Nat Ives of AdAge has scored the first interview with MPA President and CEO Nina Link, who said that she "regrets" having authorized the MPA to donate $25,000 to conservative faith-based advocacy group Toward Tradition on the advice of a lobbying team that included Jack Abramoff. Just writing that sentence feels like an "ouch."

"Ouch" is in the details:

At Mr. Abramoff's suggestion, Toward Tradition used the $25,000 from the MPA and another $25,000 from eLottery to hire the wife of an influential aide to Rep. Tom DeLay. Mr. Abramoff was chairman of Toward Tradition until 2000 and a board member until 2004.

Read the details on AdAge's scoop here, as well as Slate's Timothy Noah's reconstruction of events here (previously referenced on Fishbowl).

MPA CHIEF 'REGRETS' $25,000 DONATION ADVISED BY ABRAMOFF'S FIRM [AdAge]