Gaming not on Griles' calendars at Interior
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Filed Under:
Abramoff Scandal
Interior Secretary Gale Norton poses with lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Chief Phillip Martin on February 5, 2005. File Photo DOI.
|
Indian gaming was not a top issue for J. Steven Griles during his three years as second-in-command at the Interior Department, according to a review of his government calendars.
As deputy secretary, Griles served as chief operating officer and had the power to intervene on any matter at the department. But when it came to Indian Country, the calendars show he spent his time on issues like the Cobell trust fund case, trust reform and the proposed nuclear waste dump on the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation in Utah.
The calendars, however, indicate Griles had many opportunities to talk about other Indian issues. He had regular meetings with Bureau of Indian Affairs officials like former assistant secretary Neal McCaleb, who was in charge of gaming, and discussed tribal matters
on a regular basis with former Secretary Gale Norton and her aides, one of whom claimed Griles tried to influence gaming decisions.
The records are also by no means complete or fully accurate -- Griles' November 28, 2001, appearance at the National Congress of American Indians conference in Spokane, Washington, is not listed, for example. And some information is apparently being withheld by Inspector General Earl Devaney, who has been investigating lobbyist contacts at the department.
Nevertheless, the documents are being used by Griles' attorneys to downplay his obstruction of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee's investigation of Jack Abramoff. In hopes of securing a reduced sentence, they acknowledge Griles "was not forthcoming" but argue he never lied about his actual contacts with the convicted lobbyist.
"Moreoever, whatever contacts he had with Mr. Abramoff occurred in the context of his having to deal with thousands of issues as deputy secretary, ranging from the September 11 terrorist attacks, to historic litigation challenging the department's fulfillment of its trust obligations to American Indians, to snowmobiling in Yellowstone National Park," the brief stated.
The Department of Justice paints a different view. In their brief, government attorneys cited a "laundry list" of ways Abramoff secured assistance from Griles on a wide range of Indian issues -- including gaming, land-into-trust and appropriations.
One glaring example occurred on February 5, 2002, the day before a significant trust reform hearing in the House. An entry on Griles' calendar documents a "courtesy call" with Mississippi Choctaw Chief Phillip Martin, Abramoff's biggest tribal client.
What really happened was much different, government lawyers noted. Abramoff ended up bringing Martin to the Interior building for a meeting and photo opportunity with Griles and Norton, an event that never appeared in the calendar.
Abramoff and Martin used the time to lobby Griles to block a land-into-trust request and gaming compact for a rival tribe. A month later, McCaleb at the BIA rejected the compact, and a few months after that, Griles sought to influence the land-into-trust application, according
to the government and one of Norton's aides.
The February 2, 2002, entry isn't the only connection between Griles and Abramoff. The calendar for October 4, 2001, shows a meeting with Kevin Ring -- one of Abramoff's longtime associates -- to discuss "Little CO River Settlement (Black Mesa Mine)."
At the time, Ring was representing the Hopi Tribe of Arizona, whose issues included water and a coal mine operated by Peabody Energy. The tribe ended up firing Ring after he refused to testify before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee about his dealings with Abramoff.
Griles is due to be sentenced next Tuesday by Judge Ellen Huvelle, who is not bound to accept
the sentences being proposed by Griles' attorneys or the government.
Griles Calenders:
July 2001 - February 2002 |
February 2002 - July 2002 |
July 2002 - December 2002 |
December 2002 - July 2003
Related Stories:
Norton gave Griles credit
for trust reform task force (6/19)
Neal
McCaleb defends former DOI colleague (6/18)
Griles set for sentencing in Abramoff scandal
(6/18)
Italia Federici set for guilty
plea for Abramoff (06/08)
Abramoff
investigators want dirt on Norton (06/07)
Italia Federici to plead guilty in Abramoff
probe (06/06)
Griles marries former DOJ
official after guilty plea (04/20)
Griles' seat on federal commission goes unfilled
(4/9)
Norton associate faces charges in
Abramoff scandal (4/5)
Former girlfriend
of Griles a target of investigation (4/3)
House hearing on Lumbee, Virginia recognition
(4/2)
Editorial: Griles deserves tougher
prison sentence (4/2)
The downfall of J.
