Column: Grassley, Abramoff and Meskwaki Tribe

Monday, February 26, 2007  

"The ghost of jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff reached out and touched Sen. Charles Grassley recently, and Grassley didn't appreciate it.

The comment about the tribes goes back to a long-running internal dispute in 2003 over who controlled the Meskwaki casino in Iowa. The conflict at one point resulted in an economically disastrous shutdown of the Tama operation.

Grassley has always maintained he did not take sides but urged the Department of the Interior to step in and resolve the dispute.

There's more. The lobbying firm with which Abramoff was associated represented the winning faction, and the Iowa tribe paid the firm $1.2 million in fees in just two years.

Grassley received a $1,000 campaign contribution from Abramoff, and overall his campaign committee and political action committee received $46,000 from Abramoff, members of his lobbying team and tribes he represented.

Grassley has denied any improprieties in connection with these contributions, and has said his only contact with Abramoff was for five minutes during a fundraising reception."

Get the Story:
Jane Norman: Grassley objects to Abramoff article claims (The Des Moines Register 2/25)

Senate Finance Committee Democratic Report:
Text Only | Response to Democratic Staff | Investigation of Jack Abramoff's Use of Tax-Exempt Organizations (October 12, 2006) Note: 18.3MB file may be slow to load.

Senate Finance Committee Materials:
Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy | Americans for Tax Reform | National Center for Public Policy Research | Citizens Against Government Waste | Toward Tradition | News Article Clippings

House Government Reform Committee Documents:
Report | Billing Records Spreadsheet | Attachment 1 | Attachment 2 | Press Release

Senate Indian Affairs Committee Abramoff Report:
'GIMME FIVE' INVESTIGATION OF TRIBAL LOBBYING MATTERS (June 2006)

Exhibits:
Pre-2001 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | Undated | Finance

Related Stories:
Campbell: Tribes 'sidetracked' by Abramoff scandal (1/30)
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Nonprofits part of Abramoff's tribal lobbying scheme (10/13)
Nonprofits did Abramoff's bidding for cut of cash (10/13)
Abramoff lobbied White House on behalf of tribes (10/02)
Appeals court won't rehear Meskwaki election case (05/26)
Meskwaki Tribe election appeal dismissed by court (03/06)
Meskwaki Tribe ordered to reconsider critic's case (02/27)
Meskwaki members fear disenrollment from tribe (01/27)
Meskwaki faction paid $1.2M to Abramoff's firm (01/16)
Meskwaki Tribe working with ex-Abramoff associate (09/07)
Meskwakis gave $50K to group founded by Norton (04/22)
Tribe gave $75K to group founded by Norton (03/14)
DOI investigates contacts with group started by Norton (03/03)
Lawsuit over Meskwaki Tribe's leadership dismissed (03/03)
Vitter denies helping Abramoff's former client (03/02)
Report: Former Norton organization subpoenaed (3/1)
Tribes gave $175K to group founded by Norton (2/28)
Lawsuit over Meskwaki Tribe's leadership dismissed (03/03)
Meskwaki Tribe starts court to resolve internal disputes (09/06)
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BIA reaffirms result of Meskwaki Tribe's election (12/19)
Meskwaki Tribe confirms delay in casino re-opening (11/20)
Bank wants court to rule on Meskwaki Tribe's funds (11/17)
Meskwaki voters replace four who were recalled (11/06)
Ousted Meskwaki leader claims election is illegal (10/28)
BIA to recognize results of Meskwaki election (10/22)
Another vote set for Meskwaki Tribe leadership (10/21)
Bear faction takes most votes in Meskwaki primary (10/16)
BIA will look at two Meskwaki Tribe elections (10/15)
Location of Meskwaki Tribe primary in dispute (10/13)
Meskwaki members nominate nine for recall (10/08)
Meskwaki factions still far apart on leadership (10/3)
Confusion reigns as Meskwaki takeover fails (10/2)
Elected Meskwaki council tries to retake casino (10/1)
Meskwakis using federal funds to pay attorneys (9/16)
Meskwaki casino shutdown extended by NIGC (9/12)
Appeals court sides with NIGC on casino shutdown (08/28)
Iowa county says it will evict Meskwaki rivals (08/18)
DOI judge says Meskwaki casino should reopen (08/13)
BIA calls on Meskwaki Tribe to hold recall election (08/06)
Meskwaki factions ask court to reopen casino (07/25)
Meskwaki factions and NIGC head to court on casino (7/24)
Appeals court holding hearing on Meskwaki casino (07/09)
Meskwaki dispute centers on recall petitions (7/7)
Meskwaki faction agrees to create election board (7/3)
Meskwaki faction votes to oust law firm (6/27)
Meskwaki faction says BIA agreed to election (6/23)
DOI meeting with Meskwaki Tribe canceled (6/20)
DOI to discuss Meskwaki leadership dispute (6/19)
Editorial: Don't interfere in tribal affairs (6/19)
Meskwaki faction wants to fire rival law firm (6/10)
8th Circuit court won't reopen Meswaki casino (05/30)
8th Circuit reviewing Meskwaki casino shutdown (5/28)
BIA won't recognize Meskwaki Tribe election (5/27)
Federal marshals close Meskwaki Tribe's casino (5/23)
Meskwaki voters asked to choose new leaders (5/22)
Meskwaki voters urged to vote for new council (5/21)
NIGC asks court to close Meskwaki Tribe's casino (5/20)
Judge calls for receivership for Meskwaki funds (5/19)
Meskwaki casino stays open during leadership spat (5/15)
NIGC orders Meskwaki Tribe to close casino (5/14)
State threatens Meskwaki compact over dispute (5/9)
Meskwaki factions can't agree on discussions (5/8)
Talks between Meskwaki leaders break down (5/6)
Meskwaki Tribe works to resolve dispute (5/5)
NIGC says Meskwaki Tribe in violation of IGRA (5/1)
Meskwaki leadership dispute continues (4/30)
Editorial: NIGC should interfere in tribal dispute (04/24)
NIGC threatens to close Meskwaki Tribe's casino (4/23)
Meskwaki leadership dispute won't affect payroll (4/18)
Federal judge won't intervene in Meskwaki dispute (4/16)
Meskwaki Tribe undergoing leadership struggle (4/10)
Meskwaki tribal council removed and replaced (03/27)