And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 06:26:52 EDT Subject: Babbitt Appears Before Grand Jury Babbitt Appears Before Grand Jury .c The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt has made a second apperance before a grand jury investigating whether campaign gifts influenced the rejection of a proposed Indian casino in Wisconsin and whether he lied about it to Congress. ``I came here to answer all of their questions. I'm happy to do so,'' Babbitt told reporters as he left the federal courthouse on Wednesday. He called the proceedings ``very professional'' but would not comment further. Babbitt had also testified before the grand jury on June 30. The 14-month investigation by Independent Counsel Carol Elder Bruce into the Interior Department's rejection of a request by three Chippewa tribes to open a casino in Hudson, Wis., is apparently nearly conclusion. Bruce has indicated she wants to wrap the matter up by mid-August. The special prosecutor is trying to determine whether Babbitt lied under oath before a Senate committee about the circumstances surrounding the casino decision, particularly whether it was influenced by promises of campaign contributions to the Democratic Party by other tribes opposed to the casino. The rival tribes later gave the Democratic National Committee nearly $300,000. Babbitt has vigorously denied any connection between campaign contributions and the decision to reject the casino. He also has denied intending to mislead senators during the sometimes contentious Senate hearing on the matter. But a longtime friend, Paul Eckstein, a lobbyist for the tribes seeking the casino, testified to the same Senate Governmental Affairs Committee that Babbitt - during a meeting the day the casino decision was made - alluded to Democratic campaign contributions and pressure from the White House to have the matter settled. Babbitt has said Eckstein misunderstood the conversation. AP-NY-07-08-99 0625EDT Copyright 1999 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press. Reprinted under the fair use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
