A Jackpot From Indian Gaming Tribes

Donations Recommended

In addition to recommending political contributions, Abramoff advised the tribes to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to groups whose connection to Indian issues is unclear, according to tribe members. One of those, American International Center (AIC), described itself on its Web site as an "international think tank" that "seeks to expand the parameters of international discourse in an effort to leverage the combined power of world intellect."

The Coushatta audit cited by the Louisiana paper found that AIC received $566,000 in tribal funds. The AIC address listed in Delaware corporate records is a property owned by Scanlon in Rehoboth Beach. AIC's telephone has been disconnected. Reports filed in Congress show that AIC was one of Greenberg Traurig's biggest lobbying clients from 2001 to 2003, paying the law firm fees totaling $1.5 million.

Abramoff declined to comment, citing client confidentiality both for the tribes and AIC. He also declined to comment on a $25,000 donation that tribe documents show the Saginaw Chippewas made to the Capital Athletic Foundation, a local charity he supports.

Tribes have given to two political organizations associated with Norquist; one of the groups, the Council for Republican Environmental Advocacy, was founded by Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton, whose department oversees Indian affairs. Norton is no longer part of the organization. Abramoff said he recommends that tribes contribute to conservative groups.

PR Executive's Background

Scanlon was still paying off student loans when he left his job as a DeLay press spokesman to join the lobbying world of K Street three years ago, court records show. He worked with Abramoff first at the Preston Gates law firm, then followed him to Greenberg Traurig, where he was a registered lobbyist for the Coushattas before establishing two public affairs firms, Capital Campaign Strategies and Scanlon-Gould Public Affairs. The address on company correspondence is a mail drop on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Property and divorce records reveal that Scanlon or his companies have purchased at least $14 million worth of real estate since 2001 , including a $6.3 million Delaware office park and a seaside mansion in Rehoboth Beach that he bought for $4.7 million in cash. In 2002, he took a $17,000-a-month apartment at the Ritz Carlton in Washington's West End.

Abramoff said in an interview that he does not have an ownership interest in any of Scanlon's firms. He refused to discuss his business dealings with Scanlon, or respond to tribal members' assertions that he advised the tribes to hire Scanlon. In an interview attended by five colleagues from Greenberg Traurig, Abramoff said the firm has no official ties to Scanlon's companies.

"In terms of Mike or any other third party, the firm does not have any formal relationship to my knowledge with any third-party vendor used by any of the tribes for some of their activities," he said.

Scanlon's companies are incorporated in Delaware, where privacy laws shield corporations from disclosing ownership.

Asked whether Greenberg Traurig knew of Abramoff's work with Scanlon, Jill Perry, a spokeswoman for the law firm, said: "At this time we have no comment."

Sprague, a Saginaw Chippewa tribal council member, and David Otto, a former member, contend that in 2001, before Scanlon was hired, his firm provided mailings for council members facing election.

"Michael Scanlon's company sent out election mailers to tribal members promoting the election of the 'Slate of Eight,' " said Otto, who was on the slate. "It was kind of like, 'We'll do this for you, and we'll talk about -- once you get in office -- doing work for you.'"

Federal law bars the use of tribe resources for election campaigns. "If we have evidence that the fees are for activities that benefit individuals rather than the tribe as a whole, we would investigate that as a possible misuse of gaming revenues," said Alan Fedman, director of enforcement for the National Indian Gaming Commission.

Research editor Margot Williams contributed to this report.