NEY CASE Timeline

Events that led to Rep. Bob Ney's 21/2-year prison sentence, handed down Friday in a congressional bribery scandal. The chronology is based on congressional and court documents:
2000
March 30 and Oct. 26 -- Ney places comments in the Congressional Record favorable to Jack Abramoff in the lobbyist's bid to buy a fleet of casino boats in Florida.
2001
March -- Ney agrees to back legislation to help Abramoff's clients in the Northern Marianas Islands get around certain U.S. labor laws.
March 15 -- Abramoff's partner, Adam Kidan, and casino boats officials host a fundraiser for Ney in Abramoff's skybox at Washington's MCI Center.
2002
February -- Ney's chief of staff, Neil Volz, leaves government to work with Abramoff as a lobbyist. Ney begins to receive regular meals and drinks at Abramoff's downtown Washington restaurant.
March 20 -- Ney agrees to add language to a bill that would allow a Texas Indian tribe represented by Abramoff to reopen a casino.
April 29 -- The Indian tribe donates 30,000 to Ney's various political fundraising committees.
Aug. 3-9 -- Ney, Abramoff, Volz, two Ney congressional staffers and others fly to Scotland to play golf and then to London on a trip bankrolled by clients of Abramoff.
Nov. 26 -- As House Administration Committee chairman, Ney awards a license to build wireless receivers in the Capitol to an Israeli company Abramoff represented.
2003
May -- Ney goes to New Orleans on an Abramoff-organized trip.
July -- Ney agrees to help get an expedited visa for a family member of one of Abramoff's Russian clients.
2004
Nov. 12 -- Senate Indian Affairs Committee investigators interview Ney, who claims to have never heard of the Tiguas, the Indian tribe that made donations to Ney and met with him about their closed casino.
2006
Jan. 3-4 -- Abramoff pleads guilty to federal corruption charges, first in Washington and then in Florida, detailing a trip to Scotland and other gifts for "Representative No. 1," who is Ney.
Jan. 15 -- Ney says he will step aside as chairman of the House Administration Committee.
May 8 -- Volz pleads guilty to conspiring to corrupt Ney, his staff and other members of Congress with trips, free tickets, meals, jobs for relatives and fundraising events.
Aug. 7 -- Ney announces he will abandon his re-election race.
Sept. 15 -- Ney's lawyer says the congressman has begun treatment for alcohol dependency.
Oct. 13 -- Ney pleads guilty to conspiracy and making false statements.
2007
Friday -- Ney is sentenced to 21/2 years in federal prison, plus two years on probation when he is released. The judge recommends imprisonment at a facility in Morgantown, W.Va., and urges rehabilitation for alcoholism.
Source: Associated Press