Evans, Nussle, Durbin play hot potato with Abramoff related campaign funds

They can't get rid of it fast enough.

U.S. Reps. Lane Evans, D-Rock Island, and Jim Nussle, R-Manchester, moved Wednesday to donate campaign cash given by clients of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Rep. Evans' spokesman, Steve Vetzner, said the 12-term lawmaker would donate $2,000 to the Community Caring Conference of Rock Island, equal to the amount he accepted in 2003 from the Saginaw Chippewa tribe of Michigan.

Rep. Nussle said he would donate $6,000, based on 1998-2002 contributions of $5,000 from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and $1,000 from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

The congressmen were joined by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the Senate's assistant minority leader, who said he would donate $11,000 in Abramoff-related contributions to two Chicago-area American Indian organizations.

All three area politicians were quick to point out that they've had no contact whatsoever with Abramoff and that the donations were reported and entirely proper.

The fact that these three politicians with no apparent influence over Indian affairs or gambling issues were all receipients of Abramoff cash serves to illustrate just how enormous and widespread Abramoff's influence was.

No comment was available from U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who accepted $15,500 from Abramoff clients from 2002-2004.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has no plans to return any money from Mr. Abramoff or his clients, spokeswoman Beth Pellett said.

Sen. Grassley accepted $2,000 from Mr. Abramoff in 2004 and $12,000 from his tribal clients, the CRP reported, and a total of $62,200 from all Abramoff-related sources through 2004, according to the AP.

Ms. Pellett said Wednesday that Sen. Grassley considers the contributions acceptable because they met his longstanding fundraising requirements that donations be "legal and with no strings attached."

Both Sen. Grassley and Rep. Hastert, beginning in 2002, joined other lawmakers in protesting possible approval of a off-reservation Louisiana tribal casino that would have competed with a client of Abramoff's in Mississippi.