The Meskawki Tribe of Iowa is still working with a former associate of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

One faction of the tribe hired Greenberg Traurig, Abramoff's old firm, in the midst of a leadership dispute. The faction worked with Michael Smith, and was urged to contribute $50,000 to the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, a group under investigation for its contacts with the Interior Department. The group's predecessor was founded by Secretary Gale Norton.

The faction ended up being recognized as the legitimate leadership. The tribe then dropped Greenberg Traurig amid the Abramoff lobbying scandal and hired Cornerstone Government Affairs. Smith took a job with the new firm in June, The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reported.

According to Senate records, the "SAC AND FOX TRIBE OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN IOWA" paid Smith and his colleagues at Cornerstone $80,000 from January 1-June 30, 2005 [Mid-Year Report].

In 2003, the "SAC FOX NATION MESKWAKI TRIBE" paid Smith and his colleagues at Greenberg Traurig $140,000 from January 1-June 30 [Mid-Year Report] and $300,000 from July 1-December 31 [Year-End Report].

In 2004, the "SAC FOX NATION MESKWAKI TRIBE" paid Smith and Greenberg Traurig $340,000 from January 1-June 30 [Mid-Year Report] and $420,000 from July 1-December 31 [Year-End Termination].

All figures are rounded to the nearest $20,000.

Separately, the tribe paid lobbyist Tom Jochum $252,000 from June 2004-June 2005, according to the the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

Get the Story:
Attorney continues legal battle in Meskwaki leadership dispute (The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier 9/6)
Groups pay $8.9 million to lobby in Iowa (The Sioux City Journal 9/7)

Relevant Links:
Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy - http://www.crea-online.org/crea

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