The ongoing corruption scandal regarding Jack Abramoff just came a step closer to former Colorado Attorney General and Interior Secretary Gale Norton, whose former political aide, Italia Federici, pleaded guilty yesterday to tax evasion and obstruction of Congress.
TPM Muckraker's handy reference guide to Jack Abramoff's nefarious activities has this to say about Federici:
Abramoff used Italia Federici, president of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, as a go-between with Deputy Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles. Federici's organization received about $500,000 from Abramoff's tribal clients.
In 2003, Abramoff offered a job to Griles. An investigation has indicated that Griles advised Abramoff on how to help legislators influence the Department of the Interior.
It's worth pointing out here that Abramoff's tribal clients were getting fleeced here. Also, it's unclear what, if anything, Gale Norton knew and when she knew it.
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