Former Frist staffer caught up in lobbying scandal

Protege of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff appears ready to plead guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse

James Hirni

James Hirni, a former staff member of U.S. Senator Bill Frist, has been caught up in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and may soon plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges.

Last week, Hirni along with Washington, D.C. lobbyist Todd Boulanger were identified in media reports last week as being part of  an ongoing investigation of Washington lobbyists where Trevor Blackann, a former aide to Missouri Republicans Sen. Kit Bond and Rep. Roy Blunt, pleaded guilty to concealing thousands of dollars in illegal gifts he got from the two.

Both Hirni and Boulanger were long time proteges of Abramoff, the formerly high-powered lobbyist who is now sitting in a federal prison for his excesses in a series of a high-profile political scandals. Since Abramoff was nabbed, an extensive corruption investigation has led to the conviction of former White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, former U.S. Congressman Bob Ney, and at least nine other lobbyists and Congressional aides.

Hirni, who was on Abramoff's team at mulitiple D.C. law firms over the years now seems to be trying to play the youthful indiscretion card as media outlets in the nation's capitol report that conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges are forthcoming, according to papers filed by the Justice Department in U.S. District Court.

In a statement released to the AP through a spokesman regarding Hirni, an associate states "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. Jim has acknowledged his role and the involvement of those responsible for that incident."

A graduate of Wheaton College in Massachusetts, Hirni told an alumni magazine last year that Frist was still a "close friend" and one the best that ever served in the Senate when he was explaining to them the important of relationships on capitol hill.

In addition to working for Frist, Hirni also served on the staffs of Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions and former Arkansas Senator Tim Hutchison.

As a lobbyist, Hirni worked for Wal Mart corporation until last week and had lobbied for Fidelity Investments, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UST, U.S. Tobacco Company, Verizon, Bell South, Freddie Mac and the State of Texas to name a few.