What Abuses Are Tribal Nations OKAY WITH, To Protect Sovereignty. Sovereignty Is Wielded as a Weapon

 

Quote by Rick Cuevas
Original Pechanga

I follow Pumunkey descendant @KirosAuld on Twitter, so should you.   This morning he asked a great question. 

“What level of federal intervention do you feel comfortable leaving things at?”   And really, what are we willing to overlook in the name of SOVEREIGNTY?   Our advocacy groups, like NARF, NCAI, Interior/BIA are all overlooking civil and human rights abuses, elder abuse, unethical disenrollments, lack of due process, disbarment of defendant's attorneys.  The Nooksack Tribe got rid of a JUDGE for ruling against them

Sovereignty as a WEAPON

Are Tribes like PALA the Correct Authority to Determine DEGREE OF INDIAN BLOOD

 

Kevin Washburn, this happened under YOUR WATCH with the leaders of the Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians.  WHY did you turn a blind eye?

The Britten Descendants arbitrarily had their Degree of Indian Blood LOWERED by the Executive Committee of the Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation, California.   They were seeking their disenrollment, but the two issues can be separated.

THIS IS AN ISSUE OF WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE DEGREE OF INDIAN BLOOD.

The allowing of a Tribal authority to determine Degree of Indian Blood is not only a serious matter but one that will have serious consequences for the United States, State Governments, Indian Tribes and Individual Indians.

The United States is, as a matter of its sovereign power and under the Doctrine of Pre-Emption, the entity with the sole authority to determine the Degree of Indian Blood of an individual Indian.

THE PALA MATTER

New Crack in Sovereignty Dam: Barona Can't Avoid Taxes

Nice try by Barona, but it didn't work.

It is true that tribes have an interest in their economic self-sufficiency," Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw, Clinton nominee, wrote for the majority. "However, this concern carries minimal weight in the context of a $75 million casino expansion," the court said.
The court said the tribe "invited" commercial activity to the reservation that would otherwise take place off the reservation. So it is non-Indian businesses -- not the tribe -- whose rights are at stake, Wardlaw wrote in the 15-page ruling.
"In these circumstances, we find the state interest in the application of its general sales tax to be greater than the combined federal and tribal interests," the court said.

Read more: HERE

Soboba's Salgado: White People should go back to Plymouth Rock

This is good customer relations from Chairman Salgado of Soboba:

If those in the trailer park aren't happy, he said, they should "get back on Plymouth Rock and sail back to Europe." in response to neighbors who complained about bullets from the reservation hitting their mobile homes.

Reminds of the words of wisdom of Pechanga Chair Macarro: "what we do on the reservation is NO BUSINESS of the WHITE MAN.

But, Riverside County, WHERE YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY IS your business. Take your business ELSEWHERE.

Even if the tribe and the department strike a deal, it won't be the end of the story. The tribe's lawyer, veteran Indian rights attorney Jack Schwartz, is investigating whether deputies violated the tribe's civil rights.

JACK, will you take up the cause of INDIANS who have ALSO had their rights violated by tribes like PECHANGA and PICAYUNE?

Coming Soon: Another Crack in the Sovereignty Dam

Word is that at the beginning of next week, OR SOONER, there will be some news on court rulings against tribal disenrollment. Continued cracks in the dam of sovereignty, caused by Casino tribes who mistreat their people.

Stay tuned. This could help pending and upcoming lawsuits.

Pechanga's Drinking Policies Hurt Sales

Now that Pechanga has had to shut down their high value nightclubs, it looks like they have come to an agreement with the ABC and are limiting their much fewer patrons to ONE DRINK AT A TIME. Since they are losing close to $100,000 a night that the clubs aren't open, NOW, they are limiting their alcohol profits. THAT'S Going to LEAVE a Mark on their profits. What was that FINE they were charged for underage drinking?

The FOIA requests for U.S. government activities at Pechanga are underway. Included is the tax reports for uh, how would you call him..?.. That "punk assed bitch" who sucker-punched a Hunter then went running to the rez govt. office for protection. How did he earn those millions?

So, the tribe didn't get the raise in per capita they were promised either. Question to you, readers is: WHICH FAMILY is NEXT to exit, to that those who remain can get more?

UPDATE: Casinos NOT recession proof: Article HERE Apparently, Pechanga didn't want to say how the current recession is affecting them. Of course, they shot themselves in the foot with their youth's thuggish behavior.

California Tribe Hides behind Sovereignty to Avoid Suit for Shoddy Work.

