The fallout from the Jack Abramoff scandal continues…

Lobbyist Todd Boulanger was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with tickets and meals he lavished upon public officials at the behest of his then-boss, the disgraced über-lobbyist,  Jack Abramoff.

He is expected to plead guilty to honest services fraud, according to court documents obtained by ABC News.

You may recognize Todd Boulanger from his regular appearances as a political commentator during the 2008 elections under the billing “Republican strategist.”

The Washington Post notes that, for a time, it appeared that Boulanger had been successfully rehabilitated, at least by Washington standards. Politico last year heaped praise on Boulanger, the former vice president of the Washington lobbying firm, Cassidy & Associates, as a “politico to watch” who “has proven his nattily attired, outside-the-box staying power.”

Well, Boulanger’s is probably hoping that his guilty plea is enough to keep him outside of the federal minimum security box.

Abramoff wrote to Judge Ellen C. Huvelle yesterday, “I’m not a bad man (although to read all the news articles one would think I was Osama Bin Laden).” Abramoff admitted to deceiving clients and taking advantage of public officials.

The Justice Dept. has, more or less, taken Abramoff’s side. Federal prosecutors say that despite his many misdeeds — including defrauding Native American tribes and sending lawmakers on luxurious vacations so they would ease Northern Marianas Islands labor regulations — Abramoff has assisted other federal investigations. He helped build the case that put former Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) in jail and also revealed details of his dealings with Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), the former House majority leader.

Abramoff was contrite at his sentencing today. “I came before you today as a broken man,” he said, “I’ve fallen into an abyss, your honor, and I don’t quite know how to get out.”

The cruise line-related prison time started in January 2006. So Abramoff might find his way out of prison — if not the abyss — by November 2011.

But Silver appears to have additional ties that could further undercut Palin’s image as a squeaky-clean reformer. According to Senate lobbying disclosure reports examined by TPMmuckraker, from 2002 to 2004 Silver listed as a client Jack Abramoff’s lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig.

Nice.

The muckrakers also note that this is not the first time Abramoff’s ties have made their way up here:

Last year, Mark Zachares, a former aide to [Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska)], pleaded guilty to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from Abramoff in return for using his position to advance Abramoff’s goals.

So far, though, Young has stayed two steps away from that scandal.