Judge Sentences Admin Official to 10 MonthsProsecutors had asked for only five months imprisonment, coupled with five months house arrest for Steven Griles, the former #2 at the Interior Department who’s pled guilty to lying to Senate investigators about his relationship with Jack Abramoff.
A federal judge, apparently unconvinced that Griles had learned anything from the whole affair, today sentenced him to twice that. From the AP:
The Interior Department’s former No. 2 official was sentenced to 10 months in prison Tuesday for lying to senators in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, the highest administration official sentenced in the probe….“Even now you continue to minimize and try to excuse your conduct,” [Judge Ellen] Huvelle told Griles.
Griles had asked for three months home confinement and community service in the form of pro bono lobbying.