The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians deny the tribe spent $13 million to help elect Alabama Gov. Bob Riley (R).

A tribal leader told the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that Choctaw Chief Phillip Martin spent the money in order to protect the tribe's gaming interests. Riley opposes the expansion of gaming.

But the tribe says the claim is wrong. The belief that the tribe could or would make such a huge expenditure without the existence of any authorization of record of the transaction is absurd if not insulting," a spokesperson said

The tribe, however, did spent at least $5.2 million to oppose gaming initiatives in Alabama and Mississippi. The money was funneled through various groups to mask the tribe's involvement. It ended up in the pockets of conservative Christian activist Ralph Reed, an avowed opponent of gaming.

Get the Story:
Choctaws deny donating to Alabama governor race (The Biloxi Sun Herald 6/30)
Choctaws deny $13 million claim (AP 6/30)

Senate Indian Affairs Committee Abramoff Report:
�GIMME FIVE�� INVESTIGATION OF TRIBAL LOBBYING MATTERS (June 2006)

Exhibits:
Pre-2001 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | Undated | Finance

Misisssippi Choctaw/DOI Letters:
Chief Martin/Jim Cason Correspondence

Relevant Links:
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians - http://www.choctaw.org
Read About Reed - http://www.readaboutreed.com
Stop Ralph Reed - http://www.stopralphreed.com
Ralph Reed - http://www.ralphreed.com
Century Strategies - http://www.censtrat.com

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