Former House aide charged in Abramoff scandal

Kevin Ring, a former senior aide to retiring Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.), has been indicted on charges related to the wide-ranging corruption scandal involving Jack Abramoff.

The 10-count indictment was unsealed Monday after Ring was arrested. Ring, 37, who left Doolittle’s office and went on to work for Abramoff, is accused of conspiring with the now-jailed GOP lobbyist to corrupt congressional and executive-branch officials.

{mosads}Abramoff was sentenced last week to serve four years more in prison for his central role in the scandal — far lighter than the 11-year maximum he could have faced. Abramoff has been cooperating with prosecutors.

Ring’s indictment could be the first of several. The sentencing of a central figure in a case can signify that prosecutors have concluded most of their work and are ready to press forward on other figures in the case.

House Republican leaders pressured Doolittle to agree to retire his seat after his Northern Virginia home was raided last year. He remains under investigation in the Abramoff probe.

The Justice Department said a grand jury returned the indictment on Friday. Ring was scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon.