Let’s start counting. Harper’s blog Washington Babylon reports that lobbyist and former [sw: Jerry Lewis] aide took compensation for aiding Trident (White pruchased a house with Trident CEO Nicholas Karangelen):

Both [Letitia] White and Karangelen have said that they each put up $500,000 when purchasing the million-dollar house, but some of the Trident officials have said that Karangelen actually put up the entire amount, along with additional monies for furnishings. Some of them have further alleged that White was rewarded financially by Trident for her work on behalf of the company with compensation related to the amount of money she brought into the company.

Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for White, vehemently told me that she and Karangelen have put equal amounts of money into the house and that “the purchase was not related in any way to work for Trident.” Dorton did not deny that White was compensated by Trident but said any money she received “was for work done after she left the Hill.” He declined to comment on the nature or amount of the compensation.

We all watched the Jack Abramoff scandal unfold and we can see where this is going. Encircle the big fish by snapping up the little fish first. Aim for people compromised by family members that they got involved in corrupt schemes and that they don’t want to get hurt and get them to talk. Then with full roster of witnesses you can snare the big guy.