Helena News - TV ad ties controversial lobbyist to Burns

By CHARLES S. JOHNSON - IR State Bureau - 08/09/05

HELENA - In the opening salvo in the 2006 U.S. Senate race, the Montana Democratic Party launched a TV advertisement Monday that links Republican Sen. Conrad Burns to "notorious lobbyist Jack Abramoff, now under federal investigation."

In response, the National Republican Senatorial Committee called Montana TV stations to demand the ad be yanked from the air because it is "riddled with false, misleading and defamatory statements."

It is the first advertising in the 2006 Senate race in which Burns is seeking a fourth six-year term. Democrats have called Burns vulnerable, and Burns has said he will raise up to $10 million to retain his seat. Four Democrats are challenging him: state Auditor John Morrison of Helena, state Senate President Jon Tester of Big Sandy, former state Rep. Paul Richards of Boulder and Clint Wilkes, an Internet businessman from Bozeman.

The TV ad, which Democrats said is running statewide for a week, questions Burns' ties to Abramoff, a controversial lobbyist whose representation of American Indian tribes has come under increasing scrutiny. Abramoff and his partner, public relations entrepreneur Michael Scanlon, face a congressional probe and criminal investigations involving five federal agencies over their representation of 11 wealthy Indian tribes that run casinos, the Washington Post reported.

Here's what the announcer says in the Democrats' 15-second spot aimed at Burns:


"Is Conrad Burns looking out for Montana? In Washington, he takes $136,000 from notorious lobbyist Jack Abramoff - now under federal investigation. Then Burns fights for and passes legislation to give Abramoff's client - a wealthy Michigan Indian tribe - $3 million. The Billings Gazette says Burns' legislation 'doesn't pass the smell test.' Call Conrad Burns: tell him to start working for Montana. The Montana Democratic Party is responsible for the content of this ad."

The ad refers to reporting earlier this year about how Burns, as an Interior Appropriations Subcommittee chairman in 2003, helped steer a $3 million government grant to build a school to one of Abramoff's clients and one of the nation's wealthiest Indian tribes, the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan.

Former Montana Democratic Chairman Bob Ream filed a pending complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee in March against Burns over this issue, suggesting the donations amounted to a bribe.

"Conrad Burns has forgotten that he works for the people of Montana, not the high-powered lobbyists trying to win his favor with campaign contributions," said Montana Democratic Chairman Dennis McDonald of Melville.

In response, Burns' campaign spokesman Mark Baker of Helena said, "It's a desperate start to a desperate campaign by the state Democrat Party to try and buy back a seat in the U.S. Senate through illegal, negative lies and mudslinging."

A rebuttal to the ad issued by the National Republican Senatorial Committee said Democrats erroneously claimed Abramoff gave Burns $136,000 in campaign donations. In fact, Abramoff has given no money to Burns' campaign committee, the GOP said, but in 2001 did donate $5,000 to Burns's leadership political action committee, Friends of the Big Sky.

The $136,000 in donations actually were made to Burns by the Indian tribes that hired Abramoff as their lobbyist, Republican spokesman Brian Nick said. One California tribe donated $5,000 to Burns' Big Sky PAC in October 2002, and 10 days later gave the same amount to the Montana Democratic Party.

The Republicans said Burns supported funding for the tribal school in Michigan at the urging of Michigan's congressional delegation, including its two Democratic senators, and the bill passed 87-2.

A letter from William J. McGinley, general counsel for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, demanded that TV stations pull the Democrats' ad and threatened legal action if they didn't.

In response, McDonald defended the Democrats' TV spot, saying, "I'm very comfortable with it."