The chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaws is defending well-paid Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff and says his tribe hasn't been stalling a Senate Indian Affairs Committee investigation into high lobbying fees.

The Associated Press cited a letter Chief Phillip Martin sent to Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), chairman of the committee. He said he is unaware that any laws have been broken by the tribe in connection with its lobbying activities.

"For the record, we have not told any member or representative of the United States Senate that we will not cooperate with any investigation," the letter said, according to the AP.

The Choctaws are one of four tribes that paid $45 million to former Greenberg Traurig lobbyist Abramoff and a public relations executive with close ties to Abramoff. Martin says his tribe spent 1 percent of its annual gross revenues on lobbyists.

Get the Story:
Chief challenges press accounts of tribe's payments to lobbyist (AP 4/8)

Relevant Links:
Mississippi Band of Choctaws - http://www.choctaw.org
Greenberg Traurig - http://www.gtlaw.com

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