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Lennonite Priest
Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA
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Another Bush crony another scandal
Will it ever end with this administration? And will those who crucified Clinton finally start admitting Bush is just as bad if not worse in his dealings?
Quote:
Former top official denies Abramoff influence on Indian casinos
11/2/2005, 6:45 p.m. CT
By SUZANNE GAMBOA
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Interior Department's former No. 2 official denied on Wednesday that he gave preferential treatment to a lobbyist under investigation for his work on behalf of Indian tribes and their casino interests.
Steven Griles' assertion was challenged by a one-time colleague and by senators who cited e-mails by the lobbyist, Jack Abramoff.
To the Senate committee investigating Abramoff and his partner, Michael Scanlon, Griles said it was "outrageous" and "untrue" that they had special access to him, as they claim.
But Michael Rossetti, a former legal counselor to Interior Secretary Gail Norton, told senators he was "alarmed" when Griles "all of a sudden had an inexplicable desire to be involved" in meetings with Norton dealing with the Jena Band of Choctaw tribe's effort to open a casino near the Texas-Louisiana border.
"Repeatedly on at least half a dozen occasions, he insisted on being in on meetings" affecting the Jena Band, Rossetti said.
Griles resigned in December as the department's deputy secretary.
Rossetti described an exchange in front of at least two witnesses in which he challenged Griles on "whose water he was carrying on this issue."
Abramoff and Scanlon were hired as lobbyists by the Louisiana Coushatta tribe to work against efforts by the rival Jena Band of Choctaws to open a casino that could compete with the Coushatta's gambling operation near Lake Charles, La.
The Senate Indian Affairs Committee is investigating Abramoff and Scanlon and the more than $80 million they were paid between 2001 and 2004 by six Indian tribes with casinos, including the Coushattas.
Abramoff's lobbying work also is under investigation by the Justice Department. Abramoff has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Florida on charges of fraud and conspiracy stemming from his role in the 2000 purchase of a fleet of gambling boats.
Andrew Blum, a spokesman for Abramoff, said that because of the various investigations, the lobbyists "is put into the impossible position of not being able to defend himself in the public arena until the proper authorities have had a chance to review all accusations."
Blum also said the fees related to Abramoff's work "were more than justified given the cost savings and economic benefit realized by his clients."
Griles testified that his relationship with Abramoff was the same as with other lobbyists, senators or interest groups. "Nothing more, nothing less," he said.
But the committee chairman, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and the top Democrat, Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, read e-mails in which Abramoff suggested a closer relationship with Griles.
"There are e-mails, e-mails, e-mails about Abramoff saying he's meeting with you," Dorgan said.
In a Feb. 22, 2002, e-mail released by the committee, Abramoff tells of a call he received from Griles "all upset that Ralph Reed and I are bashing Norton!"
Reed, founder of the Christian Coalition, used money raised by Abramoff to mobilize conservative groups against the Jena Band's casino gaming plans. "He seemed to be distinguishing how Norton would handle Jena. (I hope!)," Abramoff said of Griles in the e-mail.
Griles suggested Abramoff could have made up information in the e-mails.
"I can't reconcile what Mr. Abramoff put in e-mails and today, based on what I heard, I don't believe anyone can," Griles said.
The Associated Press reported last spring that Abramoff had extensive access to Bush administration officials, including Griles, while Abramoff was with the lobbying firm of Greenberg Traurig.
McCain also questioned Griles about his relationship with Italia Federici, president of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy. The senator said Abramoff directed at least four of his tribal clients to give $250,000 to the group.
The council was founded by Norton and conservative activist Grover Norquist to promote Republicans' environmental agenda. Federici took over as president when Norton was named Interior secretary.
"Documents obtained in the course of the investigation suggest that Mr. Abramoff might have had his tribal clients pay so much because he perceived that CREA's president, Italia Federici, would help him get inside information about, and possibly influence, tribal issues pending at the Department of Interior," McCain said.
Federici did not appear at the hearing despite a subpoena. Her lawyer gave reporters a copy of a letter sent to the committee saying she planned to be at the hearing when it originally was set for Oct. 26, but could not attend the rescheduled one on Wednesday because it was the anniversary of her father's death.
In earlier testimony, two Coushatta tribal leaders said Abramoff and Scanlon exaggerated the threat of competing casinos opening in Texas and Louisiana to siphon millions from the tribe.
"They preyed on our political insecurities, economic insecurities and insecurities about each other," said Kevin Sickey, the Coushatta tribal chairman.
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__________________
I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"
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