The National Republican Senatorial Committee released information from the Interior Department that shows Michigan's two Democratic senators tried to help the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, one of Jack Abramoff's former clients.

The NRSC obtained a log of correspondence through the Freedom of Information Act. The log states that Sens. Carl Levin (D) and Debbie Stabenow (D) continued to seek a $3 million school appropriation for the tribe after the Bureau of Indian Affairs ruled the tribe didn't qualify because it was too wealthy.

Abramoff also pushed for the $3 million. Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana), the chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittee, ended up putting the earmark in the 2004 Interior appropriations bill.

The NRSC is releasing the information on the Democrats in hopes of drawing attention away from Burns, who has faced scrutiny over his ties to Abramoff.

The tribe has since returned the $3 million appropriation.

Get the Story:
GOP links tribe funds to Dem sens. (The Hill 4/26)

Saginaw Chippewa Letter:
Dear Congressional Appropriators (April 6, 2006)

Relevant Links:
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe - http://www.sagchip.org
Saginaw Chippewa Member Voices - http://www.sagchipvoices.org

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