Reid took lobbyist’s donation

Friday, June 3, 2005 | 10:42 a.m.

SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., received $40,500 from six Indian tribes that hired controversial lobbyist Jack Abramoff to advance their gaming interests, according to document reviews by the Washington Post.

Abramoff, who is under federal investigation for allegedly overcharging the tribes and misusing money, directed the tribes to give money to key lawmakers as part of a lobbying campaign on their behalf, the Post said.

Democrats have noted with glee the connections between House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and high-profile lobbyist Abramoff. Democrats relish questions about whether Abramoff inappropriately used some of the $82 million he collected to lobby and influence Republicans.

But Abramoff, formerly with lobbying giant Greenberg Traurig, also wooed Democrats. Abramoff's team assembled lists of lawmakers of both parties -- six of the top 18 beneficiaries were Democrats, including Reid -- and directed his client tribes to pour money into their campaign coffers, the Post reported.

Greenberg Traurig hosted a fundraising event at its Washington offices for Reid, organized by Edward Ayoob, a former Reid staffer who worked at the firm, but has since taken a job with another firm, Reid spokeswoman Tessa Hafen confirmed today.

But Reid has not done Abramoff any favors, aides said. There is no connection at all between Abramoff and the Nevada senator, Hafen said.

"Sen. Reid doesn't know Abramoff," she said. "He's never met him."

Reid has at times been at odds with tribes, as he generally seeks to protect Nevada's commercial gaming industry from the spread of Indian gaming. Reid has argued for more Indian gaming regulation.

Reid and other top recipients of Indian tribe money have served on the Indian Affairs Committee, an assignment Reid dropped when he became Democratic leader this year. The top recipient of money from Abramoff's tribal clients was Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., chairman of an Appropriations subcommittee that handles Indian issues, who netted $138,590, the Post reported.

Indian tribes have given money to lots of lawmakers over the years. Abramoff's tribal clients gave at least 171 lawmakers $1.4 million between 2001 and 2004, according to a Bloomberg News analysis released last month.

Abramoff's business dealings and connection to lawmakers have been under investigation by Congress and the FBI. Probes have focused on questionable uses of fees and overcharging tribes that hired Abramoff to lobby lawmakers, especially on gaming issues.

Abramoff resigned from the Greenberg Traurig in March 2004. The firm has distanced itself from him, investigating his business dealings and saying some of Abramoff's transactions were unacceptable.

An Abramoff spokesman told the Post that the tribes, not Abramoff, ultimately decided which lawmakers should receive campaign contributions. So it's not clear how much Indian tribe money, if any, went to Reid specifically at the direction of Abramoff.

In addition to money from the tribes, Reid received $19,941 from Greenberg Traurig in the 2004 election cycle, the No. 20 top Reid contributor, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics.