E-mails tie former Wilson staffer to Abramoff scandal

U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson says she knew nothing until Tuesday about e-mails that indicate that a former staffer in her office may have tried to influence Sandia Pueblo’s decision on whether to extend a contract with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s firm in 2003.

TPM Muckraker was the first to report on Tuesday that the indictment of former Abramoff associate Kevin Ring, filed Monday, includes e-mails indicating interaction between a staffer in the office of Wilson, R-N.M. and Ring and another former lobbyist for Greenberg Traurig.

The indictment, according to TPM Muckraker, states that the lobbyist for the firm, identified as “Firm B” in the indictment, e-mailed the Wilson staffer on Jan. 30, 2003, stating, “Sorry I couldn’t hangout last night. I greatly appreciate your taking the time to han(g)out with the (New Mexico tribe). It meant a lot to (K)evin and I.”

That e-mail also suggests that the staffer, who is not named in the indictment, may have taken a gift from the firm.

“BTW, you should be all set for the (Los Angeles) Clippers (basketball) game,” the e-mail states, according to the indictment.

There’s more. A Feb. 14, 2003 e-mail from the Wilson staffer states that the staffer “would be disappointed” if the law firm didn’t get the contract to represent the pueblo. A March 4, 2003 e-mail from the firm’s lobbyist to Ring states, “I’m going to kill (the New Mexico tribe) with (its U.S. Representative) if we don’t get hired.” And a March 7, 2003 e-mail from the lobbyist to Ring states that Wilson’s staffer “is going to be in the meeting with (the New Mexico tribe) when they come to town. He’s going to give the ‘are you guys staying with (Firm B) this cycle? They did a great job on… legislation… and really cleared the path for you guys… yadda yadda… he’s gonna gather as much intel as possible for us.”

‘Not sure whether to be amused or offended’

Wilson, in a statement released by her office, said the e-mails involve to a “former staffer.” She said the e-mails relate to whether the firm would continue to be retained by the pueblo, which first hired the firm in 2002, and said the e-mails were sent after Congress passed the final legislation on the Sandia Land Claim. (Her statement is mostly accurate: Three of the four e-mails identified in the indictment were sent after that happened).

Wilson also said she has not been contacted by the Department of Justice about the situation.

The congresswoman said in her statement that she is “not sure whether to be amused or offended that (the firm’s two employees) 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. 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.”

Wilson said her office has strict rules related to gifts, including tickets to events, and said her staffers are trained on House ethics rules, which are enforced “up to and including dismissal.” She didn’t name the former staffer or say why he or she is no longer employed.

Campaign cash

Ring hosted a fundraiser for Wilson in May 2003 and contributed $1,000 to her campaign on June 2 of that year, the congresswoman disclosed in Tuesday’s statement.

“When we discovered that Mr. Ring had not submitted a bill for the cost of the fundraiser to my fundraising consultant, our consultant sought to pay the bill and, when unsuccessful because the restaurant was no longer in business, my campaign made an equivalent contribution to charity as required by Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules,” Wilson said.

Abramoff is the central figure in a high-profile corruption probe. He pleaded guilty in 2006 to defrauding American Indian tribes and corruption in two separate cases. Earlier this month, he was also convicted of trading gifts for political favors. He is serving the prison sentences concurrently and is scheduled for release in 2012.

The ongoing investigation has led to the conviction of former U.S. Rep. Bob Ney and several White House and congressional staffers and lobbyists.