Tribes Say Abramoff, Scanlon Exaggerated Threat To Casinos.

POLITICAL corruption; ABRAMOFF, Jack, 1958-; SCANLON, Michael; CASINOS; KOASATI (North American people); TRIBES

The article reports that U.S. lobbyists Jack Abramoff and Michael Scanlon exaggerated the threat of competing casinos opening in Texas and Louisiana to siphon millions from the Coushatta tribe of Louisiana. Then they used the money to pad coffers of personal charities and political allies. The tribe paid Scanlon $870,000 in 2001 to create a grassroots political structure in Texas because it was told Texas was on the verge of legalizing gambling, a development that threatened to draw away Houston customers from the Coushatta's casino. The U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee has been investigating Abramoff and Scanlon, who were paid more than $80 million by six Indian tribes between 2001 and 2004.