Ex-Gov't Official Charged in 'Tix 'n Food For Favors' Abramoff Scandal

Snagging tickets to basketball, football, baseball, and hockey games will cost you more than a few pennies.  Some pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for prime seats to watch their favorite team, impress clients, or live large watching their favorite group in concert. 

One guy, according to a federal grand jury indictment (see below), allegedly went to now-convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

According to allegations in the new indictment, Horace Cooper, a former Congressional staffer and chief of staff for the Voice of America and U.S. Department of Labor was able to live large by snagging thousands of dollars worth of tickets to sports games and concerts around the Washington, D.C. area by allegedly promising to influence the interests of now-convicted former Capitol Hill lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and those of his clients. 

Cooper is also charged with receiving thousands of dollars worth of meals and drinks gratis from Abramaoff's now-shuttered restaurants.

Here is a list of the tickets and free meals Cooper is accused of getting from Abramoff:

• Washington Redskins football game tickets;
• A ticket to see the Washington Capitals in a playoff hockey game;
• Baltimore Orioles baseball game tickets at Camden Yards;
• Harlem Globetrotters and Washington Wizards basketball games tickets;
• U.S. Open tennis tournament tickets in New York;
• Tickets to watch the NBA draft live;
• Tickets to concerts by Bruce Springsteen, N' Sync, Alan Jackson, the Dixie Chicks, Amy Grant, TLC, Christina Aguilera, Destiny's Child, Up In Smoke, Green Day, Blink and an unnamed rap group concert;
• Thousands of dollars worth of "comped" meals and drinks at Abramoff's now-defunct D.C. restaurant, Signatures;
• A Super Bowl party for Cooper and approximately 50 of his friends at Abramoff's now-closed Stacks kosher deli;

You can read Hooper's criminal indictment on public corruption charges for his alleged ties to Jack Abramoff here:

It makes you stop and wonder why anyone would risk their career and do time behind bars for tickets to an N'Sync concert, or a decent pastrami sandwich.

Related Resources:

• Jack Abramoff's Plea Agreement, FindLaw (Jan. 3, 2006)
• Jack Abramoff's Criminal Information, FindLaw (Jan. 3, 2006)
• Jack Abramoff's Original Indictment, FindLaw (Aug. 11, 2005) 
• A Former Client Sues Disgraced Washington Lobbyist Jack Abramoff: What the Case Reveals About American Politics by Michael Dorf, FindLaw (Jul. 17, 2006)