Commentary: The revolving door in Washington

Wednesday, March 28, 2007  

"Last week former Deputy Interior Secretary Steven Griles pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice after admitting that he lied to Senate investigators about his relationship with Jack Abramoff. According to an account in the New York Times, prosecutors said that Abramoff had “sought and received” advice from Griles on behalf of his Indian tribe clients; the newspaper also produced an email in which Abramoff referred to Griles as “our guy” at the Interior Department—“the one who gets everything done.”

Though unrelated to the Abramoff case, an inspector general's report from 2004 described Griles's entire tenure at Interior as an “ethical quagmire.” Previously an oil and gas lobbyist, Griles became a chief architect for the Bush Administration's energy policies, and his friends occasionally benefited in the process. For example, his former lobbying client Advanced Power Technologies won $2 million in contracts from the Interior Department when he was at the helm, and Griles also pressed the EPA to support a plan, developed by six other former clients, to drill for oil in Wyoming and Montana. Upon leaving the public sector, Griles formed a lobbying firm called Lundquist, Nethercutt & Griles with former White House National Energy Policy Director Andrew Lundquist and retired Congressman George Nethercutt. The firm's clients included the American Petroleum Institute, BP, Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation, and CONSOL Energy Inc. (and that covers only the first three letters of the alphabet).

The “revolving door” is not unique to this administration, but it's been spinning like a pinwheel since Bush took office. Top officials involved in energy policy are among those who have moved through it with particular alacrity and profitability, which is no surprise given the administration's pro-industry stance."

Get the Story:
Ken Silverstein: Meet the Revolvers (Harper's Magazine 3/28)

Relevant Documents:
DOJ Press Release | Charge of Information | Plea Agreement | Statement of Facts | Earl Devaney Statement

November 2, 2005, Hearing:
Transcript | Webcast | Testimony

Cobell Declarations:
November 15, 2001 | June 4, 2002

Inspector General Report:
J. Steven Griles Investigation (March 2004)

From the Indianz.Com Archive:
Norton stripping BIA of trust duties (November 16, 2001) | Tribal leaders in uproar over proposal (November 16, 2001) | Griles taking lead on trust reform (November 5, 2001)

Indianz.Com Profile:
Deputy Secretary: J. Steven Griles (3/9)

Related Stories:
The downfall of J. Steven Griles (3/26)
J. Steven Griles pleads guilty for lying about Abramoff (3/23)
Griles shares two homes with former DOJ official (02/15)
Legal Times: Griles hid romance from investigators (2/6)
Abramoff's old law firm defending Griles (1/25)
Facing charges, Griles resigns from lobbying firm (1/18)
Facing charges, Griles steps down from federal panel (1/16)
Griles told of likely prosecution over Abramoff (1/11)
Griles a target of Abramoff investigation (1/10)
Griles said to be under scrutiny in Abramoff probe (11/15)
Abramoff to report to prison as probe gets hotter (11/14)
Norton protected Griles after $1M investigation (09/14)
Wayne Smith fingers Griles as Abramoff 'point man' (6/22)
Abramoff White House visit coincides with Griles meeting (05/11)
Tribes, states weigh lawsuits against oil companies (5/8)
Norton denies fraud or major problem with trust (3/29)
GAO report warns of billions in lost oil, gas royalties (3/29)
Norton denies Abramoff played a role in resignation (03/13)
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Oil companies fall behind on royalty payments (2/10)
Griles trying hard to avoid Abramoff indictment (02/08)
Griles arranged for Norton photo with Abramoff (01/30)
Griles denies doing favors for Abramoff, tribes (01/09)
In the Loop: Griles attended DOI's Christmas party (12/16)
Norton refutes alleged influence of Abramoff (12/15)
Watchdog group sues DOI over Abramoff documents (12/07)
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Griles intervened in Coushatta leadership dispute (11/29)
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Plea deal cites members of Congress and another tribe (11/22)
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Salon: Italia Federici a 'minor' Republican player (11/18)
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Audio: Italia Federici testifies before Senate panel (11/17)
Opinion: Something creepy about Federici's CREA (11/16)
Opinion: Griles' role in lobbying scandal still a mystery (11/14)
C-SPAN Moment: Putting the screws to Steve Griles (11/11)
Senate panel sets hearing for Italia Federici (11/09)
Column: Where in the world is Italia Federici? (11/07)
Editorial: Steve Griles and the revolving door (11/04)
Griles, Rossetti clash at Abramoff hearing (11/3)
Griles, Rossetti to testify on Coushatta Tribe (11/02)
Griles called to testify on Abramoff scandal (11/01)
Norton associate to testify at Abramoff hearing (10/28)
Interior drawn into Senate committee's lobbying probe (10/26)
Abramoff tried to hire Griles at lobbying firm (08/29)
Gaming leads to new concerns about lobbyists (05/26)
Meskwakis gave $50K to group founded by Norton (04/22)
Griles fought casino opposed by Abramoff's clients (03/14)
Tribe gave $75K to group founded by Norton (03/14)
DOI investigates contacts with group started by Norton (03/03)
Report: Former Norton organization subpoenaed (3/1)
Tribes gave $175K to group founded by Norton (2/28)
Bush nominates replacement for Griles at Interior (02/09)
In the Loop: Griles forms new lobbying partnership (01/31)
Editorial: Good riddance to J. Steven Griles (12/20)
Norton to remain on job for second Bush term (12/10)
Top Interior official resigns from Bush administration (12/08)
Griles blames controversies on Bush opponents (12/08)
Report blames lax culture for Griles ethical 'train wreck' (03/17)
Bush strategy assumes no trust mismanagement (11/05)
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Judge rejects Norton's 'absurd' accounting claim (09/23)
Griles nearly perjured himself (9/18)
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Griles slammed for ignorance (7/12)
Norton's accounting funds limited (6/28)
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