Two former Interior Department officials are slated to testify today about the Coushatta Tribe's involvement in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
Former deputy secretary J. Steven Griles and former counselor Michael Rossetti are on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee's witness list. Both were appointees of President Bush but left the administration to join lobbying firms.
At Interior, Griles tried to stop a casino project that was opposed by the Coushattas. Rossetti claims he challenged Griles about his opposition and that Griles admitted his information probably came from Abramoff.
Also called to testify is Italia Federici, a close associate of Interior Secretary Gale Norton. Federici, the head of a Republican environmental group that was started by Norton, repeatedly contacted Griles and other Interior officials about Abramoff's clients.
However, Federici will not appear due to a scheduling conflict, her lawyer told The New York Times. The lawyer said Federici has been interviewed by federal investigators who are probing Abramoff's lobbying work but that she is not a target.
The Coushatta Tribe spend $32 million on Abramoff and Michael Scanlon, a public relations executive. The leaders who hired Abramoff and Scanlon have since been voted out of office. Former vice chairman William Worfel is scheduled to testify today.
Kevin Sickey, the new chairman, and David Sickey, a council member, are also on the witness list [Link].
The hearing begins at 9:30am. A live video link can be found at http://indian.senate.gov. An audio feed can be found at http://www.capitolhearings.org.
Get the Story:
Senators to Probe Lobbyist's Activities (The Wall Street Journal 11/2)
Probe into Indian lobbying turns to actions by Interior (The Arizona Republic 11/2)
Inquiry on Lobbyist Widens to Senior Officials; Senate Hearing Is Today (The New York Times 11/2)
pwnyt
Norton aide to speak on Abramoff (The Denver Post 11/2)
Gaming probe set to resume today (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 11/2)
pwday
Coushatta tribal leaders to testify in lobbyist probe (AP 11/2)
Former Bush official called to testify in Abramoff hearing Weds.
(Raw Story 11/1)
Relevant Documents:
CREA Memo to
Interior (February 21, 2002)
Relevant Links:
Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy - http://www.crea-online.org/crea
Coushatta
Tribe - http://www.coushattatribela.org
Related Stories:
Griles called to testify on Abramoff scandal
(11/1)
Norton associate to
testify at Abramoff hearing (10/28)
Jack
Abramoff lobbying probe touches DOI (10/26)
Date change for hearing on lobbying scandal
(10/21)
Senate Indian Affairs schedules
lobbying hearing (10/18)
Tribal leader
wants probe of Griles-Abramoff links (08/31)
Abramoff tried to hire Griles at lobbying firm
(08/29)
McCain won't get to bottom of
lobbyist scandal (08/26)
Last Coushatta
ally of Abramoff resigns from council (08/15)
Coushatta Tribe footed DeLay's trip to the
opera (08/12)
New Coushatta leaders
already making changes (06/27)
Committee
report on horizon in tribal lobbying scandal (06/23)
White House told DOI to pay attention to
Abramoff (06/20)
Gaming leads to new
concerns about lobbyists (05/26)
Who's
lobbying who in DC: An Indian law firm (5/23)
Familiar problems aired at recognition hearing
(05/12)
Lobbying Report: National Indian
Gaming Association (05/09)
Lobbying
scandal prompts new look at tribal rules (05/09)
Senate panel urged to move with caution on
gaming (04/28)
Land-into-trust for
gaming under more scrutiny (04/28)
Update: Senate hearing on Indian gaming (04/27)
Group presses NIGC on tribal lobbying
scandal (04/27)
Former DeLay chief of
staff lobbied for NIGA (4/26)
McCain to
address federal recognition concerns (04/22)
One GOP group won't give records to McCain
(04/22)
McCain subpoenas GOP groups linked
to Abramoff (4/21)
Indian lawyer cites
'hostile' atmosphere in Washington (04/15)
Recognition handed to a 'not well informed'
Cason (04/01)
GOP letter to Norton came
after Abramoff sent checks (03/30)
McCain plans to finish hearings on lobbyist scandal
(3/21)
Vitter responsible for
anti-tribal appropriations rider (3/16)
Tribe gave $75K to group founded by Norton
(03/14)
Griles fought casino opposed by
Abramoff's clients (03/14)
DOI
investigates contacts with group started by Norton (03/03)
Report: Former Norton organization subpoenaed
(3/1)
Tribes gave $175K to group founded
by Norton (2/28)
Politics
Griles, Rossetti to testify on Coushatta Tribe
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
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