"On September 29, 2004, Arizona Senator John McCain made a promise to six Indian tribes defrauded in an $82-million lobby billing scandal perpetrated by two close associates of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay: �To the aggrieved tribes and Native Americans generally, I say rest assured that this committee�s investigation is far from over. Together we will get to the bottom of this.�
At the time, McCain probably meant what he said. But if he is to be a viable candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, he may have to slow down the investigation he began a year ago. Because at �the bottom� of the inquiry McCain directs from the chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee is a second scandal that extends beyond the $82 million Mike Scanlon and Jack Abramoff took from the six tribes they were working for. Abramoff and Scanlon did more than enrich themselves. They enriched the Republican Party. The two Washington political operatives moved millions out of the accounts of the Indian tribes and into the accounts of Republican campaigns and advocacy groups whose support McCain will need for a presidential run in 2008. The personal contributions they made, such as the $500,000 check Scanlon wrote to the Republican National Governors Association in 2002, were derived from illicit billings of Indian clients."
Get the Story:
Senatorial Courtesy
(The Texas Observer 8/26)
Related Stories:
Choctaws were Jack Abramoff's first tribal
client (8/22)
Abramoff makes first court
appearance on charges (8/19)
Ex-Abramoff
associate charged in Montana for poaching (8/19)
Abramoff to cooperate with Miami murder probe
(8/17)
Ohio Congressman vouched for
indicted Abramoff pal (8/16)
Authorities
feared Abramoff would flee to Israel (8/15)
Jack Abramoff, partner indicted on bank fraud
charges (8/12)
A once powerful Abramoff
falls quickly from grace (8/12)
Coushatta Tribe footed DeLay's trip to the opera
(8/12)
Grand jury probe of Abramoff cut
short by Bush (08/08)
McCain defends GOP
senator tied to Abramoff (07/28)
Opinion: Mississippi Choctaws not the victims
(07/28)
Justice nominee questioned on ties
to Abramoff (07/27)
Editorial: Tribal
lobbying scandal a 'blockbuster' (07/18)
Group claims Karl Rove linked to Jack Abramoff
(07/15)
Ralph Reed defends work on behalf of
Jack Abramoff (07/14)
Editorial:
Mississippi Choctaws victims of own greed (07/11)
Choctaws billed for meals at Abramoff
restaurant (07/06)
Pombo asks DOJ to
widen investigation of Abramoff (07/06)
Choctaws mum on donation to Christian Coalition
(07/06)
Choctaw cash flowed freely to Ralph
Reed for years (07/06)
McCain bashes
Norquist for ripping off tribes (07/06)
Opinion: Tribes share blame for Abramoff scandal
(7/4)
Time: Abramoff gave free dinners
to Congressmen (7/4)
Hayworth targeted
for ties to Abramoff, DeLay (7/4)
Column: Abramoff defrauded Saginaw Chippewa Tribe
(7/1)
Column: Abramoff defrauded Saginaw
Chippewa Tribe (7/1)
Column: Ralph Reed
worshipped casino god (7/1)
Reed backs
lottery proposal he fought in Alabama (7/1)
Rabbi says e-mail response to Abramoff was a joke
(6/30)
Editorial: Maybe Abramoff should
be sent to jail (6/30)
Abramoff cut
Ralph Reed off from Choctaw money (6/29)
Column: Kosher deli owner brought home the pork
(6/29)
Hopi Tribe drops lobbyist who
worked with Abramoff (6/28)
Hayworth
downplays links to Abramoff scandal (6/28)
