Ney lawyers urge letter-writing

Lawyers for Bob Ney last week urged his friends to write letters of support in advance of the former Ohio Republican representative’s sentencing on corruption charges in January.

The attorneys hope to show the judge that the actions that led Ney to plead guilty to corruption charges in October were an aberration in a professional career otherwise dedicated to public service. Ney was a member of the House at the time of his guilty plea, but later resigned his seat.

“Letters of support are a very important part of the sentencing process, and, we hope, will give Judge Huvelle a clear picture of the kind of person Bob is, the contributions he has made, and the support that he continues to enjoy from his friends and others in the community,” wrote Ney attorneys Mark Tuohey and David Hawkins of Vinson & Elkins in a Dec. 6 letter obtained by The Hill.

The attorneys say there are no form letters to fill out, but offer suggestions as to what a letter could include: “Things that are important for the judge to know are your feelings about Bob’s character, his work for his constituents in Ohio, his work on national issues, his integrity, his dedication to public service, and anything else that you think will give the judge a full understanding of who Bob is and the work he has done.”

Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia is scheduled to sentence Ney Jan. 19.

Ney admitted to performing official acts for lobbyists in exchange for campaign contributions and free meals and travel, in addition to other charges.

He was serving his sixth term in Congress when he quit his seat. His guilty plea grew out of a probe into lobbyist Jack Abramoff and business partner Michael Scanlon.

Ney rose in the ranks of House Republicans to become chairman of the House Administration Committee, a post that led to his nickname as the Mayor of Capitol Hill.

The government has recommended that Ney be sentenced to 27 months in prison.