Former Interior deputy admits lying to Senate

[ProSense]

Former Interior deputy admits lying to Senate

By Richard B. Schmitt
LOS ANGELES TIMES

WASHINGTON - A former Bush administration official, once described by Jack Abramoff as "our guy" at the Interior Department, pleaded guilty Friday to lying to Senate investigators probing the scandal surrounding the convicted Republican lobbyist.

Steven Griles, a coal mining official who was deputy to Interior Secretary Gale Norton between 2001 and 2005, became the ninth figure to be convicted of a crime as a result of the Justice Department investigation into Abramoff -- and the second to have held a high-ranking position in the Bush administration.

Griles, 59, admitted that he lied when he told the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in 2005 that Abramoff had no special access to his office, when in fact the lobbyist was aggressively seeking to obtain help from the agency for Indian tribes that he represented.

Griles also acknowledged failing to fully disclose his romantic relationship with a Republican environmental lobbyist who worked for Abramoff. The lobbyist, Italia Federici, also operated a nonprofit group that received $500,000 in donations from Abramoff's tribal clients.

more...

Interior Secretary Gale Norton resigned in March 2006:

Griles in another conflict of interest relationship: Bush environmental lawyer shares $1 mil vacation home with oil lobbyist.

Information related to the guilty plea from WSJ blog: A Senate transcript of an interview with Griles and the plea agreement.

[Lautremont]

1. This just doesn't square up.

A Bush administration official, corrupt in some way? Where am I, cuckoo land?

[Turbineguy]

2. Well, just because 9

have been convicted doesn't mean ALL of them are crooks does it? I mean it couldn't could it? It won't will it?

OK, I guess we're just scratching the surface and have a long way to go.

[TahitiNut]

3. Italia Federici ...

She allegedly took $250,000 from indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff in return for using her influence in high government places to benefit his clients. But when she failed to show up to testify before a Senate committee chaired by Sen. John McCain, he sent U.S. marshals out to bring her in. (Nov. 19, 2005)