Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff tried to get his lobbying firm to hire former Interior deputy secretary J. Steven Griles, The Washington Post reports.
The negotiations occurred in late 2003, just as the Interior Department was considering a casino proposed by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians. Abramoff fought the casino because it would compete with the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, one of his wealthy clients.
Abramoff told associates that Griles was "committed" to blocking the casino, The Post reported. Abramoff used Italia Federici, the president of a Republican group, to relay messages about the project to Griles, the paper said.
Griles didn't make any decisions on the project, a spokesperson at his new lobbying firm said. He formed a partnership with former U.S. Rep. George R. Nethercutt (R-Washington), and White House national energy policy director Andrew D. Lundquist. Their clients include the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma, according to Senate records [Registration Form].
The contacts between Abramoff and Interior are being investigated by the Interior Department's Inspector General and a federal task force for possible conflict-of-interest violations.
Griles was previously investigated for contacts with former lobbying clients.
Get the Story:
Abramoff Cited Aid Of Interior Official
(The Washington Post 8/28)
pwpwd
Lobbyist referred to aid from Interior official (The Arizona Republic 8/29)
Inspector General Report:
J. Steven Griles
Investigation (March 2004)
From the Indianz.Com Archive:
Norton stripping BIA of trust duties
(November 16, 2001) | Tribal
leaders in uproar over proposal (November 16, 2001) | Griles taking lead on trust reform
(November 5, 2001)
Indianz.Com Profile:
Deputy
Secretary: J. Steven Griles (3/9)
Related Stories:
McCain won't get to bottom of lobbyist
scandal (08/26)
Griles fought casino opposed by Abramoff's
clients (03/14)
Bush nominates replacement for Griles at
Interior (02/09)
In the Loop: Griles forms new lobbying
partnership (01/31)
Editorial: Good riddance to J. Steven Griles
(12/20)
Norton to remain on job for second Bush term
(12/10)
Top Interior official resigns from
Bush administration (12/08)
Griles
blames controversies on Bush opponents (12/08)
Report blames lax culture for Griles ethical 'train
wreck' (03/17)
Bush
strategy assumes no trust mismanagement (11/05)
Court challenges move to 'extinguish'
rights (11/04)
Judge
rejects Norton's 'absurd' accounting claim (09/23)
Griles nearly perjured himself
(9/18)
White House
embroiled in trust fund mess (07/31)
House clears DOI budget bill
(7/18)
Griles slammed for
ignorance (7/12)
Norton's
accounting funds limited (6/28)
Griles can't explain trust standards
(6/27)
Recusal didn't bar
Griles involvement (5/27)
Bush administration bets on
accounting (3/18)
Politics
Abramoff tried to hire Griles at lobbying firm
Monday, August 29, 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
Harjo: We can prove that Native people ate corn Yellow Bird: Becoming a nation of cell phone heads
News Archive
2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000