Print
Subscribe
Wayne Smith fingers Griles as Abramoff 'point man'
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Former Interior Department deputy secretary J. Steven Griles was Jack Abramoff's "point man," former Bureau of Indian Affairs official Wayne Smith told CBS News in an exclusive interview.
Smith said Griles regularly advocated for the interests of Abramoff's tribal clients.
"He would set up meetings, and you'd have a meeting with Abramoff and his clients where Steve would profess this was the appropriate way to go," Smith told CBS News.
In the wake of the election of George W. Bush, Smith said Abramoff and other Republicans wanted to "a killing inside the BIA" by representing wealthy gaming tribes.
"They have no respect whatsoever for Native Americans. They're there to make a lot of money," he said in the interview.
Smith was the former number two official at the BIA and oversaw gaming, land-into-trust and federal recognition issues. He was fired after Republican lobbyists orchestrated a smear campaign against him that called into question his ethics.
Get the Story:
Dark Days For Bureau Of Indian Affairs
(CBS News 6/21)
Related Stories:
Abramoff White House visit coincides with Griles
meeting (05/11)
Judge won't free tiny tribe from BIA
oversight (04/21)
California woman leads tribe
with just five members (01/26)
NIGC
adopts new approach for tribal gaming sites (11/14)
Interior drawn into Senate committee's lobbying
probe (10/26)
White House told DOI to pay attention to
Abramoff (06/20)
Gaming leads to new concerns about lobbyists
(05/26)
Feud that led to BIA deputy's firing resolved
(01/10)
Recognition briefing paper at heart of latest
feud (05/05)
Wayne Smith to testify at recognition
hearing (05/03)
Leader of tiny California tribe mum
amid speculation (09/08)
Authorities
question status of tiny California tribe (9/7)
Wayne Smith fired at start of internal
investigation (04/28)
GOP operative admits hatchet job on Wayne Smith
(04/22)
White House called
weekly about casino (11/05)
Tiny
California tribe seeks casino near Gilroy (9/1)
Terminated tribe at center of
battle (06/24)
Wayne Smith
already lobbying (6/5)
Wayne Smith's hired gun (5/28)
Wayne Smith seeks protection
(5/27)
BIA fires Wayne Smith
(5/24)
Smith won't go
without fight (5/24)
Wayne
Smith given the boot (5/23)
Decision on tiny tribe fought
(5/21)
BIA affirms
leadership of tiny tribe (5/13)
Calif. tribe threatens suit over
'retaliation' (5/1)
Norton
asked to investigate BIA deputy (4/23)
McCaleb aide reports friend to FBI
(4/22)
White House looking
into McCaleb aide (4/19)
'I
think you get the picture' (4/17)
BIA deputy recused on recognition
(4/16)
Wall Street Journal
blasted for 'drive by' (4/5)
Copyright © 2000-2006 Indianz.Com
