The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is Republican Congressman Bob Ney from Ohio. He gets the award for the following.

WASHINGTON - Ohio Rep. Bob Ney (news, bio, voting record) admitted improperly accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of trips, meals, sports tickets and casino chips while trying to win favors for a disgraced Washington lobbyist and a foreign aviation company run by a gambler known as "the Fat Man."

Ney, a six-term Republican, had defiantly denied any wrongdoing for months, but he reversed course and agreed to plead guilty in court papers filed Friday. Prosecutors will recommend he serve 27 months in prison. Ney was expected to formally plead guilty in court Oct. 13.

"I have made serious mistakes and am sorry for them," Ney, 52, said in a statement. "I am very sorry for the pain I have caused to my family, my constituents in Ohio and my colleagues." His lawyer said he had begun treatment for alcohol dependency.

Ney became the first lawmaker to admit wrongdoing in the election-year congressional corruption probe spawned by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Ney said he was hopeful "that someday the good I have tried to do will be measured alongside the mistakes I have made."

Ney agreed to plead guilty to making false statements and conspiracy to commit fraud, make other false statements and violate U.S. lobbying restrictions. The charges could carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years and fines of up to $500,000 plus repayment of any improper gifts.

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Prosecutors said Ney improperly accepted trips to play golf, gamble or vacation in Scotland, New Orleans and New York between August 2002 and August 2003. The total cost of the trips by Ney and others exceeded $170,000, court papers said. Ney also admitted accepting meals and sports and concert tickets for himself and his staff from Abramoff and his lobbyists.

The convicted Abramoff is a former knucklehead winner himself. Ney is a disgrace, but the question remains, how many more people in Washington were taking bribes. They all should be convicted, not just Ney.

Congressman Bob Ney is today's knucklehead of the day.

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