Former Rove Aide Seeks Immunity Pact

Former Rove Aide Seeks Immunity Pact
By Scot J. Paltrow
The Wall Street Journal
Wednesday 23 May 2007

A former top aide to presidential adviser Karl Rove told Congress she will invoke her right against self-incrimination unless granted immunity to answer investigators' questions about lobbyist Jack Abramoff's contacts with administration officials.

It is the first indication that Abramoff-related probes, mainly limited until now to his dealings with lawmakers and federal agency officials, may be advancing into the White House. The former Rove aide, Susan Ralston, previously had served as a top aide to Mr. Abramoff.

Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, disclosed Ms. Ralston's decision in a memo yesterday to fellow committee members.

Ms. Ralston appeared as requested by the committee for a deposition on May 10. But through her attorney, Ms. Ralston said she would be willing to testify on the topic only if granted immunity from possible criminal prosecution, Mr. Waxman's memo said. It said the committee first would seek testimony on the topic from other witnesses before considering whether to grant Ms. Ralston immunity.

Ms. Ralston's lawyer, Bradford Berenson, said in an email message that she hadn't violated any law, has cooperated so far with Abramoff-related investigations, "and we have no reason to believe she is the target or subject of any investigative interest." But he added that "given the highly charged political environment," she didn't want to testify on the topics "without some comfort that her words won't be used to hurt her unfairly."

Mr. Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials. He currently is serving a six-year prison sentence in a separate case involving fraud charges in Florida.

Ms. Ralston was Mr. Abramoff's main assistant from 1998 to 2001, while he was at lobbying firm Preston Gates & Ellis. She was Mr. Rove's executive assistant at the White House from 2001 to 2006. She resigned soon after the committee issued its report in September 2006.

In 2006, prompted by disclosures of frequent contacts between Mr. Abramoff and the Bush White House, the House oversight committee held an inquiry and issued a report disclosing that Mr. Abramoff and his associates had 485 lobbying contacts with White House officials from 2001 through March 2004. It also cited emails describing events in which Mr. Abramoff offered White House officials tickets to sports events and rock concerts, and hosted them at restaurant meals.

The committee, then under Republican control, declined to investigate further. But Mr. Waxman, a California Democrat, said the committee's investigators now are looking into whether White House officials may have accepted free tickets and meals in violation of federal ethics rules, and whether they may have done official favors for Mr. Abramoff or his clients in return.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said he wouldn't comment on Ms. Ralston's decision. The Justice Department, which has been conducting the Abramoff-related criminal investigations, has declined to comment on any matters still under investigation, including whether it is looking into Mr. Abramoff's dealings with the White House.