SagChip leader feels vindicated on Jack Abramoff
(6/28)
Lobbying Report: Mississippi Band
of Choctaw Indians (6/27)
Choctaws hire
three ex-Abramoff lobbyists (6/27)
Investigation links Reed, Norquist to Abramoff
(6/27)
Column: E-mail trail shows how to
scam tribes (6/27)
Bit player takes
center stage in Abramoff scandal (6/27)
Political Play of the Week: Senate lifeguard
(6/27)
Opinion: Ralph Reed helps launder
tribal money (6/27)
Harjo: Tribes lobby
to fleece their own people (6/24)
Choctaws hire lobbyist accused in Abramoff fraud
(6/24)
Editorial: Reed lied about taking
money from Choctaws (6/24)
Opinion: Reed
didn't lie, he just followed the law (6/24)
Ralph Reed pressed by rival to document tribal ties
(6/24)
Column: Jack Abramoff's Choctaw
Nation (6/24)
Column: No limits to
Republican sleaze in Washington (6/24)
Editorial: Washington in worst lobbying scandal
ever (6/24)
Senate committee plans to
issue lobbying report (6/23)
Under
scrutiny, Choctaw tribe goes into hiding (6/23)
Mississippi Choctaws focus of Senate lobbying
hearing (6/23)
Column: Wasichus testify
on lobbying scandal (6/23)
Update on
Senate hearing into lobbying scandal (6/22)
Mississippi Choctaws at center of lobbying hearing
(6/22)
Coushatta Tribe gave millions to
lobbyists, campaigns (6/22)
Influence
peddling on the rise in Washington (6/22)
Another hearing on Abramoff lobbying scandal
(06/21)
White House told DOI to pay
attention to Abramoff (06/20)
Republican
tied to Abramoff pushes anti-gaming bill (06/17)
Opinion sought on GOP group's use of tribal funds
(6/16)
Ads target Ney for role in
Abramoff scandal (6/16)
DOJ's Public
Integrity Section leads Abramoff probe (6/15)
GOP activist won't testify at lobbying hearing
(06/14)
Ralph Reed hasn't been hurt by
Abramoff scandal (06/13)
Tigua Tribe
feels 'betrayed' by Jack Abramoff (06/13)
Lawmaker under scrutiny for links to Abramoff
(06/10)
Republican leader defends letter to
Gale Norton (06/10)
Senate hearing to
focus on Norquist and Reed (06/09)
Opinion: Abramoff and Norquist like 'cat
burglars' (06/09)
Gaming leads to new
concerns about lobbyists (05/26)
Bloomberg: Abramoff tribes gave $1.4M to Congress
(5/19)
Tribal funds helped Abramoff's
failed Jewish school (5/18)
Abramoff
tribes gave $153K to Montana delegation (5/16)
Column: Tribal bucks went to Republican interests
(5/13)
Grand jury in Abramoff probe
subpoenas Democrats (5/13)
Familiar
problems aired at recognition hearing (05/12)
Column: Ney investigated for Abramoff donations
(5/11)
Abramoff refused to appear at
hearing on high fees (5/10)
Abramoff
lobbying scandal prompts look at rules (5/9)
Abramoff tied to yet another Congressional trip
(5/9)
Abramoff scandal an issue in
Georgia campaign (5/9)
Abramoff accused
of double-dealing another client (5/6)
Coushatta tribal member went on DeLay golf outing
(5/6)
Tom Cole recuses himself in any
probe of DeLay (5/5)
In the Loop
Contest: Name that Washington scandal (5/4)
Abramoff based political activities on Jewish faith
(5/4)
Travel paid by Abramoff said to
violate ethics rules (5/4)
New
legislation seeks overhaul of lobbying regulations (5/4)
More Congressional travel linked to Abramoff
(5/3)
Jack Abramoff breaks silence on
lobbying scandal (5/2)
Abramoff a target
in federal bank fraud probe (5/2)
McCain
won't touch lawmakers in probe of Abramoff (4/28)
Ney signed onto bill after using tribe's luxury
