The $1.15 million a Republican anti-tax organization took from a gaming tribe went straight into the pockets of anti-gaming activist Ralph Reed, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform has acknowledged that he gave the money to two anti-gambling groups in Alabama. The Alabama Christian Coalition and Citizens Against Legalized Lottery are fighting gaming efforts by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.

But both groups say they gave the money to Reed's consulting firm, Century Strategies Inc., which ran the anti-gaming campaign. "We just turned around and wrote out the check to them," John Giles of the Alabama Christian Coalition told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The other group gave a similar account.

Reed, however, denies knowing the money came from a tribal source. Norquist has said he didn't tell anyone where it came from but that it was from a tribe in Mississippi.

Reed has previously acknowledged taking $4.1 million from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff to fight tribal gaming in Texas but denies knowing the money came from Abramoff's tribal clients.

The issue is surfacing as Reed runs for lieutenant governor of Georgia.

Get the Story:
Casino cash fed Ralph Reed's Alabama fight (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 5/18)
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