Lobbyists, Clients Undeterred by Scandal

"There is a hunting and fishing resort 3 hours south of texas that smith's people expressed an interest in," Rudy wrote on Sept. 21, 2001. It is unclear who "smith's people" are. Abramoff said he did not think he could justify the trip, and Rudy said it would be a "thank you trip for the approps we got." Said Abramoff, "Smith's people didn't get us the approps for Choctaw, but good try! :)"

The issue was not resolved in the e-mail chain because Abramoff said they would "discuss next week."

Rudy could not be reached, but in the past has declined to comment while the matter is under investigation.

E-mail shows some Team Abramoff members were alarmed at some of the practices. In an e-mail to Rudy, Boulanger raised suspicions about a request to clients to contribute $25,000 to the Capital Athletic Foundation, a charity created by Abramoff and used to pay for a trip of a member of Congress and for a sniper school in the Israeli-controlled West Bank.

"What is it? I've never heard of it," Boulanger wrote June 20, 2002.

"It is something our friends are raising money for," Rudy replied.

"I'm sensing shadiness," Boulanger said. "I'll stop asking."

When Rudy forwarded Boulanger's suspicions, Abramoff responded with an expletive. "I did not want you to bring Todd into this!!!"

Boulanger declined to comment Friday.

Vasell also expressed dismay. In June 2001, he e-mailed Abramoff about preparing a bill for the Choctaws. "The bill is a disaster (again)," Vasell wrote, ". . . people's entries compared to time inputted and work performed is a joke."

Abramoff asked about the bill's total, and Vasell replied $120,000. Abramoff asked Vasell to "tell me how much you need me to cover to get the bill up to around $150k."

Vasell replied, "This is a very bad system that I am very uncomfortable with."