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

"U.S. Senate leaders searched for answers Wednesday during a committee hearing about ways to make politically active tribes more accountable for their campaign contributions.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, led six panelists through a discussion on federal election laws and tribal campaign contributions in the wake of a recent lobbying debacle in the nation's capital.

�We're in the midst of a far-reaching influence-buying scandal that was in large part triggered by lobbyist Jack Abramoff and some of his Indian tribal clients,� Larry Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, told the committee. �This has resulted in intense interest of tribes and how they are regulated under the election laws.�

McCain and the panelists agreed transparency was a key to tribal political spending. But views on how to achieve that ranged from leaving the Federal Election Campaign Act alone to making tribes operate as political action committees."

Get the Story:
Panel mulls regulating Indian contributions (The Missoulian 2/9)

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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