Soon to Be EX Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Compact with Thieves Of Pinoleville

Arnold Schwarzenegger, signed a new compact with the Pinoleville Tribe and Leona Williams. Here's what they did to some of their families (h/t TribalCorruption.com):

Pinoleville Rancheria
“Tribe stolen by Corrupt Tribal Officials”

I had planned to write to you about a corrupt tribal council that has stolen my tribe and retroactively stripped my ancestors of their legal identity as Native Americans. I was going to detail the manner in which they hijacked our Tribe for their own purposes, but after contemplation it, I thought better of it.

I decided that I am tired of telling the story of the injustices that I and my family have suffered over the last several years. I won't talk of the lies, the anonymous and illiterate hate mail, the fact that my children have been denied membership...and therefore Native American status under the law, the crooked elections, the ballots “counted” behind closed doors, the molestation of my constitution, the late-night death threats, the misuse of federal funds, and the general disgust I feel at being disrespected, unrepresented and denied the rights to participate in my own Indian community.

Nor will I detail how the corrupt thugs on Tribal Council responsible for protecting my human and civil rights violated those rights when they disenolled me and my family, or how the same thugs manipulated our constitution to exterminate my rights and the rights of all other Pinoleville Indian Community class members defined in the precedent setting Court ruling filed by deceased Pinoleville Indian Community member Tillie Hardwick. As a result of that ruling all California Rancherias enjoy Tribal status and the riches they receive from their Indian casinos.

I likewise decided against another protracted airing of my grievances concerning the US Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs officials that ‘shepherded’ our case to it's ultimate dismissal. I won't bore you with the tales of their failure to follow the US Federal Code of Regulations, their consistent refusal to provide information in a timely fashion, their illegal ex-parte communications with the Chairwoman’s faction during our administrative debacle, their legendary bungling of a completely insane 'General Membership' meeting called illegally by themselves under no authority in April of 2004, the manner in which the BIA Director Dale Risling conveniently misplaced a vital document original at that meeting, or any other of a number of acts on their part which range from hideously negligent to criminally suspect.

Erik Enriquez

UKIAH

Wonderful news governor. You help those that violate the civil rights of their membership. What's the countdown to when you are out of here?

Pechanga Abuse of It's Senior Customer is comparable to Redding Rancheria's Actions

Today, guest blogger, Carla Foreman-Maslin, disenrolled member of the Redding Rancheria, and AIRRO member compares the latest news of Pechanga's abuse of power in the beating of Richard Swan that we've been discussing for days, with her tribe's casino in Redding. Thank you Carla for your contributions

This sounds a lot like Redding Rancheria. They have harassed, threatened & beat up employees, customers, their own tribal members & other Indian people who have been invited to participate in events or have come to put their money into the casino.

It is a very shameful time for tribes and their citizens who have allowed this type of behavior. The dictatorships and the bullying that is taking place is so outrageous and it really looks bad on American Indians everywhere.

I never thought I would see it all come down to this. I was always proud to be a part of what I felt was a historic time in this country when I witnessed my dad, who was our Tribal Chairman at a gathering of all Tribal Leaders at a Senate meeting in Washington, DC. I witnessed the Tribal Elders along with other Tribal Leaders who fought in the Vietnam war tell stories of their tribes and how they struggled with poverty, etc. I watched grown men cry as they testified on why Indian Gaming was going to help Tribes with economic development for their people to be able to have education, housing, health benefits through self reliance.

I believed in this vision and was proud to see it all come to life. I stood in the field with other Indian people and Mark Macarro when we filmed for Prop 5. I participated along with other California Indians in San Francisco when we all demonstrated for Indian Gaming in California. I will never forget the march to the steps of the Ninth Circuit Court with all the other Native men, women and children.

And now to see what has become a terrible disrespect to some tribes not only to their tribal citizens, but to our elders who have passed on and fought to live to see their children survive and make something of themselves through education. I was going to college when my rights and my family's rights were violated. I lost my education as the tribe was paying for it. Many other family members lost the same rights to their education.

