"Why should an Indian tribe booming with casino profits deserve a $3 million school construction grant from a federal fund specifically earmarked for impoverished tribes? That's one of the many questions emerging in Washington as investigators track how Jack Abramoff, a smooth-talking lobbyist with close ties to Capitol politicians, was able to score more than $80 million in fees from roughly a dozen casino tribes that he promised inside clout.

The Saginaw Chippewa tribe in Michigan, an Abramoff client, got the money after pressure was applied by Senator Conrad Burns, the Montana Republican who oversees the budget of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It turns out that Senator Burns has seen his campaign chest enriched with $137,000 in donations from Mr. Abramoff and his tribal clients."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Lobbyist as Snapping Turtle (The New York Times 3/5)
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