Steven Griles (3/26)
J. Steven Griles
pleads guilty for lying about Abramoff (3/23)
Griles shares two homes with former DOJ
official (02/15)
Legal Times: Griles hid
romance from investigators (2/6)
Abramoff's old law firm defending Griles (1/25)
Facing charges, Griles resigns from lobbying
firm (1/18)
Facing charges, Griles steps
down from federal panel (1/16)
Griles
told of likely prosecution over Abramoff (1/11)
Griles a target of Abramoff investigation
(1/10)
Griles said to be under scrutiny
in Abramoff probe (11/15)
Abramoff to
report to prison as probe gets hotter (11/14)
Abramoff scandal leaves reforms to tribes, not
Congress (6/23)
Norton protected Griles
after $1M investigation (09/14)
Wayne
Smith fingers Griles as Abramoff 'point man' (6/22)
Abramoff White House visit coincides with Griles
meeting (05/11)
Tribes, states weigh
lawsuits against oil companies (5/8)
Norton denies fraud or major problem with trust
(3/29)
GAO report warns of billions in
lost oil, gas royalties (3/29)
Norton
denies Abramoff played a role in resignation (03/13)
Tribes, states object to Interior's lack of
audits (03/01)
Pombo starts
investigation of DOI royalty program (2/16)
Bush, Democrats oppose $7B royalty giveaway
(2/15)
Interior to give away $7B in oil
and gas royalties (2/14)
Oil companies
fall behind on royalty payments (2/10)
Griles trying hard to avoid Abramoff indictment
(02/08)
Griles arranged for Norton photo
with Abramoff (01/30)
Griles denies
doing favors for Abramoff, tribes (01/09)
In the Loop: Griles attended DOI's Christmas
party (12/16)
Norton refutes alleged
influence of Abramoff (12/15)
Watchdog
group sues DOI over Abramoff documents (12/07)
McCain expects 'lots' of indictments in Abramoff
case (12/05)
Dorgan vows to continue
Abramoff lobbying probe (11/29)
Griles
intervened in Coushatta leadership dispute (11/29)
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)
Salon: Italia Federici a 'minor' Republican
player (11/18)
Campbell denies
relationship with Italia Federici (11/18)
Audio: Italia Federici testifies before Senate
panel (11/17)
Opinion: Something creepy
about Federici's CREA (11/16)
Opinion:
Griles' role in lobbying scandal still a mystery (11/14)
C-SPAN Moment: Putting the screws to Steve
Griles (11/11)
Senate panel sets hearing
for Italia Federici (11/09)
Column:
Where in the world is Italia Federici? (11/07)
Editorial: Steve Griles and the revolving door
(11/04)
Griles, Rossetti to testify on
Coushatta Tribe (11/02)
Griles called to
testify on Abramoff scandal (11/01)
Norton associate to testify at Abramoff hearing
(10/28)
Interior drawn into Senate
committee's lobbying probe (10/26)
Abramoff tried to hire Griles at lobbying firm
(08/29)
Gaming leads to new concerns about
lobbyists (05/26)
Meskwakis gave $50K to
group founded by Norton (04/22)
Griles
fought casino opposed by Abramoff's clients (03/14)
Tribe gave $75K to group founded by Norton
(03/14)
DOI investigates contacts with group
started by Norton (03/03)
Report: Former
Norton organization subpoenaed (3/1)
Tribes gave $175K to group founded by Norton
(2/28)
Bush nominates replacement for
Griles at Interior (02/09)
In the Loop:
Griles forms new lobbying partnership (01/31)
Editorial: Good riddance to J. Steven Griles
(12/20)
Norton to remain on job for second
Bush term (12/10)
Top Interior official
resigns from Bush administration (12/08)
Griles blames controversies on Bush opponents
(12/08)
Report blames lax culture for Griles
ethical 'train wreck' (03/17)
Copyright © Indianz.Com
Subscribe