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Opinion
Opinion: Griles' role in lobbying scandal still a mystery


"Michael Rossetti grew increasingly "concerned" when J. Stephen Griles took an interest in whether the Jena Band of Choctaws received a gambling site in Louisiana back in 2003.

Rossetti, then counsel to U.S. Secretary of Interior Gail Norton, recently told an investigating Senate committee in Washington that it was unusual for a high-ranking staff member such as Griles -- then the deputy secretary -- to want to be involved in what was considered a pretty routine department matter.

The situation became so tense, Rossetti said, that he confronted Griles, threatening to expose his actions if he didn't back off. Griles told the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that he didn't know what Rossetti was talking about.

But e-mails released after the hearing tell a different tale. They indicate that Griles had meetings, telephone calls and other contacts with Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was trying to kill the Jena bid. Abramoff was working on behalf of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana near Elton, who feared a rival Jena casino would deeply cut into its profits."

Get the Story:
Gerard Shields: Gambling case still a mystery (The Baton Rouge Advocate 11/13)

Watch Hearing:
Senate Indian Affairs Committee

Relevant Documents:
Exhibits from Hearing | Senate Witness List / Testimony

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