Dorgan Statement Defends Against Innacurate Charges

Papers in ND carried front-page stories about Dorgan's supposed connections to Jack Abramoff, the Republican mega-fundraiser who is battling an investigation (led by Dorgan) into his sordid lobbying activities.

From the statement:

Senator John McCain and I are investigating Mr. Abramoff and his partner Michael Scanlon (who recently pleaded guilty) of bilking Indian tribes out of tens of millions of dollars. And we have uncovered a disgusting tale of greed and outright fraud. It’s not surprising that from the sleazy world of those who defrauded the Indian tribes, we have seen bogus charges against those of us who are doing the investigating. But our investigation will continue.

The weekend headline story suggested I signed a letter in support of the “Cost Share Indian School Construction Program” as a favor to Abramoff, a man I had never met, in exchange for political contributions. The letter the reporter referred to was dated February 2002.

In fact I had always supported that program. For example in August of 2001, six months earlier, I had already pledged my strong support for this program in a letter to the Chairman of the Wahpeton-Sisseton Indian Tribe (letter attached). The Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota had also applied for school funding through that program in 2001. And I supported their efforts.

So, if the written evidence shows that I supported the program the year before the letter this reporter used to justify his story, my support for this program clearly cannot be connected to this lobbyist, his client’s interest in the Cost Share program, or campaign donations.

http://www.dorgan.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=249313