The Supreme Court will decide next month whether to hear a case against Blue Lake Rancheria, which is operating a business off reservation. Appears the company they bought, did some shoddy work and now they won't stand behind it.
As you know, Pechanga and its chairman Mark Macarro hides behind sovereignty in denying its people basic civil rights and in not following the rule of law (Pechanga Law)

Article on Blue Lake HERE

Tribal sovereignty and alleged shoddy construction at an El Dorado Hills house make strange bedfellows in a legal case that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
When Rita Carns hired J & L Construction to build at 216 Knapp Ct., the firm was in no way connected to a Humboldt County American Indian band living on the Blue Lake Rancheria.
But it is now, and her attorneys argue the tribe is liable for damage from water intrusion to Carns’ house.
But tribal officials say nay, nay, not a penny will I pay. Blue Lake Rancheria is one of a growing number of Indian tribes going into business off-reservation, buying or starting ventures in territory not governed by tribal sovereignty.

More on Sovereignty Breakdown..

Teetilawuncha was kind enough to post an article I wrote for The Native Blog months ago. And, with the Maine decisions, still very pertinent

Here is the link. Take a look: http://teetilawuncha.blogspot.com/2007/11/dedicated-to-o-pechanga.html

Thanks for posting it.

Another CRACK in the Sovereignty Dam

Tribes who wield their sovereignty like a club, may start feeling some of the backlash. Pechanga, you will be responsible for the erosion of sovereignty in this state. There is still time to make restitution for what the Splinter Group has caused. Let's discuss how.

Supreme Court Turns Down Appeal From Maine Indian Tribe


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court has decided it won't hear an appeal from a Maine Indian tribe that argued it has sovereign powers over its tribal government affairs.
A federal judge ruled two years ago that the Aroostook Band of Micmacs wasn't subject to state employment laws or the Maine Human Rights Act in a lawsuit stemming from the tribe's 2001 firing of three Aroostook County women. The women complained to the Maine Human Rights Commission that their terminations violated the Maine Whistleblower Protection Act. OP: A STATE law.

But that ruling was overturned last spring by the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. The tribe then appealed to the Supreme Court.
The high court also declined to hear a similar case involving the Houlton Band of Maliseets, another small tribe in northern Maine.

Sovereignty should be used for the good of the people, not to deny our citizens their civil rights and property. Vote no on 94.

Will LA COUNTY PAY FOR VOTES II -Pechanga Corruption

In a previous post, I posted a letter from Ron Andrade who sent it to numerous people on his email list. There is a question as to whether LA County approves of using government e-mail for personal politics. (Is that racketeering? Mail Fraud)

At the Native American Caucus meeting Thursday evening, Ron Andrade shouted at Steve Haze that, it was his PERSONAL EMAIL and "he could invite his friends and anyone he damn well pleased".
Well, that's certainly true he can invite any he pleases. But his email said, "WE" as in "WE WILL BUY YOU DINNER AND PAY for your membership. Here's that portion as posted yesterday:

> We are asking for you to attend the Native American Caucus of the> Democratic party on Friday at 8pm at the Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim.> We will pay for your membership and we will provide dinner.

So, is each membership coming out of Andrade's pocket? Or out of COUNTY funds? As the joke goes... Tonto says, "what do you mean WE, Kemo Sabe?"

How did Ron know that all the people he was buying memberships for were Democrats? Does Art Torres know about this? Does Governor Bill Richardson?

I'm sure the County Supervisors will be looking into this. Especially since there are no casinos in Los Angeles county. Speaking of which, WHEN is the TONGVA going to get recognized?

I'll address the Cherokee issue later...

Governator Sell California Out to Pechanga, Gambling Casinos

http://newsblaze.com/story/20070528191604nnnn.nb/newsblaze/OPINIONS/Opinions.html

Schwarzenegger Sells California Out to Gambling Casinos
by Kathryn Bowen

Whoever coined the phrase "Ignorance is bliss" must have been talking about the 35 million Californians trusting that their governor and their elected officials are actually doing their job with respect to gambling casinos run by Indian tribes in our state.

"Bliss" is what Governor Schwarzenegger has been selling the public while he sells the State down the river by granting the largest expansion of gambling in history to 5 casino tribes. 5,000 MORE machines each, to tribes that are eliminating Indians from tribes.
In the wake of Californian's support of Prop 1A, former Governor, Gray Davis, negotiated gambling compacts with Indian Tribes. Millions of voters succumbed to a brilliant marketing campaign that casino tribes invested nearly $100 Million into, equal to a presidential election, to persuade voters to change our State constitution and direct gambling monopolies to Indian tribes. I was one of those voters.

Here's the bad news.

At this moment, your elected representatives in California are just about to vote on whether to grant 5 casino tribes, consisting of just 1,876 people, the ability to expand willy-nilly despite the impact on our communities, families, children and ultimately the financial future of California. Now, Pechanga has eliminated 250 members and are keeping at least 500 more off their rolls where they rightfully belong.
This is just the beginning; 67 additional tribes with gaming compacts are waiting in the wings and the Governor may not inform the public when renegotiations commence with these tribes.