I am appalled that those rights and other rights have been stolen by people who have no right to take the most sacred part of our being away from us. This is such a crime and the criminals have to answer for it. The fact that the loophole of "sovereignty" has allowed them to push their crime to other levels is a joke.

This is a major crime to any human being. Sovereignly is not for committing crimes against humanity, it is to be used as a protection for people. Whoever thought of using sovereignty as a way to protect their crimes has a very dark and evil mind. It is as evil as the mind of Hitler and other evil dictators throughout the world.

The victims need to stand up for their rights and continue to protect what is rightfully theirs. Teach your children to stand for their rights. There is nothing wrong when it is right. The only wrong is letting the criminals continue to commit crimes against the victims. In this case, the criminals have been given fame, when they deserve shame.

Greed, power and corruption has ultimately become a way of life for some of these tribal leaders and as long as they get away with it without justice, more tribal leaders will figure out that they can do the same to any tribal member, because they are untouchable. I never thought I would ever see such injustice in this time in our lives. Shame on those who don't stand for the innocent victims.

I would like to see a hero rise up and take a stand for our American Indians who have lost their voices and their rights.

Peace & Love
Carla Foreman-Maslin

Welcome to New Readers of Original Pechanga's Blog

Greetings to all our new visitors!

This blog details the bad acts by the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. While the tribal chairman, mark macarro is the face of Indian gambling in California, that face hides the sinister actions of his tribal council.

Please check through the archives for many stories of the injustices that Pechanga has perpetrated on their own people. IF PECHANGA will cheat their own, they will cheat (or as happened recently, BEAT) you.

Show your outrage at Pechanga's action by avoiding their casino and hotel. If you don't play, they won't win.

The families that were disenrolled were members a century before there was a casino, and we have no problem being members when all that Pechanga has again is .... SAND.

Pechanga Tribal Leader Gabriel Pico's Death Ruled HOMICIDE UPDATE

UPDATE: A strip club employee has been arrested on suspicion of reckless manslaughter in the death of a California Indian leader, police said Friday.
Authorities said Bryan Coe surrendered Thursday in connection with the Sept. 1 death of 41-year-old Gabriel Pico of Temecula, Calif., outside the Diamond Cabaret & Steakhouse.
Authorities have said Pico was injured in an altercation with a bouncer at the club. Police spokesman Sonny Jackson declined to say whether Coe was a bouncer or had scuffled with Pico.

DENVER (AP) - The death of a California Indian leader who was injured in an altercation with a Denver strip club bouncer has been ruled a homicide.
The Denver coroner's office said Thursday that 41-year-old Gabriel Pico of Temecula, Calif., died from asphyxia.

Police spokesman Sonny Jackson says officers were waiting for the coroner's report, and no decision has been made on whether to recommend homicide charges.
Police say two employees of the club face second-degree assault charges.
Pico died Sept. 1, two days after the fight.

He was a member of the Tribal Council of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. Tribal officials said he was in Denver for events surrounding the Democratic convention but wasn't a delegate.

Early Saturday morning, Aug. 30, he and a companion got into a dispute outside the Diamond Cabaret gentleman's club in downtown Denver over whether they should be allowed in.
According to Medical Examiner Dr. Amy Martin, Pico died because not enough oxygen reached his brain. She said that Pico was being restrained during the altercation as three people reportedly were kicking at him.

During the restraint there appears to have been pressure applied to the neck," she said in the autopsy report.
She said other injuries to the head were superficial, that there were "no significant blunt traumatic injuries to the brain CHOKE HOLD

Pechanga and President George W. Bush United

Pechanga gets land that is important to ALL Temecula area Indians. The tribe said they were not going to build on land they acquired via the Great Oak Transfer. They have a golf course on that land now.

PLEASE GOLFERS, DO NOT take too deep a divot. You are golfing on ancient burial grounds.

