Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff raised $30,000 for Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Virginia), who is being mentioned as a potential running mate for Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona).

As chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, McCain investigated Abramoff's tribal lobbying activities. But he did not look into the actions of his Capitol Hill colleagues like Cantor.

Cantor has denied any wrongdoing but he wrote a letter to then-Interior secretary Gale Norton that warned of reservation shopping after receiving Abramoff's contributions. As a Republican leader in the House, Cantor helped insert language in the 2004 Interior appropriations bill that criticized off-reservation gaming.

The letter was drafted by one of Abramoff's associates and the language criticized one of the tribes that Abramoff's other tribal clients opposed.

Get the Story:
Cantor As VP Fuels Buzz, Skepticism (The Jewish Week 8/7/)

Related Stories:
Potential McCain VP pick has ties to Abramoff (8/6)
Republican leader defends letter to Gale Norton (6/10)
GOP letter to Norton came after Abramoff sent checks (03/30)
Vitter responsible for anti-tribal appropriations rider (3/16)
Tribes ride fine line on Interior budget bill (11/6)