AP: DeLay staffers attempted to help controversial lobbyist

[Jon8503]

Thursday, November 3, 2005; Posted: 1:00 p.m. EST (18:00 GMT)


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Tom DeLay's staff tried to help lobbyist Jack Abramoff win access to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, an effort that succeeded after Abramoff's Indian tribe clients began funneling a quarter-million dollars to an environmental group founded by Norton.

"Do you think you could call that friend and set up a meeting," then-DeLay staffer Tony Rudy wrote to fellow House aide Thomas Pyle in a December 29, 2000, e-mail titled "Gale Norton-Interior Secretary." President Bush had nominated Norton to the post the day before. Rudy wrote Abramoff that same day promising he had "good news" about securing a meeting with Norton, forwarding information about the environmental group Norton had founded, according to e-mails obtained by investigators and reviewed by The Associated Press. Rudy's message to Abramoff was sent from Congress' official e-mail system.

Within months, Abramoff clients donated heavily to the Norton-founded group and the lobbyist and one of the tribes he represented won face-to-face time with the secretary during a September 24, 2001, dinner sponsored by the group she had founded. Abramoff's clients were trying to stop a rival Indian tribe from winning Interior Department approval to build a casino.

DeLay, who has temporarily stepped aside as House majority leader because of criminal charges in Texas, eventually signed a letter with other GOP House leaders to Norton on behalf of Abramoff's clients, records show.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/03/delay.indiantribes.ap/index.html

[louis-t]

1. Watched hearings on C-Span

Griles was sweating like a pig and stammering. His face seemed to turn redder at times. Maybe every time he lied?

[texpatriot2004]

2. Griles really seemed nervous, and was obviously LYING. nm

[CottonBear]

3. The plot thickens. Norton founded a "conservative environmental group."

That mean it's anti-environment. Norton is pure evil.