suite (4/28)
Recall of anti-Abramoff Sag
Chip leaders debated (4/28)
More ties
between Abramoff and DeLay detailed (4/27)
Former DeLay chief of staff lobbied for NIGA
(4/26)
Tim Giago: White lawyers growing
fat off tribes (4/26)
Abramoff used
credit card to pay for DeLay's airfare (4/25)
Column: Good Indians or bad Indians? Hard to tell
(4/25)
Money tribes gave to Abramoff
ended up in Israel (4/25)
Saginaw
Chippewa Tribe gave $25K to GOP tax group (4/25)
Editorial: Saginaw Chippewa feud needs to end
(4/25)
Novak: McCain hopes for
indictment of Abramoff (4/22)
Meskwakis
gave $50K to group founded by Norton (4/22)
One GOP group won't give records to McCain
(4/22)
Abramoff and Scanlon 'still
hounding' Sag Chips (4/22)
Coushatta
Tribe sues Abramoff, Scanlon in state court (4/22)
Abramoff defends lobbying work for tribal clients
(4/22)
McCain subpoenas GOP groups
linked to Abramoff (4/21)
Morongo Band
denies any ties to Abramoff scandal (4/21)
DeLay used skybox funded by Abramoff's tribes
(4/21)
Democrats to introduce bill to
address Abramoff (4/21)
House
Republicans offer ethics probe into DeLay (4/21)
Congressman tied to Abramoff failed to pay tribal
tab (4/20)
Hastert pays tab for
fundraiser at Abramoff restaurant (4/20)
Vitter, Hastert never paid Abramoff restaurant tab
(4/19)
DeLay denies wrongdoing over
Abramoff funded trips (4/19)
Opinion:
McCain right to probe fleecing of tribes (4/19)
Recall papers certified against anti-Abramoff
leaders (4/19)
Time: FBI to depose
ex-associate of Abramoff's (4/18)
Foe of
Texas tribes denies knowing Abramoff (4/18)
Ties to Abramoff an issue for Ralph Reed campaign
(4/18)
Opinion: Lobbying scandal cloaked
in religion (4/18)
Sen. Burns: Support
for Montana tribes is known (4/18)
Editorial: Burns should have said no to Abramoff
(4/18)
Pombo asked again to investigate
Abramoff (4/15)
DeLay's ties to Abramoff
a focus of federal probe (4/13)
Opinion:
Abramoff is DeLay's Monica Lewinsky (4/13)
'Where the hell were you when we were poor?'
(4/12)
Column: Treatment of tribes by
lobbyists an outrage (4/12)
Newsweek:
Abramoff offered to expose DeLay, others (4/11)
Assessment: The Abramoff/DeLay scandal
(4/8)
Salon: Abramoff sold DeLay to
desperate tribes (4/8)
Opinion: When
ripping off Indians is acceptable (4/8)
GOP rallies to DeLay's defense amid new reports
(4/7)
Abramoff helped secure funding for
3rd DeLay trip (4/6)
Burns says Michigan
delegation backed school funds (04/04)
Editorial: Burns has chance to restore Indian
funds (03/31)
GOP letter to Norton came
after Abramoff sent checks (03/30)
Abramoff previously questioned over billing
(03/30)
Ralph Reed says he too was
'deceived' by Abramoff (3/28)
Both sides
fighting tribe have ties to Abramoff (03/25)
Column: Abramoff, Scanlon had help scamming
tribes (03/22)
Jena Choctaw Band back in
spotlight in Louisiana (03/22)
McCain
plans to finish hearings on lobbyist scandal (3/21)
Opinion: Ralph Reed did work for casinos, not the
Lord (3/21)
Coushatta Tribe hires law
firm linked to DeLay (3/18)
Chairman:
Montana tribes support Senator Burns (3/18)
Senate Finance Committee investigates Abramoff
(3/17)
Vitter won't say why he OKed
Abramoff fundraiser (3/17)
DeLay denies
wrongdoing on trip linked to tribe (3/16)
Vitter responsible for anti-tribal appropriations
rider (3/16)
Hayworth predicts DeLay
will weather ethics storm (3/15)
