Democratic leader Reid aided Abramoff clients

WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, who has led efforts to portray the Jack Abramoff case as a Republican scandal, wrote at least four letters helpful to Indian tribes represented by Abramoff, and the senator's staff regularly had contact with the Abramoff team about legislation affecting other clients.

The activities, detailed in billing records and correspondence, occurred over three years as Reid collected nearly $68,000 in donations from Abramoff's firm, lobbying partners and clients.

There have been no accusations of wrongdoing against Reid.

Some of those donations were made around the same time as the efforts beneficial to Abramoff's clients.

Republicans have received nearly two-thirds of the campaign donations from Abramoff's lobbying team and Indian clients, and 100 percent of his personal donations. Federal prosecutors in the Abramoff case have implicated a Republican lawmaker, a Bush administration procurement official and GOP aides in charging documents.

In addition, a review of federal documents by Dwight L. Morris and Associates, a nonpartisan research firm, concluded that contributions to Democrats by Abramoff's tribal clients dropped by 9 percent after those clients hired him, while their donations to Republicans increased by 135 percent. Tribes not represented by Abramoff, meanwhile, gave more than two-thirds of their contributions to Democrats, according to the report, commissioned by The American Prospect, a liberal publication.

Abramoff has pleaded guilty in a fraud and bribery case and is helping prosecutors investigate the conduct of lawmakers, congressional aides and administration officials his team lobbied.

Reid's office acknowledged Thursday having "routine contacts" with Abramoff's lobbying partners and intervening on some government matters — such as blocking some tribal casinos — in ways Abramoff's clients might have deemed helpful. But it said none of the Nevada Democrat's actions were affected by donations or done for Abramoff.

"All the actions that Senator Reid took were consistent with his long-held beliefs, such as not letting tribal casinos expand beyond reservations, and were taken to defend the interests of Nevada constituents," spokesman Jim Manley said.

Abramoff's records show his lobbying partners billed for nearly two dozen phone contacts or meetings with Reid's office in 2001 alone.

Most were to discuss Democratic legislation that would have applied the U.S. minimum wage to the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory and Abramoff client, but would have given the islands a temporary break on the wage rate, the billing records show.

Abramoff's work for Seattle-based law and lobbying firm Preston Gates from 1994 to 2000 included lobbying on behalf of the Marianas to keep exemptions from federal minimum-wage laws.

Reid also intervened on government matters at least five times in ways helpful to Abramoff's tribal clients, once opposing legislation on the Senate floor and four times sending letters pressing the Bush administration on tribal issues. The legislation and three of Reid's letters involved efforts to prevent the approval of Indian casinos that would have competed with establishments owned by Abramoff's tribal clients. Reid received donations around the time of each action.

Reid and fellow Nevada Sen. John Ensign, a Republican who co-signed two of the letters, which focused on the same casino, recently wrote the Senate Ethics Committee to say their efforts had nothing to do with Abramoff and reflected their interest in protecting Las Vegas' gambling establishments.

Ethics rules require senators to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest in collecting contributions around the times they take official acts benefiting donors.

Abramoff's firm also hired Edward Ayoob, Reid's legislative counsel, as a lobbyist. The aide later helped throw a fundraiser for Reid at Abramoff's firm, raising donations from lobbying partners.

And Reid's longtime chief of staff, Susan McCue, accepted a free trip to Malaysia arranged by an Abramoff-linked consulting firm that has gained attention in the influence-peddling investigation. That trip, taken by several other congressional aides, was cleared by Senate ethics officials.

Abramoff spokesman Andrew Blum declined to comment on the Reid contacts.

Following a pattern seen with Abramoff and Republicans, Abramoff's Democratic team members often delivered donations to Reid close to key events.

Reid, along with his Senate counsel Jim Ryan, met with Abramoff deputy Ronald Platt on June 5, 2001, "to discuss timing on minimum wage bill" that affected the Marianas, according to a bill that Greenberg Traurig, Abramoff's firm at the time, sent the Marianas.

Three weeks before the meeting, Greenberg Traurig's political-action committee donated $1,000 to Reid's Senate re-election committee. Platt donated $1,000 to Reid three weeks after the meeting.

Manley, Reid's spokesman, confirmed Platt had regular contacts with Reid's office. As for the timing of donations, Manley said, "There is no connection."

Material from The Seattle Times archives is included in this report.