The Senate Indian Affairs Committee has asked the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana to turn over tapes of council meetings during which two Washington insiders under investigation may have appeared.

The Lake Charles American Press reported that the tribe was asked for tapes spanning five years. A council member told the paper that lobbyist Jack Abramoff and public relations consultant Michael Scanlon spoke about opposing the Tigua Tribe in Texas.

"They discussed their grassroots lobbying effort against Texas gaming and wanted money without showing us a plan or anything," the council member was quoted as saying.

According to press reports, the Coushattas hired Abramoff and Scanlon to fight the Tigua Tribe, whose El Paso casino was in legal trouble, the Jena Band of Choctaws, who wanted a Louisiana casino, and the Poarch Creeks in Alabama, who want to expand their gaming operation.

The next hearing on the lobbyist scandal is scheduled for November 17.

Get the Story:
Coushattas turn over tapes to Senate committee (AP 10/27)

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