Rep. David Vitter, a Republican from Louisiana who has been elected as senator, is suggesting that he was conned by a group opposing the Jena Choctaw Band.

Vitter joined forces with the Committee Against Gambling Expansion to oppose the Jena Band's gaming compact. He says he thought the group "was a strong anti-gambling organization and run by Louisiana folks with the Christian community."

But it now turns out that the committee was funded by the Coushatta Tribe, which owns a casino. Vitter, who opposes all forms of gambling, says he "would have thought twice about them" had he known about the connection.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs ended up rejecting the tribe's compact.

Get the Story:
The Indian casino lobbying mess thickens (AP 11/11)

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