February 2, 1980: Eleven public officials are indicted on various charges, including bribery, as a result of the FBI's sting operation known as "Abscam." All but 1 are Democrats. They included 6 sitting members of Congress and 1 U.S. Senator.
Unfortunately, one of the Congressmen was my own, Frank Thompson; and the Senator was one of my own, Harrison Williams. One other New Jersey politician went down, Camden Mayor Angelo Errichetti, who turned out to be the linchpin of the operation that was investigated.
In March 1978, John F. Good, of the FBI's office in suburban Long Island, created and oversaw a the sting operation, which was initially intended to investigate theft, forgery, and stolen art. The FBI employed Melvin Weinberg, a convicted swindler, international con artist and informant, and his girlfriend, Evelyn Knight, to help plan and conduct the operation. At that time they were facing a prison sentence and, in exchange for their help, the FBI agreed to let them out on probation.
Weinberg, supervised by the FBI, created a fake company called Abdul Enterprises in which FBI employees posed as fictional Arab sheikhs, led by owners Kambir Abdul Rahman and Yassir Habib, who had millions of dollars to invest in the United States. Weinberg instructed the FBI to fund a $1 million account with the Chase Manhattan Bank in the name of Abdul Enterprises, giving the company the credibility it needed to further its operation.
When a forger under investigation suggested to the sheikhs that they invest in the newly-legalized casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and that licensing could be obtained for a price, the Abscam operation was re-targeted toward political corruption. Each member of Congress who was approached would be given a large sum of money in exchange for "private immigration bills," to allow foreigners associated with Abdul Enterprises into the country and for building permits and licenses for casinos, among other investment arrangements.
The first political figure to participate in the phony investment scheme was Mayor Errichetti. In exchange for monetary kickbacks, Errichetti told the sheikhs' representatives, "I'll give you Atlantic City." Errichetti helped to recruit several government officials and United States members of Congress who were willing to grant political favors in exchange for monetary bribes (originally $100,000, but then reduced to $50,000).
The FBI recorded each money exchange and, for the first time in American history, surreptitiously videotaped government officials accepting bribes. The meeting places included a house owned by journalist Lee Lescaze in the Foxhall neighborhood of Washington, D.C., a yacht in Florida, and hotel rooms in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Each convicted politician was given a separate trial. During these trials, much controversy arose regarding the ethics of Operation Abscam. Many lawyers defending their clients accused the FBI of entrapment. Though some judges concurred, appeals eventually overruled this claim, and each politician was convicted.
Frank Thompson, part of the Democratic Party "machine" in the State capital of Trenton, was first elected to Congress in 1954. He sponsored the bills that created the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 1976, he became Chairman of the House Administration Committee.
In 1978, he was re-elected with 61 percent of the vote, against Christopher H. Smith. At 25, he was just barely old enough to serve in Congress, and was the Chairman of New Jersey's Right-to-Life (anti-abortion) Committee. But in 1980, he saw Thompson as a significantly weakened opponent.
There was a debate between them at an elementary school in my hometown of East Brunswick. Smith was now 27, and looked and sounded ready. Thompson was 62, and looked about 90. Still under indictment, but not yet gone to trial, he insisted, "I will be acquitted." Smith barely had to mention the scandal, and, with the issues such as the economy and foreign policy now favoring the Republicans, knew he had the edge. Smith won 57 percent of the vote on November 4, Thompson was convicted of bribery and conspiracy on December 3, and resigned his seat on December 29, with just 5 days left in his term.
Thompson served 2 years in prison, and lived until 1989. Chris Smith is now the dean of the New Jersey Congressional delegation, one of the last of the "Reagan Robots" elected in 1980. And he's no hypocrite: Although he has been anti-abortion from the beginning, he has also approved of bills liberalizing the adoption laws, and aiding education and, because redistricting put a bit of the Jersey Shore in his District, helping the environment.
Senator Harrison Williams, first elected in 1958, also served 2 years, and lived until 2001. Errichetti, Mayor of Camden from 1973 to 1981, was sentenced to 6 years, served a little under 3, and lived until 2013. John M. Murphy, whose District included New York's Borough of Staten Island and a little bit of Brooklyn, served a year and a half, and lived until 2015. Marie Weinberg, Mel's wife, committed suicide in 1982.
John Jenrette of South Carolina, previously best known for admitting that he had sex with his ex-model wife, Rita, on the Capitol Steps (leading to the establishment of the Capitol Steps politically-themed comedy troupe), was defeated for re-election in 1980, left by Rita in 1981, and was sentenced to 2 years in prison, serving 1.
Michael "Ozzie" Myers of Pennsylvania was convicted of bribery, refused to resign his seat, and was expelled from the House by a 376-30 vote on October 2, 1980. Aside from 3 members in 1861, for supporting the Confederate States of America, he was the 1st member of the House ever expelled by his colleagues. He served 3 years in prison.
Representative Richard Kelly of Florida, the only Republican convicted, served a year, and died in 2005. Representative Raymond Lederer of Pennsylvania served 10 months, and died in 2008. John Good died in 2016, Mel Weinberg in 2018. As of February 2, 2022, Evelyn Knight, Ozzie Myers, and John and Rita Jenrette are still alive. (UPDATE: John Jenrette died in 2023.)
The movie American Hustle was made about the story. Christian Bale played the character based on Mel Weinberg, Amy Adams the one based on Evelyn Knight, Jeremy Renner the one based on Mayor Errichetti, and Jennifer Lawrence -- about 20 years too young for the role, but the biggest star in the movie -- the one based on Marie Weinberg.
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