Column:
Strange bedfellows in Abramoff scandal (3/15)
Editorial: Investigate overseas trip paid by
Abramoff (3/15)
Griles fought casino
opposed by Abramoff client (3/14)
Tribe
gave $75K to group founded by Norton (3/14)
Tribe, gambling firm funded DeLay's overseas trip
(3/14)
Editorial: Facts don't look good
for Senator Burns (3/14)
DOI
investigates contacts with group started by Norton (03/03)
Vitter denies helping Abramoff's former client
(03/02)
Report: Former Norton organization
subpoenaed (3/1)
Tribes gave $175K to
group founded by Norton (2/28)
Tribal
lobbying scandal hurts ex-Abramoff firm (02/17)
Tigua Tribe settles dispute over Abramoff fees
(02/14)
Sag Chip recall targets
anti-Abramoff tribal leaders (2/11)
Editorial: Washington 'sharks' ate tribe for
lunch (02/08)
Donations funneled through
Abramoff unaccounted (2/7)
Commentary:
Tighten up lobbyist rules (01/18)
Commentary: Tribal lobbyist scandal is familiar
tale (1/13)
Probe sought of Congressman
linked to lobbyists (01/07)
Editorial:
'Shameful' dealings of Washington lobbyists (1/6)
Abramoff and Scanlon scandal won't go away
(12/20)
Editorial: Ney's judgment
'clouded' by Abramoff (12/20)
Ney to
meet with ethics panel over Abramoff ties (12/16)
Congressman subject of inquiry for Abramoff ties
(12/15)
Lobbyists say Abramoff probe has
run its course (12/13)
Congressman
questioned during lobbyist probe (12/10)
Editorial: Ney not exactly a victim in Tigua
case (12/03)
Abramoff 'totally in bed'
with anti-gaming forces (11/29)
McCain
eyes reform of lobbying disclosure laws (11/24)
Order freezing Abramoff's assets lifted in lawsuit
(11/24)
Mississippi Choctaw lawyer
referred Abramoff (11/22)
Former Ney
chief of staff worked with Abramoff (11/19)
High-priced lobbyist scam linked to lawmakers
(11/18)
Coushatta Tribe sues ex-lobbyists
for $32M (11/17)
Tigua Tribe to testify
at Senate lobbying hearing (11/16)
Abramoff's assets frozen in employee case
(11/15)
Vitter 'conned' by group
opposing tribe (11/12)
GOP critic of
McCain received tribal donations (11/08)
Author: Abramoff, Scanlon likely to be indicted
(10/28)
Senate panel asks Coushatta Tribe
for tapes (10/27)
Ralph Reed paid $4.1M
to oppose tribes (10/26)
Two more
lawyers linked to lobbyist scandal (10/21)
Online Chat: Abramoff 'close friend' of DeLay
(10/20)
Christian Coalition still after
Poarch Creeks (10/19)
Congressman denies
knowing of tribe's backing (10/18)
Opinion: Lobbyist scandal goes all the way to Bush
(10/15)
Congressman's anti-gaming push
backed by tribe (10/15)
Tigua Tribe mum
on Washington lobbyists (10/12)
House
Resources asked to investigate lobbyists (10/8)
Another tribe considers lawsuit against lobbyists
(10/7)
DeLay rebuked yet again for
flaunting influence (10/7)
Coushatta
Tribe to sue lobbyists for $32M (10/4)
Lobbyist scandal reaches to top levels of GOP
(10/4)
Choctaw Tribe's lobbying
documents kept secret (10/4)
Documents
detail lobbyists' role in tribal elections (10/4)
Salon: Tom DeLay allowed tribes to be 'slickered'
(10/4)
Pueblo leader says lobbyists'
high fees not worth it (10/1)
Texas AG
asked to investigate Abramoff, Scanlon (10/1)
DeLay rebuked for trading influence on House floor
(10/1)
Ex-tribal lobbyists slammed in
Senate hearing (9/30)
Abramoff mum at
hearing while Scanlon a no-show (9/30)
Column: Lobbyists lurked in 'cesspool of greed'
(9/30)
Washington lobbyists called before