The reality is the revenue promised for the state through gambling expansion will not materialize. The Governor and his advisors know this and should probably buy a new calculator because they know the expected income is neither measurable nor enforceable!

Thousands of emails, letters, phone calls and exhaustive testimony attempting to alert our elected officials of endless issues regarding jurisdiction, regulation, accounting and disastrous social costs have fallen on deaf ears.

The reason for the hearing loss? Could it be the massive unregulated tribal contributions flowing into political campaigns of the majority of our elected officials in our State Capitol?

In fact, tribes poured $429,600 into the campaigns of just fifteen assembly members who held an "impartial" hearing on problematic regulatory issues with the compacts and will be key in deciding their fate. How impartial can they really be when taking money from the same tribes that will benefit from their vote? By any definition, this is a profound conflict of interest.

Making matters worse, the Minimum Internal Control Standards (MICS), the only federal regulatory leg left to oversee the integrity of the games and to collect the money, has been eliminated from the compacts.

What does this mean? These so-called compacts are really contracts that will cement a permanent partnership between the State of California and loosely regulated gambling casino tribes for the next 25-years, without the ability of the state to audit and collect the money or to ensure fair gaming for the patrons.

Casino tribes have kicked federal regulators off their land claiming sovereignty. What makes the state think its going to be any more successful especially given the fact there are simply not enough enforcement resources?

Moreover, Schwarzenegger privately brokered 25-year, multibillion dollar deals without so much as an economic study to show how expanded gambling will impact the people of California.

Given the fact that 80% percent of gambling revenue comes from households with incomes of less than $50,000 a year, don't you think you need a study to show what this spread of gambling is going to do to the state?

What kind of representative government balances its budget on the backs of its poorest and most vulnerable citizens? Even Russia and other countries around the world who believed that gambling actually produced economic vitality have come to their senses and banned or closed most of their casinos due to the economic strain caused to their economies.

Once again, our elected officials are going for the quick fix approach to fixing the state's budget problems instead of assessing the long-term effects of really bad policy.

What does California get? We all get to sit by and watch our regional economy redirect billions in disposable income (taxable sales) into "sovereign tribal governments" who are not bound by the U.S. Constitution, remain outside regulatory laws and pay no taxes on their $23 Billion profits.

This massive federal scandal's tentacles have found their way into every corner of our government through corrupt campaign finance loopholes. From the White House on down to local county governments who are faced with the dilemma of how to stand up to tribes who exploit their ancestral suffering to bully local governments into giving them what they want.

Wake up California!

The gaming tribes' plight no longer has anything to do with civil rights, justice or historical reparations, but rather with self-indulgent gambling expansion under the guise of self-determination.

From Paulina Hunter's Blog: Pechanga Helping to Destroy Sovereignty

Paulina Hunter's blog

PECHANGA & CA Tribes on Path to Destroy Sovereignty?


I have been saying for years that the violations of civil rights by Pechanga and the skirting of laws by Pechanga and other California Tribes will be responsible for the erosion of Tribal Sovereignty in the United States.

The author below apparently believes as I do. CONGRATULATIONS PECHANGA, you are hurting Indian Country. I'm guessing your WHITE MAN, MURPHY, that you put on your Tribal Council doesn't care.

Pechanga, it's NOT TOO LATE! Simply reverse your decision to disenroll "upon further review" and bring your families back into the tribe where they belong. Admit you were in ERROR when you failed to follow Tribal law. SWALLOW your pride and DO THE RIGHT THING.



The Never-Ending Fight to Defend Sovereignty

Indian law, sovereignty and jurisdiction are not "one size fits all" issues in Indian country. There are too many variances in how different states view the Indian nations within their borders and even in how the federal government reacts to issues of sovereignty.

With the surge in Indian gaming in states like California, a state where Public Law 280 gives the state government jurisdiction over law enforcement and the courts, the issues are far different than say in South Dakota, where the state government has no jurisdiction.

When Public Law 280 was first pushed upon the different states by the federal government it was intended to open the doors for state jurisdiction on Indian reservations. The tribes of South Dakota, the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota, have always been strong advocates of their own sovereign status. They had been at war with the state government for too many years to not understand that state jurisdiction in their courts and in law enforcement would automatically bring about severe inequity.

The former president of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Robert Burnette (now deceased), fought the idea of Public Law 280 tooth and nail. He pushed the reality that if the state assumed jurisdiction over the tribal courts, jails and law enforcement, the costs to the state would be prohibitive. With nine Indian reservations in the state and upwards of 70,000 Indians, the transition alone would have cost the state millions and