NORTH COUNTY – President Bush last week signed legislation turning over more than 1.7 square miles of federal land to the Pechanga Indian band for use primarily as a wildlife preserve. The land includes 119 acres in San Diego County.
The Temecula-area tribe has been seeking the land for years, saying it is important to the tribe's culture and history.
The law transferring the land limits how the tribe can use it. The tribe is not allowed to build a casino or any structure except those supporting wildlife, and is to maintain public access.
Also included in the transfer is an 20-acre Indian burial ground near Lake Elsinore.

Statement on the Death of Pechanga's Gabriel Pico

A newly elected member of the Pechanga Tribal Council died after being involved in an altercation outside a nightclub in Denver, where he had attended the Democratic National Convention, authorities said.

Following the fight at 2 a.m. Sunday, Gabriel Pico was rushed by ambulance to an area hospital where he died almost two days later, according to Sonny Jackson, spokesman for the Denver Police Department. Jackson said he had no information about Mr. Pico's injuries or condition following the altercation.
Jackson said the Denver Police Department is investigating Mr. Pico's death.
Mr. Pico, 41, was pronounced dead at 8:20 p.m. Monday, said Michelle Weiss-Samaras, chief deputy coroner for the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner, the agency conducting the autopsy.

A statement from the Pechanga Tribal Council released Tuesday said Mr. Pico also suffered a heart attack over the weekend. Family and friends were by his side at the time of his death, according to the statement.

Mr. Pico had recently been elected to his first term on the seven-member Pechanga Tribal Council in July. The council sets policy and administers programs for the tribe, which runs the Pechanga Resort and Casino outside Temecula.
"This is a big loss for our Tribe," said Chairman Mark Macarro. "Though Gabe had only been in office a few weeks, it was evident that he was a tremendous asset to the council and the tribe. He will be missed dearly."

Mr. Pico leaves behind three daughters, two sons, one grandson, six siblings, his mother, Bernice Pico, and several nephews and nieces. His father, the late Gabriel "Gibby" Pico, served as tribal chairman from 1982 to 1987.
Funeral services for Mr. Pico are being arranged, according to the council's statement.

Story

Pechanga Layoffs: FBI Contact information UPDATED

UPDATE: The comment section has some interesting reading and I'm moving this post forward so that readers can see them and take part. There's a good comment on reconciliation.

To all Pechanga Employees facing layoffs and who have already been terminated. If you have information to share about what you've seen, heard and know, here is the contact information for the FBI:

FBI Los Angeles
Suite 1700,
FOB 11000
Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90024-3672
losangeles.fbi.gov
(310) 477-6565

FBI San Diego
Federal Office Building
9797 Aero Drive
San Diego, California 92123-1800
sandiego.fbi.gov
(858) 565-1255

They have been investigating for quite a while and now is a good time for you to help them wrap up the investigations with the Department of Justice. Pechanga obviously doesn't have your job to hold over your head anymore. Give them a call. I'm sure they are interested in what you've seen and what you know.

Tribal Councils NOT IMMUNE from lawsuits

Here is the money quote from the recent UNANIMOUS Appelate Court decision on Vann v Kempthorne:

"Faced with allegations of ongoing constitutional and treaty violations, and a prospective request for injunctive relief, officers of the Cherokee Nation cannot seek shelter in the tribe's sovereign immunity," wrote Judge Thomas Griffith.

OP: Pechanga's Tribal Council has acted unconstitutionally (against the Pechanga Constitution and bylaw by overturning the will of the people.) With NO sovereign immunity, expect the court cases to come rolling out. The 500 people held in the moratorium have a good opportunity here. NOW will the ACLU step in against the OFFICERS of the Pechanga Tribe? And of course, some other individuals will no longer have sovereignty attached. Will the tribe relish the idea of spending MILLIONS to defend Ruth Masiel and Ihrene Scearse and Frances Miranda?


John Velie, partner in Velie & Velie in Norman, Okla., counsel to Vann and the Freedmen, said, "The court crafted an opinion that protects both tribal sovereignty and individual Indian civil rights. The is a great day for Indian Country." The suit seeks an injunction prohibiting future elections without Freedmen participation, including the right to run for office.