Senate panel (9/29)
Editorial: Send
lobbyist hogs to the slaughterhouse (9/29)
Tigua Tribe outraged over being played as 'moronic'
(9/28)
Tribes told to donate to
lobbyists' foundation (9/28)
Editorial:
Actions of tribal lobbyists 'loathsome' (9/28)
Lobbyists worked for, against 'moronic' Tiguas
(9/27)
Group opposing Poarch Creeks tied
to tribal lobbyists (09/16)
Coushattas
used lobbyists to spy on tribes, critics (09/13)
Bush strategist now knows source of tribal
funds (09/01)
Bush strategist claims no
knowledge of funds (8/31)
Bush-GOP
strategist admits taking tribal money (8/30)
Senate hearing on tribal lobbying probe set
(8/26)
Coushatta member threatened over
recall effort (08/09)
Coushatta Tribe's
lobbying records subpoenaed (07/23)
Hearing on high lobbying fees expected in
September (07/16)
GOP strategist denies
secretly taking tribal money (7/15)
Tribal money secretly funneled to GOP
strategist (06/25)
Busy Indian Affairs
Committee hits snag on big issues (06/17)
Indian Affairs Committee activity this week
(6/15)
Saginaw Chippewa leader who paid
lobbyists ousted (06/04)
Indian Country
awaits outcome of lobbying probe (05/18)
Tribal chairman says $120K fee to Abramoff worth
it (05/18)
Republican governors
report biggest donor in 2002 (05/04)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe wonders where $14M
went (04/20)
McCain demands documents
from lobbyist, PR exec (04/12)
Coushatta treasurer accuses NIGC of lax
oversight (04/12)
Choctaw chief
Martin defends embattled GOP lobbyist (04/09)
McCain pushing Choctaw tribe to cooperate with
probe (4/8)
Coushatta leaders used
tribal money to pay lobbyists (4/8)
Coushatta Tribe paid $32M to lobbyist Jack
Abramoff (4/6)
McCain aggressive in
pursuing lobbyist records (4/5)
McCain demands documents for tribal lobbyist's
work (3/30)
Embattled lobbyist signs
deal with another firm (03/25)
Embattled tribal lobbyist gave to Conn.
Congressman (03/10)
Saginaw Chippewa
Tribe hires new lobbying firm (3/9)
McCain begins investigation into high tribal
fees (3/4)
Pueblo governor says $1M
fee to PR firm not worth it (3/3)
McCain calls for investigation into tribal
spending (2/27)
Four tribes spent
$45M on lobbying and PR firms (2/23)
GOP lobbyist scores big with tribes
(04/03)
Embattled tribe gets new
lobbyist (12/13)
Politics
McCain won't get to bottom of lobbyist scandal
Friday, August 26, 2005
Stay Connected
Contact Us
indianz@indianz.com202 630 8439 (THEZ)
Search
Top Stories
Trending in News
1 Tribes rush to respond to new coronavirus emergency created by Trump administration
2 'At this rate the entire tribe will be extinct': Zuni Pueblo sees COVID-19 cases double as first death is confirmed
3 Arne Vainio: 'A great sickness has been visited upon us as human beings'
4 Arne Vainio: Zoongide'iwin is the Ojibwe word for courage
5 Cayuga Nation's division leads to a 'human rights catastrophe'
2 'At this rate the entire tribe will be extinct': Zuni Pueblo sees COVID-19 cases double as first death is confirmed
3 Arne Vainio: 'A great sickness has been visited upon us as human beings'
4 Arne Vainio: Zoongide'iwin is the Ojibwe word for courage
5 Cayuga Nation's division leads to a 'human rights catastrophe'
More Stories
Court rules NIGC has no authority for Class III rules Indian students suspended for having longer hair
News Archive
2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000