Senate Indian Affairs Committee Oversight hearing on Indian Tribes and the Federal Election Campaign Act, February 8, 2006. � Introduction - 3:43 - 872kb � Panel I - 23:18 - 5.3MB | Q&A - 31:03 - 7.1MB • Panel II - 20:59 - 4.8MB | Q&A - 27:58 - 6.4MB � Witness List | Webcast

Leaders of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin are speaking out against efforts to restrict the political activities of tribes.

Ernie Stevens Jr, a tribal council member and chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, said tribes are being unfairly targeted in the wake of the Abramoff scandal. Kevin Cornelius, the tribe's legislative affairs director, said tribes are being punished for exercising the same rights as other Americans.

"That's pretty scary," he told The Green Bay Press Gazette.

Members of Congress are considering bills to impose a cap on tribal political donations, restrict land-into-trust proposals, impose a moratorium on new casino projects and change lobbying rules affecting tribes. All the efforts are being driven, in part, by the Abramoff scandal but also due to controversy over the expansion of the $19 billion tribal casino industry.

Get the Story:
Oneidas defend lobbying (The Green Bay Press Gazette 2/13)

FEC Advisory:
Indian Tribes (February 2, 2006)

Federal Elections Commission Opinions:
Advisory Opinion 1999-32 (January 28, 2000) | Advisory Opinion 2000-05 (May 15, 2000) | Advisory Opinion 2005-01 (March 14, 2005)

More Advisory Opinion 2005-01 Documents:
Advisory Opinion Draft A and Draft B | Tribe's Request for Advisory Opinion

Relevant Links:
Federal Election Commission - http://www.fec.gov
PoliticalMoneyLine - http://www.politicalmoneyline.com
Center for Responsive Politics - http://www.opensecrets.org

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