Abramoff Offered to Aid Sudan, Envoy Says

The former lobbyist sought millions to help the sanctioned nation clean up its image, the country's ambassador and an ex-associate say.

WASHINGTON — Two eyewitnesses say that former lobbyist Jack Abramoff proposed to sell his services to the much-criticized government of Sudan to help improve its abysmal reputation in the United States, especially among Christian evangelicals who were campaigning against human rights violations in the troubled African nation.

Khidir Haroun Ahmed, Sudan's ambassador to the United States, said in an interview that Abramoff proposed a multimillion-dollar lobbying contract in late 2001 but that the proposal was "never seriously considered" by the Sudanese. He declined to elaborate....

For full story, click here.

By Tom Hamburger and Ken Silverstein, Times Staff Writers
April 4, 2006