printer friendly version
Griles intervened in Coushatta leadership dispute
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Former Interior deputy secretary J. Steven Griles intervened in a leadership dispute involving one of Jack Abramoff's wealthy tribal clients, Bloomberg News reports.
In February 2004, members of Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana said claimed Lovelin Poncho, an ally of Abramoff, resigned as chairman. Poncho them called Griles, who called Abramoff to talk about the dispute, according to Bloomberg News.
Within a few days, the Bureau of Indian Affairs said Poncho was still the legitimate leader of the tribe. "Griles did it," a lobbyist who worked with Abramoff wrote in a February 13 e-mail.
At a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on November 2, Griles admitted that he spoke to Abramoff about a tribal leadership dispute. He said he may have asked the BIA to do something about it.
Poncho didn't run for re-election in June of this year. A new chairman, who had opposed Abramoff, was elected. Another Abramoff ally failed in his re-election bid.
Get the Story:
Abramoff Sought Bush Officials' Aid in Indian-Tribe Fee Dispute
(Bloomberg News 11/29)
November 17, 2005, Hearing:
Video
|
Documents
November 2, 2005, Hearing:
Video |
Exhibits
|
Senate
Witness List / Testimony
Inspector General Report:
J. Steven Griles
Investigation (March 2004)
From the Indianz.Com Archive:
Norton stripping BIA of trust duties
(November 16, 2001) |
Tribal
leaders in uproar over proposal (November 16, 2001) |
Griles taking lead on trust reform
(November 5, 2001)
Indianz.Com Profile:
Deputy
Secretary: J. Steven Griles (March 9, 2001)
Relevant Links:
Coushatta Tribe -
http://www.coushattatribela.org
Related Stories:
Related Stories:
Second Texas tribe involved in Abramoff
scandal (11/28)
Inside the BIA, according to Jack Abramoff
(11/23)
Plea deal cites members of Congress and another
tribe (11/22)
Scanlon free after guilty plea in tribal
lobbying scheme (11/22)
Charges laid against Scanlon in tribal lobbying
probe (11/21)
Senate committee to continue Abramoff
investigation (11/18)
Four Abramoff associates were asked to
resign (11/17)
Audio: Italia Federici testifies before Senate
panel (11/17)
C-SPAN Moment: Putting the screws to Steve
Griles (11/11)
Report: Griles had repeated contacts with
Abramoff (11/07)
Griles, Rossetti clash at Abramoff hearing
(11/03)
Griles called to testify on Abramoff scandal
(11/1)
Norton associate to testify at
Abramoff hearing (10/28)
Jack Abramoff
lobbying probe touches DOI (10/26)
Tribal leader wants probe of Griles-Abramoff
links (08/31)
Abramoff tried to hire
Griles at lobbying firm (08/29)
McCain won't get to bottom of lobbyist
scandal (08/26)
New Coushatta leaders already making changes
(06/27)
Coushatta Tribe gave millions to
lobbyists, campaigns (6/22)
New
Coushatta chairman hopes to sort out scandal (06/10)
Coushatta Tribe swears in first new chair in 20
years (6/9)
Coushatta Tribe elects
ex-police chief as chairman (6/6)
Abramoff supporter in running for Coushatta chair
(5/30)
Coushatta tribal member went on
DeLay golf outing (05/06)
Coushatta
Tribe sues Abramoff, Scanlon in state court (04/22)
Coushatta Tribe hires law firm linked to DeLay
(03/18)
Griles fought casino opposed by Abramoff's
clients (03/14)
Coushatta Tribe sues ex-lobbyists
for $32M (11/17)
Coushatta Tribe to sue
lobbyists for $32M (10/4)
Coushattas
used lobbyists to spy on tribes, critics (09/13)
Senate hearing on tribal lobbying probe set
(8/26)
Coushatta member threatened over
recall effort (08/09)
Coushatta Tribe's
lobbying records subpoenaed (07/23)
GOP
strategist denies secretly taking tribal money (7/15)
Tribal money secretly funneled to GOP
strategist (06/25)
Busy Indian Affairs
Committee hits snag on big issues (06/17)
Indian Affairs Committee activity this week
(6/15)
Indian Country awaits outcome of
lobbying probe (05/18)
Coushatta
treasurer accuses NIGC of lax oversight (04/12)
Coushatta leaders used tribal money to pay
lobbyists (4/8)
Coushatta Tribe paid
$32M to lobbyist Jack Abramoff (4/6)
McCain begins investigation into high tribal
fees (3/4)
McCain calls for
investigation into tribal spending (2/27)
Four tribes spent $45M on lobbying and PR firms
(2/23)
Copyright © 2000-2005 Indianz.Com
