New lobbyist implicated in Abramoff investigation

A former GOP lobbyist with ties to Jack Abramoff may be moving toward a plea agreement with the Justice Department in its wide-ranging corruption investigation, documents showed Friday.

James F. Hirni will be charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to papers filed by the Justice Department in U.S. District Court.

A Hirni spokesman said he is cooperating with the Justice Department.

"He regrets one single instance as a first-time lobbyist over five years ago when a mistake in judgment by agreeing to a client's request led to an unfortunate chain of events on one evening," spokesman Scott Sobel said. "Jim has acknowledged his role and the involvement of those responsible for that incident."

Hirni, who most recently worked for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., was implicated on Thursday as part of a plea agreement reached by federal prosecutors with former congressional aide Trevor L. Blackann.

Blackann pleaded guilty in federal court to not reporting more than $4,100 in illegal gifts from lobbyists on his 2003 tax forms, including tickets to the World Series, concerts and sporting events.

Court documents say that one of the lobbyists who provided the World Series tickets was Hirni. In exchange, "Blackann agreed to provide favorable official action to, and to use their influence on behalf of, defendant Hirni," two other unnamed people and an unnamed equipment rental company.

Hirni is a former Abramoff lobbying associate, although Sobel said he was not employed by Abramoff at the time.

Abramoff, who has been working with the Justice Department since his conviction, is now helping prosecutors go after other people he bribed. With his help, the Justice Department has won convictions against former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, former Deputy Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles and several top Capitol Hill aides.

Hirni worked for GOP Sens. Bill Frist of Tennessee, Jeff Sessions of Alabama and Tim Hutchison of Arkansas before becoming a lobbyist.

---

Associated Press writers Erica Werner and Lara Jakes Jordan contributed to this story.