Rep. Richard Pombo (R-California), the chairman of the House Resources Committee, has used his position to hold hearings and promote legislation on major Indian issues like the trust fund, federal recognition, off-reservation gaming and treaty rights.

He's boosted the Indian affairs staff of the committee and traveled throughout Indian Country. But one issue he isn't touching is the controversy over disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the tribes that were swept up into the scandal.

Democrats on the panel have called for hearings on Abramoff but Pombo said he doesn't "really see the value" of doing so since the Senate Indian Affairs Committee did its investigation. "There hasn't been any interest in serious investigative oversight (even though) you have a very significant public record of the abuse of the tribes, and a misuse of the tribal resources," Rep. George Miller (D-California) told The Fresno Bee.

Pombo has accepted $316,000 from tribes since becoming chairman. Some of the money came from former tribal clients of Abramoff. Pombo donated money that came directly from Abramoff to the Boys and Girls Club on the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota.

Get the Story:
Buying a Congressman (The Fresno Bee 12/19)

Relevant Links:
Rep. Richard Pombo - http://www.house.gov/pombo
House Resources Committee - http://resourcescommittee.house.gov

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