he wanted a ride home,'' the memo said.
• During high school, Abramoff did charity work for the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation to benefit inner-city children. The legendary boxer returned the favor when Sugar Ray asked him what he planned to do with his life.
''Mr. Abramoff told him that he wanted to go to Brandeis University, but probably could not get in because his 3.4 G.P.A. was not high enough,'' the memo said. ``Sugar Ray Robinson -- who was never known to back down from a challenge -- personally called Brandeis University and sang young Jack's praises.''
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14201364.htm
When the new year began, superlobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to ripping off Native American clients, bribing congressmen and lying to lenders to buy a South Florida fleet of gambling ships.
On Wednesday, Abramoff, 46, faces the stone-cold reality of being sentenced to up to seven years in prison in a Miami federal court for his part in the fraudulent purchase of SunCruz Casinos.
Abramoff and his top-notch lawyers have written a sympathetic biography that seeks to elicit leniency from the judge:
• He grew up in Atlantic City, the son of Jewish parents who endured the Great Depression, wrote his lawyers, Neal Sonnett and Abbe Lowell.
• In the late 1960s, Abramoff moved with his family to Beverly Hills, where his family was ''among the non-upper class in a land of spoiled kids,'' according to a friend's letter filed with the court. He went on to set records as a weight lifter and was named an All-City and All-Conference football player in high school.
• For Abramoff, ''the biggest life-changing event'' was his conversion from a secular Jewish life to Orthodox Judaism. Abramoff bought a book on the Jewish holidays, but misunderstood a rule that he thought prevented Orthodox Jews from wearing leather or driving on major days of fasting.
''Mr. Abramoff laughs at himself when he remembers how he would walk to synagogue wearing only his socks, wondering what was wrong with all of those people from his synagogue who would stop to ask him if he wanted a ride home,'' the memo said.
• During high school, Abramoff did charity work for the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation to benefit inner-city children. The legendary boxer returned the favor when Sugar Ray asked him what he planned to do with his life.
''Mr. Abramoff told him that he wanted to go to Brandeis University, but probably could not get in because his 3.4 G.P.A. was not high enough,'' the memo said. ``Sugar Ray Robinson -- who was never known to back down from a challenge -- personally called Brandeis University and sang young Jack's praises.''
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14201364.htm
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