Some members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians say Chief Phillip Martin hid political donations and lobbying expenditures from the tribe.

Linda Farve, a council member, says Martin never obtained approval to make political contributions. Other tribal members say Martin never told them how much he was spending on Jack Abramoff and Michael Scanlon, who have since pleaded guilty in a scheme to defraud their tribal clients.

The lack of disclosure is an issue as Congress considers possible legislation that will affect tribal campaign contributions. At a hearing last week, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), the chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and Phil Hogen, the chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission, said tribal members need to know how their money is being spent.

Get the Story:
Tribes' political donations scrutinized (The Jackson Clarion Ledger 2/14)

Relevant Links:
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians - http://www.choctaw.org

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