An Internet ad from Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rick Noriega accuses Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) of doing the bidding of jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

When he was attorney general of Texas, Cornyn went to court to shut down the casinos operated by the Tigua Tribe and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe. Abramoff's associates were lobbying state officials to close the casinos in order to limit competition for Abramoff's tribal clients.

Cornyn denied any wrongdoing and said the issue "was heavily looked at" by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee during its investigation of Abramoff. However, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), who was chairman of the committee at the time, declined to look into the actions of fellow lawmakers such as Cornyn, or of the Abramoff associate -- Christian Republican activist Ralph Reed -- who was part of the Texas lobbying effort.

In the Senate, Cornyn has held up a slew of Indian bills through the Senate Republican Steering Committee.

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Cornyn cries foul on Noriega ad linking him to Abramoff (AP 10/28)