Human Events Online, a conservative publication, asks members of Congress a hot political question: Should the tribal donation "loophole" be closed? Reporter Amanda B. Carpenter got some rather interesting answers out of several senators and a couple of congressmen.

Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Delaware) said: "I didn�t even know it existed. I�d have to think about it."

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-New York) responded: "I don�t know anything about that, I�ll have to look into it. You�re the first person that�s ever asked me that."

Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colorado) said: "It seems to me that if we have rules for the political process for our nation then everyone that would participate in that political process should abide by the same set of rules."

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) had a simple answer when asked if tribal donations should be subject to certain limits. "Yes. I think it should," he said.

Rep. John Shadegg (R-Arizona), who unsuccessfully ran for House majority leader, was the only one to say tribes were "victimized" in the Jack Abramoff scandal. "I don�t think we should put Indian tribes under more strict rules than everybody else, and I don�t think they be under more lenient rules than anybody else," he said.

Sen. David Vitter (D-Louisiana) claimed to have an inside tack. "I am literally just coming back from a meeting with Sen. McCain about all sorts of Indian gambling and reform issues, and we talked about that," he said. He said some sort of limit to tribal donations will "certainly" be included in lobbying reform legislation.

Get the Story:
Q&A With Senators: Should the Indian-Contributions Loophole in McCain-Feingold Be Closed? (Human Events 2/6)

Earlier Human Events Article:
McCain's Law Preserved Loophole for Tribal Contributions (Human Events Online January 29, 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:
PoliticalMoneyLine - http://www.politicalmoneyline.com
Center for Responsive Politics - http://www.opensecrets.org

Related Stories:
Campbell says Abramoff shouldn't stop lobbying (2/3)
Tex Hall worried Abramoff scandal may hurt tribes (2/3)
Tribal political donation 'loophole' on the radar (2/2)
Tribal political donations at issue in Washington (1/31)
Republicans seek to close tribal donation 'loophole' (1/31)
Pombo has accepted more than $500K from tribes (1/30)
Bush won't release photos he took with Abramoff (1/27)
Tim Johnson: Don't tar tribes with Abramoff scandal (1/24)
McCain: A 'bipartisan' scandal in Washington (1/23)
Reform, gaming on agenda for members of Congress (1/20)
NIGA shies from Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal (1/19)
Bush mum on Abramoff contacts with White House (1/18)
Abramoff scandal claims another casualty (1/16)
Abramoff scandal a hot topic at gaming conference (1/13)
Abramoff pleads guilty in Washington lobbying scandal (01/04)
Burns to return $150K in Abramoff donations (12/16)
Bush discusses Abramoff tribal lobbying scandal (12/15)
McCain set to introduce lobbying reforms (12/15)
Coushatta Tribe made $330K in donations on same day (12/7)
McCain expects 'lots' of indictments over Abramoff (12/5)
Changes in tribal lobbying tactics discussed (12/5)
Dorgan vows to continue Abramoff lobbying probe (11/29)
Another Texas tribe involved in lobbying scandal (11/28)
Inside the BIA, according to Jack Abramoff (11/24)
Plea deal raises more questions about scandal (11/24)
Plea deal raises more questions about scandal (11/22)
Scanlon free to cooperate in lobbying probe (11/22)
Scanlon pleads guilty in lobbying probe (11/21)
Abramoff lobbying inquiry far from over (11/18)
Jack Abramoff lobbying probe touches DOI (10/26)
Pombo has received $90K from tribes this year (10/20)
Pombo collected $40K from tribes so far this year (04/25)
FEC ruling separates tribes from their businesses (03/14)
Pombo took $5K from tribe with bill before committee (07/19)
Pombo accepts money from tribes, tribal lobbyists (06/22)