that is a fallacy created by republican spin-meisters
Here is a great explaination from Wikipedia about the scandal:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff_Indian_lobbying_scandalThe Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Grover Norquist and Michael Scanlon on behalf of Indian casino gambling interests for an estimated $85 million in fees. Abramoff and Scanlon grossly overbilled their clients, secretly splitting the multimillion-dollar profits. In one case, they secretly orchestrated lobbying against their own clients in order to force them to pay for lobbying services.
In the course of the scheme, the lobbyists are accused of illegally giving gifts and making campaign donations to legislators in return for votes or support of legislation. Representative Bob Ney (R-OH) and an aide to Tom DeLay (R-TX) have been directly implicated; other politicians, mostly Republican lawmakers, with connections to Indian affairs have various ties.
Scanlon and Abramoff have both pled guilty to a variety of charges related to the scheme.
On Friday, November 25, 2005, the Wall Street Journal reported the expansion of the investigation to four members of Congress: in addition to Ney and DeLay, the report includes Rep. John Doolittle (R., Calif.) and Sen. Conrad Burns (R., Mont.) <1> On December 2, 2005, the New York Times reported that federal prosecutors were considering a plea bargain arrangement that would give Abramoff some consideration if he provided evidence that would implicate members of Congress and their senior staffers in receiving job offers in return for legislative favors The worst that you could accuse the Tribes is poor judgement. Native American Casinos have been a gold-mine for those tribes who were able to get one built on their reservations. You have to realize that for centuries our country has abused the living bejesus out of the Native-Americans until we forced them into reservations where the living conditions for many are horrible. Once our government allowed these tribes to build Casinos on their reservations, tribes who were fortunate enough to build them were able to bring in the funds so desparately needed to improve conditions. So you can see why several tribes were so sure that Abramoff would give them the help they need in order to get their own casinos.
But in the mean time there are other people in DC working to improve conditions for Native-Americans who have nothing to do with the scandal, like Rep Patrick Kennedy. It would be natural for him to have native american donations include a few from tribes associated with Abramoff. But in no means would Kenendy every associate himself with the likes of Abramoff, Reed, et al.