[Mulhollanddose]

A Florida couple who admit they taped a recorded a cellular phone conversation involving House Speaker Newt Gingrich and other GOP House leaders on Dec. 21, 1996, have agreed to plead guilty in an agreement announced by the Justice Department Wednesday evening.

The Justice Department says John and Alice Martin, of Columbia County, Fla., have agreed to plead guilty to intentionally intercepting a cellular telephone call in violation of federal law. They have agreed to pay a $5,000 fine each. The violation carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Martins have publicly acknowledged they taped the Republican cell phone call and provided it to Rep. James McDermott (D-Wash.). It was then turned over to The New York Times.

After the contents of the phone call were reported in the Times, McDermott was widely suspected of leaking the tape. He recused himself from the ethics committee deliberation of Gingrich's case.


http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/04/23/email/cellphone/