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Rep. Wilson: DOJ Hasn't Contacted Me On Abramoff
Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) put out a statement last night in response to our report that, according to a federal indictment, her office played a role in the corruption scheme headed by now-jailed ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
TPMmuckraker reported yesterday that excerpts from emails included in the indictment of Kevin Ring, a former Abramoff crony, identify a Wilson staffer as being actively involved in helping Abramoff's lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig, retain its contract with the Sandia Pueblo Indian tribe. We also noted that a member of Ring's lobbying team -- likely Abramoff himself -- believed he had the power to influence Rep. Wilson's decisions with regard to a land deal the tribe was seeking, according to the email excerpts, and that the Wilson staffer received tickets to an LA Clippers basketball game from Ring.
In response, Rep. Wilson says in her statement:
I was completely unaware until today of any former staffer's e-mails ... I have not been contacted by the Department of Justice about this matter at any time..Regarding the March 2003 e-mails between two rogue lobbyists concerning whether they would continue to be retained by the Pueblo, I am not sure whether to be amused or offended that they were operating under the delusion that I would help them retain their contract, or that losing their contract would hurt the Pueblo's longstanding relationship with me. As my constituents, I represent the Pueblo regardless of who they hire to represent them. At no time did I take any action on behalf of Greenberg Traurig with Sandia Pueblo
In reference to the Clippers tickets, the statement adds: "We have very strict rules in our office on gifts -- including tickets to events. We train our staff about House ethics rules and we enforce those rules up to and including dismissal."
Josh
Zachary
"I have not been contacted by the Department of Justice about this matter at any time".
What a surprise!
September 10, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I hope this POS goes down the tubes for her risdiculos positions and dirty tricks...
September 10, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
After listening to her insist that the US relations with European countries is just fine it is not surprising that she would issue a statement like this.
September 10, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
It wish my rep would deny the assertions in the email rather than talk around it.
So what? This is not the same as denying the authenticity of the email, or knowledge about the facts revealed by the email. Actually they believed that a staffer would help them by expressing a favorable opinion of GT. Is this also delusional? Of course she didn't act on their behalf - neither she nor her staffer is their employee. Was her staffer at the meeting mentioned in the email, and did the staffer make statements that benefit GT as the email indicated they would?All that said, Wilson might really have believed it was in her constituents' interests give a favorable (and perhaps truthful) opinion of the lobbyists' performance. If it weren't for the tickets, this wouldn't be much beyond (slimy) business as usual.
September 10, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink