More Abramoff goodies

From the Baltimore Sun comes even more deliciously starchy plot-thickening.

A company founded by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s deputy chief of staff was central to lobbyist Jack Abramoff's schemes to defraud clients and conceal kickbacks to himself and others, according to federal charges filed yesterday.

A criminal information filed against the lobbyist says Abramoff used Grassroots Interactive, a purported advocacy and public relations firm based in Silver Spring, "to charge clients prices that incorporated huge profit margins for the purpose of generating funds for and concealing kickbacks that would be paid to defendant Abramoff."

The charging document says Abramoff "established a business called GrassRoots Interactive" in May 2003. State business and financial disclosure records show that Ehrlich aide Edward B. Miller was the sole owner of Grassroots from the time he founded it in May 2003 with a $10,000 personal investment until he sold it in September of that year, recouping his initial stake.