(Tigua) Tribe wants Abramoff contributions back

[donsu]

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/washington/index.ssf?/base/politics-8/1136601854218700.xml&storylist=washington


The Tigua tribe of El Paso wants campaign contributions it gave while employing disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff returned to the tribe, not given to charity.

Arturo Senclair, governor of the tribe officially known as the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, said Friday that the tribe isn't demanding its donations back but that anyone returning money should check with the Tiguas first.

"It's up to them and their conscience. They've got to live with it," Senclair said. "But if they are going to donate it back to a charity, I'm sure the tribe would rather have it back than the charity, because we could use the money now."

-snip-

Even though he was hired by the Tiguas, Abramoff has admitted he never told the tribe he had also been working with former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed to lobby for closure of the casino. He also admitted to telling the tribe he would work for free, while he was taking half the net profits Scanlon's public relations company he told the tribe to hire.
-snip-
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900 jobs were lost when the casino closed. they need the money back.
Abramoff is such a sleeze

[gulliver]

1. Nominated. Absolutely right.

It really pissed me off when Bush reported turning over a few measly thousand to the American Heart Association. It gave Bush a gold mine of PR, far in excess of the money he gave to the charity, and the money doesn't belong to him. It belongs to the people it was stolen from.

[gulliver]

2. It's not the GOP's money. It's the Indians' money. n/t

[OneTwentyoNine]

3. When the Police catch a bank robber with money do THEY keep it?

Hardly...They should get their OWN money back.

[druidity33]

4. Hope they can sue...

Abramoff and Co. MAKE HIM PENNILESS.

[dooner]

5. no brainer. give them back the money + interest! n/t

[salin]

6. This is the one tribe that gets my support/sympathy in the story

Abramoff, et al - use pressure to close their casino down... then sell themselves as the lobbyists who can get the casino back open, take tons of money - and the casino is never reopened.

The other groups - paid money - in some cases HUGE amounts of money to try to buy certain outcomes from govt. I can't feel overly sympathetic - though I can understand their outrage. However the Tigua story is completely different - Abramoff, et al acted as 'mob' enforcers... we shut you down (though you dont know it) and you have to pay us to try to get back open (and then it fails).