I hear that we might want to watch NBC Nightly News tonight. The former head of Audre, Tom Casey, a firm for which alleged Cunningham co-conspirator Brent Wilkes served as a lobbyist, is interviewed on the record. And that he has some interesting things to say about requests from Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), now the chair of the Appropriations committee.

Update: Here's the link. Casey tells NBC that Lewis solicited him for stock options for his friend Lowery on the Canadian stock exchange in 1993 -- a claim Casey has reportedly shared with the FBI, and which Lewis denies. Here's some of the transcript:

In an exclusive interview, Casey tells NBC News that after he made campaign contributions to House members of both parties, Lewis informed him the Pentagon would get $14 million for the testing, and that Casey even could write the language.

Lisa Myers: You were allowed to write language for an appropriations bill yourself?

Casey: Yes, I did. That was Congressman Lewis' suggestion.

Casey says Lewis repeatedly urged him to hire a lobbyist, former U.S. Rep. Bill Lowery, Lewis' close friend, and when that didn't happen, pressed for another favor.

Casey: Congressman Lewis asked me to set up stock options for Bill Lowery in our company.

Casey says Lewis suggested he issue the stock options in Canada — in someone else's name.

Myers: Did you view it as an effort to hide what was really going on?

Casey: It was intended to conceal his participation, yes.

Colleagues have reminded me that San Diego Congressman Lowery became a lobbyist after losing out to Cunningham who ran a "clean hands" primary campaign highlighting Lowery's alleged corruption. (Cunningham of course is now serving a jail sentence after pleading guilty to bribery-related charges.) More here from SDUT.

Posted by Laura at June 7, 2006 06:39 PM