Tribes should beef up laws after Abramoff: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Indian tribes should strengthen their election laws and contracting rules to prevent corrupt lobbyists like Jack Abramoff from exploiting them, a Senate committee recommended on Thursday.

Tribes should also register with the Federal Election Commission so their political contributions can be tracked more easily, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee said in a 373-page report concluding a two-year investigation into Abramoff's lobbying on behalf of Indian tribes.

Evidence uncovered by the committee contributed to guilty pleas by Abramoff and three former Republican congressional staffers on corruption charges, and have cast an ethical cloud over Congress in an election year.
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The committee said existing criminal laws do not need to be changed to address problems uncovered by the scandal.......

Many tribes are already implementing the reforms recommended by the committee, said a spokeswoman for the National Congress for American Indians.

"We were pleased that there was no legislative or congressional mandate, but that the recommendations to tribes were quite fair," said spokeswoman Jackie Johnson, who added that the group opposes FEC regulation of their political contributions if other groups are not regulated as well.

http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=12619805&src=rss/ElectionCoverage

...to the current U.S. Government for incompetence, corruption, and obliviousness to the well-being of those they supposedly serve.

The irony of this is absolutely stunning.

amazedly,
Bright

Nothing about any congressional ethics are mentioned and NO attempt to legislate clean govt.

Congress is institutionally disinclined to refine or reform the practice of lobbyists.

like they are non-profits instead of governments or private corporations (casino owners). Congress needs to change the rules. Idiots.

....before we steal again....