John Benoit, Won't Get Corrupt Pechanga Tribe's Campaign Dollars. Apartheid Practicing Tribe Gives $45K to Manuel Perez.

The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, which once worked to ensure California would not get to vote on expanded gaming, a failed campaign, is making it representation wishes know.  The tribe, which practices APARTHEID on their reservation, not allowing allottees to vote on land issues and forcing them to stay away from bathrooms and drinking fountains, have chosen Assemblyman V. Manuel Perez for the 4th District on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

$45,000 may seem like a lot of money, and it is, but it's nothing compared the the more than $450 Million they have stolen from tribal members via disenrollment. Maybe it's better to let Mr. Perez be supported by a tribe that has violated the civil and human rights of it's own people.  Is that really who he wants to be backing him?

The tribe isn’t in the 4th District – Benoit represents desert-area communities – but that doesn’t mean it lacks a reason to oppose him, according the to the Press Enterprise.

Benoit, a Republican, was the Board of Supervisors’ strongest advocate for Liberty Quarry, an open-pit mine sought for the hills overlooking Temecula.

Pechanga vigorously fought the project, arguing the mine would destroy a sacred tribal area. The project died in 2012 when Pechanga bought part of the quarry site from developer Granite Construction.

Pechanga has every right to give to who they want in political races, and it's no surprise they give to the Democrat, as one of their council is the head of the Native American Caucus of the Democratic Party,  but Perez should ask himself, "Is this who I want to take money from, a tribe that has harmed their own elders, and who forcefully removed children from the tribal school?"    

Better to have clean hands and return the money, Assemblyman Perez.   The fleas you get from laying with dogs, could come back to bite you.

Democrats in CA Keep Convicted Felon Rod Wright, Internet Gaming Supporter In State Senate

State Sen. Roderick Wright will remain a member of California's upper house until an appeal is decided on his eight felony convictions for lying about where he lived.

But the Democratic lawmaker from Inglewood is being removed as chairman of the powerful Senate Governmental Organization Committee, which oversees gambling and liquor laws. He was allowed to keep his membership on the Senate's budget, energy and human services committees.

"Unless and until there is a final conviction for a felony," state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) told reporters, "I do not believe it is appropriate or necessary to expel Sen. Wright or ask him to resign."

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Pechanga Corruption: Grand Theft Charges for James Riley/Ryan Robinson Dismissed. Judge Says Sister of Demcratic Party Operative Controlled What Was Going On

Judge said now-disenfranchised former chairwoman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians Jennie Miranda, controlled what was happening.  Was this also a reason why she and her son were sanctioned by the tribe?   The elderly Miranda is sister to Chairman of the Native American Caucus of the Democratic Party head Andrew Masiel Sr..

Sichel told Roy she was surprised that the tribe’s board members did not testify during the trial that they had relied on Robinson’s recommendations to them regarding the insurance contracts.
“The answer to that question is that the tribe’s board members would have testified that there were never any meetings, there were never any discussions, and that, as the defense pointed out, Ms. Miranda essentially controlled what had happened,” Roy said, referring to then-Pechanga chairwoman Jennie Miranda.


Sichel said she believed the bribery charges were “more disconnected” from the theft charges than the defense had argued, saying there was evidence of a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours … don’t make waves” relationship between Riley and Robinson.

OP:  It looks like the Masiel-Basquez Crime Family had their fingers all over the place.. Justice Department?  BIA?   Anyone.....anyone??

Read more at the Press Enterprise

Jennie Miranda Issue: Is It Ethical Business Practice to Keep Silent on Pechanga's Corruption Within?

As we have posted earlier, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, which operates one of the largest casinos in the state, the Pechanga Resort & Casino, just held a special meeting to discuss the FBI case into former tribal chair Jennie Miranda and her son Larry Miranda.

This issue has been a long time coming, the FBI has been investigating for more than four years.   As commenter Attila the CPA said: They have boatloads of Casino records, bank records, tax returns, canceled checks, personal testimony and what not. Cases like this are complicated and take many years of investigation. The tribe owes a billion dollars to banks, has thousands of employees, and owes millions to the State of California. Law enforcement must move carefully or many people, and financial interests may be hurt.

Questions remain about the Pechanga tribal council's culture of corruption. Obviously, the council has known about this for years.

Why is it NOW that they bring this before the people?

Did Jennie Miranda's brother, Andrew Masiel, the head of the Native American Caucus of the Democratic Party in California, know about these crimes, or was it a complete surprise his sister had a lot more money?

Would Masiel be allowed to vote on any issue involving his family members at council meetings, or was he excused from those meetings? If not, can the tribal members believe he would not let his sister know what the tribal council found out from their investigator? Obviously, Jennie knew what she did, but she wouldn't have known what the investigator knew.

We've used the slogan, "If Pechanga will cheat their own people, won't they cheat their customers too?" for years. Now, it looks like more examples of how Pechanga has cheated it's membership. Couldn't the $50 million plus be shared between members? And how could the Pechanga Development Corporation be so inept, that they couldn't see what was happening? Where is the oversight?

And, shouldn't the people of CA expect their share? How can we be sure that Pechanga is accurate, when they say how much profit they are making?

Serious questions I think.