Will Brooke
Encyclopedia
Will Brooke is an American political staffer and a figure in the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal
.
Heworked as chief of staff to U.S. Senator Conrad Burns
(R-Montana
) from November 2000 until the end of 2003, when he quit "to resume his Bozeman law practice and be the statewide chief" for President George W. Bush
's Montana re-election campaign, Burns said in December 2003.
In January 2001 Brooke went on a trip to Super Bowl XXXV
in Tampa, Florida
paid for (against House ethics rules) by Jack Abramoff
's SunCruz Casinos
. Also on the trip were Burns appropriations staffer Ryan Thomas, Tom DeLay
staffers, and Bob Ney
chief of staff Neil Volz
.
Brooke and Volz then became members of "Team Abramoff
" at Greenberg Traurig
.
In December 2005, Brooke was working as a lobbyist for the Washington firm Ryan, Phillips, Utrecht & MacKinnon, with a lobbying
office in Bozeman.
It was later reported that Brooke voluntarily met with federal investigators and the Department of Justice
and disclosed all information related to the Super Bowl XXXV
trip as well as his work with Abramoff's firm, Greenberg Traurig
. During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that Brooke had confirmed in advance of the Super Bowl trip that the trip complied with Senate ethics rules. Brooke was never charged with any violation of Senate ethic rules or any federal law
. He now owns and operates Brooke Law Firm, P.C., located in Bozeman, Montana
.
Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal
The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Grover Norquist and Michael Scanlon on Indian casino gambling interests for an estimated $85 million in fees. Abramoff and Scanlon...
.
Heworked as chief of staff to U.S. Senator Conrad Burns
Conrad Burns
Conrad Ray Burns is a former United States Senator from Montana. He is only the second Republican to represent Montana in the Senate since the passage in 1913 of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and is the longest-serving Republican senator in Montana history.While in...
(R-Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
) from November 2000 until the end of 2003, when he quit "to resume his Bozeman law practice and be the statewide chief" for President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's Montana re-election campaign, Burns said in December 2003.
In January 2001 Brooke went on a trip to Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
paid for (against House ethics rules) by Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
's SunCruz Casinos
SunCruz Casinos
SunCruz Casinos was one of many cruise lines that offered offshore "cruises to nowhere", legally transporting passengers into international waters beyond the reach of federal and state gambling laws...
. Also on the trip were Burns appropriations staffer Ryan Thomas, Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
staffers, and Bob Ney
Bob Ney
Robert William Ney is an American politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. A Republican, Ney represented Ohio's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 until November 3, 2006, when he resigned...
chief of staff Neil Volz
Neil Volz
Neil Volz was Chief of Staff to Representative Bob Ney , staff director of the House Administration Committee, and later part of Team Abramoff, when he left Capitol Hill in February 2002 to work for Abramoff at Greenberg Traurig LLP...
.
Brooke and Volz then became members of "Team Abramoff
Team Abramoff
"Team Abramoff" is the team of lobbyists assembled by Jack Abramoff when he worked at Greenberg Traurig, primarily of former aides to prominent Congressional politicians...
" at Greenberg Traurig
Greenberg Traurig
Greenberg Traurig LLP and Greenberg Traurig PA is an international law firm based in Miami, Florida.The firm has approximately 1,800 attorneys and governmental professionals in 32 locations in the United States, Europe and Asia. Its founding office is in Miami, Florida with its largest office in...
.
In December 2005, Brooke was working as a lobbyist for the Washington firm Ryan, Phillips, Utrecht & MacKinnon, with a lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
office in Bozeman.
It was later reported that Brooke voluntarily met with federal investigators and the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
and disclosed all information related to the Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
trip as well as his work with Abramoff's firm, Greenberg Traurig
Greenberg Traurig
Greenberg Traurig LLP and Greenberg Traurig PA is an international law firm based in Miami, Florida.The firm has approximately 1,800 attorneys and governmental professionals in 32 locations in the United States, Europe and Asia. Its founding office is in Miami, Florida with its largest office in...
. During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that Brooke had confirmed in advance of the Super Bowl trip that the trip complied with Senate ethics rules. Brooke was never charged with any violation of Senate ethic rules or any federal law
Federal law
Federal law is the body of law created by the federal government of a country. A federal government is formed when a group of political units, such as states or provinces join together in a federation, surrendering their individual sovereignty and many powers to the central government while...
. He now owns and operates Brooke Law Firm, P.C., located in Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
.
Footnotes
External links
- Scott McMillion, "Bozeman city manager, Clark Johnson takes chief of staff position with Burns," MATR.net, December 30, 2003.
- Susan Schmidt, "Tribal Grant Is Being Questioned. Senator Who Had Dealings With Lobbyist Abramoff Pushed for Award," Washington Post, March 1, 2005.
- Bob Brigham, "Conrad Burns key figure in multiple investigations," Swing State Project, March 24, 2005.
- Faith Bremner, "Democrats decry Burns' link to lobbyist," Great Falls Tribune, April 2, 2005: "Shortly after Congress awarded the grant, Burns' former chief of staff, Will Brooke, went to work for Abramoff."
- Joshua Micah Marshall, "Burns and Abramoff .. The Early Days," TPM Cafe, August 11, 2005: "Back in 2001, Burns and his then Chief of Staff Will Brooke were looking for help fund-raising. And they turned to Jack Abramoff, who, as those now-controversial ads in Montana revealed, helped steer $136,000 in to Burns' coffers during the 2001-2002 campaign cycle. ... Along the way, Brooke got introduced into the Abramoff-funded high life."
- "DNC: Abramoff Scandal Burns Conrad, But Can't Keep Cheney Away," U.S. Newswire, August 15, 2005.
- "Who Is Team Abramoff?" Washington Post, December 12, 2005.
- Jennifer McKee, "Ex-Burns aide talking to feds in Abramoff investigation," Helena Independent Record, December 13, 2005.
- Scott Crass, "Clouds Forming in Big Sky Country: Will Burns Get Burnt by Abramoff?" Politics Fodder, December 15, 2005.
- Camden Easterling, "Developer submits bill for parking garage," Bozeman Daily Chronicle, December 17, 2005: "Brooke's work secured the $4 million Bozeman received in a federal transportation bill earlier this year."