A magazine connection

The billowing storm over the activities of U.S. lobbyist Jack Abramoff has swept up the U.S. magazine industry's own lobby group, the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA).

An article in the New York Times by Katherine Q. Seelye says Mr. Abramoff revealed as part of his guilty plea to mail fraud and conspiracy to bribe public officials, that he and an unidentified Congressional aide worked to stave off an increase in postal rates on behalf of the MPA. Some of the association's money may have been funneled to Mr. Abramoff's political allies. The magazine association paid at least $1.4 million from 2000 to 2003 to Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds, the lobbying firm where Mr. Abramoff was the chief lobbyist. It was part of more than $10 million the organization spent fighting the postal increase.

The corruption scandal could involve dozens of members of Congress, political operatives and lobbyists suspected of arranging bribes in exchange for favorable legislation and other benefits.