Lobbyist who rocked Washington jailed

A disgraced Washington lobbyist is to serve four more years in jail in a corruption scandal that rocked the city's power elite and helped Republicans to lose control of Congress in 2006.

Jack Abramoff, 49, sobbed that he was "a broken man" as a judge said his activities corrupted the political process and shook public confidence in government. He was one of the most powerful Republican lobbyists in Washington DC until 2004, when it emerged that he had received at least $45 million (£26 million) from American Indian tribes with casinos.

In January 2006 he pleaded guilty to defrauding the tribes who were his clients, and to tax evasion and conspiring to bribe public officials.

Abramoff, who is already serving almost six years in a Maryland prison over a fraudulent Florida casino deal, said Washington "lives in the loopholes" but he had "blundered farther than even those excesses would allow".

The court had heard he steered clients to consultants who charged excessive fees, then split the profits with him.

Abramoff was shown leniency because information he gave led to the conviction of a string of highprofile politicians, including a member of Congress.