Heather Wilson (R-NM) beating back reports by TPMMuckraker, linking her office to Abramoff

Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) is trying to beat back reports linking her office to the lobbying scandal involving jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Her office issued a lengthy statement Tuesday evening in response to a report by www.tpmmuckraker.com that one of her staffers was ensnared in the corruption scandal because he helped an Abramoff client, the Sandia Pueblo, in a land deal.

Greenberg Traurig represented the Sandia Pueblo in their negotiations over a land deal negotiated in Congress in 2003.
Monday’s Justice Department indictment of Kevin Ring, a former Greenberg Traurig lobbyist, included e-mails between a lobbyist, reportedly Ring, and an aide who worked in Wilson’s office at the time.
The e-mails show that Ring, another lobbyist at Greenberg Traurig, and a Wilson staffer were communicating about the land deal and that at least one of the Wilson staffers received a ticket to the Los Angeles Clippers basketball game from a lobbyist at the firm.

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According to the indictment, a lobbyist at “Firm B” e-mailed a staffer who worked for a member representing the New Mexico tribe, which has been identified as the Sandia Pueblo. The e-mail was sent “on or about” Jan. 30, 2003.

“Sorry I couldn’t hangout last night. I greatly appreciate your taking the time to hanout with the ,” the lobbyist wrote. “It meant a lot to evin and I. BTW, you should be all set for the Clippers game.”

In her statement, Wilson said that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has not contacted her about the Abramoff case. She admitted to receiving a $1,000 campaign contribution from Ring in 2003 and that he hosted a fundraiser for her at Abramoff’s Signatures restaurant that same year.

Wilson also said that she tried to pay for the fundraiser when Ring did not submit the bill, but the restaurant was out of business. She said she then followed Federal Election Commission rules and contributed an equal amount to charity.

Wilson also said she worked with New Mexico Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D) and Pete Domenici (R) to settle the Sandia land claim and is “proud” of it.

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The e-mails also indicate that the Wilson staffer was trying to help Ring retain the Sandia Pueblo as a client by emphasizing the work that the office did for the tribe.

According to the indictment, in February a lobbyist at Firm B forwarded an e-mail from a Wilson staffer to Ring.

"How did Kevin' s meetings with the go?” the aide wrote. “If you guys lose that contract I would be disappointed."

In March, according to the indictment, a Greenberg Traurig lobbyist emailed Ring: "I'm going to kill with if we don't get hired."

Wilson dismissed the alleged attempts by her staffer to help the lobbyists retain the Sandia Pueblo.

“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,” she wrote in her statement. “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.”

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