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Editorial: Who do you work for, Senator Burns?
Friday, March 4, 2005
"Sen. Conrad Burns is in the spotlight this week after the Washington Post reported the Montana Republican helped funnel to a wealthy Indian tribe in Michigan $3 million from a federal program intended to help rebuild rundown Indian schools.
Our first question was what's a member of Montana's three-person congressional delegation doing milking $3 million out of the government - that is, taxpayers - for people in Michigan, a state with two senators and 15 congressmen? Can't they do their own heavy lifting?
We're not naive. We know Congress works on a you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours basis. So Burns does his pals from Michigan a favor. Maybe he picks up a few chits he can call in sometime on our behalf.
But we're not naive enough to believe that Abramoff's contributions and his staff-swapping with Burns aren't a factor in this matter. Say what you will about the senator, he certainly knows who's writing $137,000 worth of checks for his political committee - and why. Clients don't pay lobbyists out of charity, and lobbyists don't contribute to politicians out of altruism."
Get the Story:
Editorial: Remember for whom you work, Sen. Burns
(The Missoulian 3/4)
Relevant Links:
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe -
http://www.sagchip.org
Saginaw Chippewa Voices -
http://www.scitmembervoices.com
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Burns looking into Abramoff ties, Dorgan denies
link (3/2)
Burns, Dorgan backed
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Tribal lobbying scandal hurts ex-Abramoff firm
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Sag Chip recall targets
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High-priced lobbyist scam linked to lawmakers
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Documents detail lobbyists' role in
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Saginaw Chippewa leader who paid
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Saginaw Chippewa Tribe wonders where $14M went
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Saginaw Chippewa Tribe hires new
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GOP
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Embattled tribe gets has new
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