March 12, 2006 -- Gale Norton's sudden decision to resign as Interior Secretary is a sign that the Jack Abramoff investigation is closing in on higher-ranking Bush administration officials, according to informed Washington insiders. Norton is at the center of the scandal that has embroiled convicted GOP lobbyist Abramoff, her Interior Department deputy Steven Griles (accused by Interior's chief attorney of meddling in decisions involving the Coushatta tribe of Louisiana, which was an Abramoff client) and Italia Federici, the president of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, a corporate-funded front co-founded by Norton and GOP policy adviser Grover Norquist that arranged for access to Norton and top Interior officials in exchange for tribal donations to the group.
Wayne Madsen Report
# posted by madthumbs @ 9:06 AM
