WASHINGTON -- Aides to Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., said Tuesday the senator will not return donations from indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates, because the money has been spent.

Burns received about $150,000 in donations from Abramoff, his firm and his clients between 2001 and 2004.

North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan, the top Democrat on the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, said Monday that he is returning $67,000 in donations from the controversial lobbyist and his associates.

Burns is chairman of that subcommittee, which oversees spending for federal American Indian programs. Burns and Dorgan wrote a letter in 2002 backing an Indian school building program sought by Abramoff's tribal clients, and helped arrange congressional funding for it.

Dorgan said Tuesday that while he never met Abramoff and did not take any actions at the lobbyist's behest, he nonetheless wants to return the money to avoid any appearances that tribal money was directed to him by Abramoff.

Dorgan is the top Democrat on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, which is investigating Abramoff's Indian lobbying.

Burns also has denied any connections between the donations and his decisions.

The Associated Press has reported that, in 2001, the Montana Republican and his staff met Abramoff's lobbying team on at least eight occasions and collected $12,000 in donations around the time that Burns took legislative action favorable to Abramoff's clients in the Northern Mariana Islands.

The donations to Burns included money directly from Abramoff and a key garment company executive in the Marianas. The executive was part of the coalition paying Abramoff's firm to fend off stronger U.S. regulations on the Pacific islands.

The Justice Department is investigating whether Abramoff, already charged with fraud in a separate Florida case, won any undue influence through donations and favors.

Burns spokesman James Pendleton said one of the committees that received some of the donations has since been shut down because of a change in federal campaign finance law.

''There's nothing to return, the money has been spent,'' Pendleton said.