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Updating references, details of CREA foundation.
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|date=June 6, 2007}}</ref>
|date=June 6, 2007}}</ref>
<ref name="guilty">{{cite news
<ref name="guilty">{{cite news
|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/08/AR2007060801166.html
|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-06-08-1376100897_x.htm
|title=Fundraiser Pleads Guilty in Lobby Probe
|title=GOP fundraiser pleads guilty in probe
|author=Mark Heilprin
|author=Mark Heilprin
|publisher=Associated Press
|publisher=Associated Press
|date=June 8, 2007}}</ref>
|date=June 8, 2007}}</ref>


Federici founded CREA with Norton and [[Americans for Tax Reform]] president [[Grover Norquist]], a college friend of Abramoff, in 1998.<ref name="guilty">{{cite news
Federici founded CREA with Norton and [[Americans for Tax Reform]] president [[Grover Norquist]], a college friend of Abramoff, in 1997 with money Federici inherited; the organization's name was changed to CREA in 1998.<ref name="plea">{{cite news
|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/08/AR2007060801166.html
|url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/norton-aide-cops-a-plea-2007-06-07.html
|title=Fundraiser Pleads Guilty in Lobby Probe
|title=Norton aide cops a plea
|author=Mark Heilprin
|author=Mike Soraghan
|publisher=Associated Press
|publisher=The Hill
|date=June 8, 2007}}</ref>
|date=June 7, 2007}}</ref>


[[Jack Abramoff]] donated more than $400,000 to her charity, after which time she began using her connections with [[J. Steven Griles]], to influence him to make decisions beneficial to Abramoff's tribal benefactors.<ref>{{cite news
Federici introduced [[Jack Abramoff]] to Griles in March 2001, just before Griles started at the Department of the Interior.<ref name="plea" /> Abramoffdonated more than $400,000 to her charity, after which time she began using her connections with [[J. Steven Griles]], to influence him to make decisions beneficial to Abramoff's tribal benefactors.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://indian.senate.gov/2005hrgs/111705hrg/hrg111705.ram
|url=http://indian.senate.gov/2005hrgs/111705hrg/hrg111705.ram
|title=Senate Indian Affairs Hearings, testimony by Italia Federici (video)
|title=Senate Indian Affairs Hearings, testimony by Italia Federici (video)

Revision as of 06:01, 18 July 2007


Italia E. Federici (born August 12, 1969), the former president of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy (CREA). Federici was also a political aide to Secretary of the Interior and CREA founder Gale Norton.[1] On June 8, 2007, Federici pleaded guilty to tax evasion and obstructing the United States Senate investigation into the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal.[2] [3]

Federici founded CREA with Norton and Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist, a college friend of Abramoff, in 1997 with money Federici inherited; the organization's name was changed to CREA in 1998.[4]

Federici introduced Jack Abramoff to Griles in March 2001, just before Griles started at the Department of the Interior.[4] Abramoffdonated more than $400,000 to her charity, after which time she began using her connections with J. Steven Griles, to influence him to make decisions beneficial to Abramoff's tribal benefactors.[5]

In emails, Abramoff claimed that "she is critical"[6] to his work with the Department of Interior, especially with regards to preventing the Jena Band of Choctaws Indian Tribe from creating a casino, that would take money away from one of Abramoff's "core tribes". A February 18, 2003 email from Abramoff to Federici said "...This will be a PR disaster as you can imagine, especially if for some reason Interior agrees to approve this deal. McCrery and Vitter (the other R's in the delegation) are furious beyond belief. This is going to get really ugly. Please let Steve know about this. Thanks so much Italia!"[7], referring to Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior Steve Griles. Griles is reported to have been romantically connected to Federici.[8]

Federici also pleaded guilty to tax evasion for using CREA as a source of personal funds; furthermore, she did not pay income tax from 2001 through 2003.[3]

References

  1. ^ Michael Scherer (November 18, 2005). "The greening of Italia Federici". Salon.
  2. ^ Matt Apuzzo (June 6, 2007). "New Charges Filed in Abramoff Probe". Associated Press.
  3. ^ a b Mark Heilprin (June 8, 2007). "GOP fundraiser pleads guilty in probe". Associated Press.
  4. ^ a b Mike Soraghan (June 7, 2007). "Norton aide cops a plea". The Hill.
  5. ^ "Senate Indian Affairs Hearings, testimony by Italia Federici (video)". Senate Indian Affairs Committee. November 17, 2005.
  6. ^ Susan Schmidt (November 18, 2005). "Abramoff Witness Frustrates Panel: E-Mails Suggest She Was Lobbyist's Connection to Interior Official". Washington Post. p. A08.
  7. ^ Susan Schmidt (March 13, 2005). "Casino Bid Prompted High-Stakes Lobbying". Washington Post.
  8. ^ Edmund L. Andrews (March 23, 2007). "Ex-Deputy of Interior Dept. Pleads Guilty". New York Times.