Missoulian:Burns pushed for Indian school program

[cal04]

Burns pushed for Indian school program shortly after donations

U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns first pushed for a tribal school construction program sought by lobbyist Jack Abramoff's clients within two months of receiving $75,000 in campaign donations from the indicted lobbyist's tribal clients in 2002. The money is among the nearly $150,000 Burns, R-Mont., announced Thursday he is either returning or donating to charity. Burns is seeking his fourth six-year Senate term in 2006.

Burns has said his campaign donations from Abramoff and the lobbyist's clients had no bearing on his support for a controversial $3 million grant obtained through a school construction program for Michigan's wealthy Saginaw Chippewa tribe, an Abramoff client. Burns said his support for the grant came in response to requests from Michigan's two Democratic senators.

But according to letters released from both Burns and Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., Burns began advocating for the program more than a month before he received official requests from the Michigan delegation for grant money. Only two reservation schools in Montana qualify for the construction grants.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=5395


Wednesday, January 04 2006
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/12/18/news/mtregional/znews05.txt

[xxqqqzme]

1. rethugs R better off sticking 2 the

'I don't recall' defense. Whenever they try specifics, they don't do the details and they fuck it up. They just don't do the nuance thing AT ALL!

[John Q. Citizen]

2. Fire Burns!

The only down side of the timing for us here in Montana is that if Burns drops out of the '06 race it might leave it open for Bush 04 Campaign Manager and former State Governor Mark Rasicot to enter the race. He was well liked, a charming fascist who had a teflon coating.