Ultimate Friday News Dump

Had meant to sign off with that last post, but this is too big to go unreported:

WASHINGTON - Federal prosecutors and lawyers for Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff consulted briefly Friday with a federal judge in Miami as they put the finishing touches on a plea deal that could be announced as early as Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

The plea agreement would secure the lobbyist's testimony against several members of Congress who received favors from him or his clients.

Abramoff's cooperation would be a boon to an ongoing Justice Department investigation of congressional corruption, possibly helping prosecutors build criminal cases against up to 20 lawmakers and their staff members.

This has the power to blow the Republican Congress sky high. Is this really how the GOP wanted to kick off its 2006 election campaign?

Happy Abramoffukkah!