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Congressman's anti-gaming push backed by tribe
Friday, October 15, 2004

A Republican Congressman says he didn't know his crusade against a tribal casino in Louisiana was backed by a rival tribe whose lobbyists were Jack Abramoff and Michael Scanlon.

Rep. David Vitter (R-Louisiana) opposed a compact between the state and the Jena Band of Choctaws. He worked with the Committee Against Gambling Expansion to fight the casino.

Vitter says he thought the committee was run by Christian activists opposed to gaming. He didn't know that the Coushatta Tribe funded the group at the behest of public relations consultant Michael Scanlon. Abramoff received a "kickback" of sorts due to his partnership with Scanlon, according to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

Vitter says he would have "thought twice" about working with the committee had he known it was backed by a tribe with a casino.

Get the Story:
Rival tribe aided Vitter in fight against casino (The New Orleans Times-Picayune 10/15)

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