Lott's In-Law Lawyer Indicted for Bribery

Updating this story, the Picayune Item has details in the case of just-retired Trent Lott's just-indicted brother-in-law Dickie Scruggs:

The indictment accuses Richard “Dickie” Scruggs of conspiring to pay the judge $50,000 to rule in his favor in a lawsuit brought by other attorneys who sought fees for work on Katrina insurance litigation.

Circuit Court Judge Henry Lackey reported the “bribery overture” to federal authorities and agreed to assist investigators in an “undercover capacity,” according to the indictment.

Pdf of the indictment, via the Insurance Coverage Blog, where they also have much more in depth reporting.

And just a thought: If a prominent member of the Senate - who happened to be a Democrat - had two close relatives indicted on federal charges, how big of a story do you think this would be?

Still more from Slate.

FBI Raids Trent Lott's In-Law's Office

Thursday Update: More here, including link to indictment of Scruggs and others. [end update]

Ahem:

Federal law-enforcement authorities on Tuesday searched the law office of a high-profile lawyer who represents hundreds of Gulf Coast homeowners with lawsuits against insurance companies in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

At least seven FBI agents and federal prosecutors were searching the Oxford law firm of Richard "Dickie" Scruggs for a document that could have an "ancillary" connection to Katrina insurance litigation, a lawyer representing the firm said.

[...]

Scruggs is the brother-in-law of Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., who announced Monday that he will resign from office by the end of the year after 35 years in Congress.

Interesting timing, huh?

And here's an odd, related story:

Every eligible federal judge in north Alabama has stepped aside from presiding in the criminal contempt case of Mississippi trial lawyer Richard Scruggs, who is accused of disobeying an order by failing to turn over Katrina-related insurance documents to a court.

The 16 district judges and magistrate judges agreed to recuse themselves from the case at the request of Scruggs.

His lawyers contend none of them should hear the case since they are colleagues of U.S. District Judge William Acker, who initiated the criminal contempt prosecution.

Every judge? Because they knew the judge who initiated the charge? Could be right-on, just sounds weird.

***And who could forget this about Trent Lott and Katrina:

"Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch."

-- George W. Bush, Sept. 2

Larry Flynt Drops a Trent Lott Hint

HUSTLER RESPONDS:

HUSTLER Magazine has received numerous inquiries regarding the involvement of Larry Flynt
and HUSTLER in the resignation of Trent Lott.

Senator Lott has been the target of an ongoing HUSTLER investigation for some time now, due to confidential information that we have received.

Via.

More at Brad Blog.

Lott Seeks Bill Clinton WH Tapes

There's going to be so much to remember about Trent Lott.

And who knows - maybe he saved the best for last.