3 Days of Protest Against Disenrollment in UKIAH

Earlier today and for the next two days, members of the Elem Indian Colony Pomo Tribe will be protesting at the Ukiah Plaza alongside representatives from at least two other tribes in the area.

The group is challenging a cut in membership from the Clearlake Oaks tribe. Those involved in the protest say the Disenrollment/Paper Genocide
of tribe members is contrary to tribal law.

From the organizers:

Today's Stand against Dis-enrollment protest will be held in Ukiah today from 11:00-5:30 each day on April 6th, 7th, & 8th 2016. 

The Pomo Nations families have been targeted by these Zionist Attorneys Anthony Cohen, Lester Marston and David Rapport who specialize in the politically Disenrolling of Pomo people while the majority of their tribal clients are Tribal Governments from Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino Counties! 

Question your Council why they continue to hire these low down dirty blood sucking attorneys. Who will eventually dis-enroll them "

STAND with your Native Brethren against corrupt Tribal Councils.  

Rep. Raul Ruiz on Native Americans. Reminder, it's NOT just the Chiefs and Chairman Where US Govt. Responsibility Lies

New U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz was quoted in the Desert Sun:

Native Americans are the first Americans, and our tribes are an integral part of the fabric of who we are as a people,” Ruiz said in a statement to The Desert Sun. “They are also a significant part of the population in the Coachella Valley.

It is a top priority for me as a Member of Congress to be a voice for our tribes and provide them with the representation and respect they deserve.

I look forward to using my position on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs to work with our local tribes and improve the quality of life for Native Americans in the 36th District and across the nation.”

Please Rep. Ruiz, you MUST bear in mind that the trust reponsibility of the U.S. Government to INDIANS isn't just to the chiefs and chairmen.  It's to ALL native Americans. 

 

CA Tribal Disenrollment: Lifelong Dry Creek Rancheria Members LOSE Appeal

Two longtime Dry Creek Rancheria members who were running for office in a high-profile political battle learned Thursday they lost their appeal to stay in the tribe.

Carmen Cordova Soltanizadeh and Laila Elgin DeRouen said they were informed the Dry Creek board of directors voted 3-2 to disenroll them from the approximate 1,100-member tribe.

“We've been members our entire life,” said DeRouen, 29. “There's absolutely no basis for what they've done.”

“I am who I am, not because of them,” said Soltanizadeh, 34. “We've been a part of the reservation since it begun.”

Soltanizadeh said the first indication she got that the vote was against her was Thursday morning, when her $650 monthly per capita payment for being a tribal member was taken out of her bank account.

“It was put in, then reversed. That's how I knew the decision was made,” she said.

But by Thursday afternoon, she was informed the money, which is generated by Dry Creek's River Rock Casino, was redeposited by tribal officials who decided she would get the final payment after all, despite her disenrollment.

“By putting it in and taking it out, it was a slap in the face,” she said.

The dispute over the status of the two women led to the postponement of tribal elections in November.

DeRouen was running for secretary-treasurer of the five-member tribal board. Soltanizadeh was a candidate for tribal gaming commission.

The two women claim they were selectively disenrolled because they were challenging members of the salaried board who are up for re-election.

Tribal Chairman Harvey Hopkins, who is running for re-election, did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.


Dry Creek Appeal Denied

Airing PECHANGA'S Dirty Laundry in Public; Spotlight is a good Disinfectant

A reminder of a post from 2007 where Pechanga remaining members (remainers?) were upset that we were speaking out in public about the horrid actions of the CPP haters. We culled the story from Paulina Hunters blog on My Space. In essence, the remainers are upset about being called out, but NOT upset about violations of civil rights, human rights, Pechanga Constitution, Child Molesters.......

from 2007

We've received a lot of comments from families of CPP members that we have spoken out against. They are not the least embarrassed about what their relatives have done to the tribe.

UPDATE: Sorry, for those who don't know the CPP is part of a splinter group of tribal members that conspired to violate the civil rights of some of the membership. Check out the main page of http://www.pechanga.info/ for the rest of the story. Feel free to join in on the message board at the link above.

Here's what A. Basquez wrote to Paulina Hunter's My Space :

Hey dont be mad because you cant prove your ancestors because I am a basquez and I am proud of it I have been enrolled since 1973 when were you enrolled when the casino went up thats what I thought. OP: Kind of sweet don't you think? that's only 25 years AFTER Lawrence Madariga built his house. He would've needed a new roof by then. Please NO comments on spelling here. After all, he admitted his family, so it's understandable.
.
another comment...this time from shawn....

From:Just me
http://www.myspace.com/mechamp1
Date: May 15, 2007 9:33 AM
Date Sent: 5/15/2007 9:33:00 AMBody:Please leave my family and my people alone, accept the truth and move on....Thank you...."
STOP THE MADNESS!!
Body: Please leave my family and my people alone, accept the truth and move on....Thank you....

MY RESPONSE:
Shawn, Thanks for writing. We HAVE accepted the truth. The TRUTH is that we were screwed by the Concerned Pechanga People, which includes Butch Murphy, who has NO Pechanga blood. Now, the TRUTH, as proved by Pechanga's own hired expert, (The Hunters DID NOT HIRE HIM, Pechanga did) is that Paulina Hunter was Pechanga. The TRUTH is, that Pechanga Disenrollment committee has depositions taken in the Luiseno language from 1915 that prove that Paulina Hunter is Pechanga. The TRUTH is that Paulina Hunter has census reports from 1895 that says she's from Pechanga. That's 112 years ago. YOUR people, is OUR PEOPLE, Shawn. Educate yourself a little more. Ask yourself why a moratorium is legal? Because of the will of the people? Then why wouldn't that same will of the people, that voted overwhelmingly to halt all disenrollments not followed by the tribal council? You need to accept the truth Shawn, and know that if you don't help to right the Pechanga ship, it will go down. Would you fight for your rights to be Pechanga? Or would you just walk away and say...hey, it's no big deal? Pechanga has been overtaken by corrupt people,

Last one:

Delila V. from Pechanga sent me the following email:

your profile is the most fucken stupidist shit ever a real member wouldnt say shit about the tribe TALK SHIT about other families or about anyone from the REZ. use a person that is no longer here wont say who's profile this is so FUCK YOU AND STOP SENDING ME SHIT. DAMMIT! i dont give a fuck if you got dissenrolled if you were truly from Pechanga Reservation then you wouldn't have got dissenrolled..and can prove that ur from there!

Delila, the problem is that WE DID prove that we were from Pechanga, and in fact, the Pechanga Enrollment Committee PROVED we were from Pechanga, by hiring their own expert, who SAID we were from Pechanga. They chose to believe a child molester instead, and one who stood up in the General Meetings and complained the we weren't voting the way they wanted, and a guy who's two sister's are on the enrollment committee. Gloria W, who came to the reservation 100 years after Paulina was there, and of course, one who doesn't even want her brother in the tribe.
I understand that you don't care if we got disenrolled, you benefit by more people getting kicked out.

These kids are the future of Pechanga...

10 Things You Can Do to Help Stop Lawlessness like Pechanga's

From the President of AIRRO:

10 Things You Can Do To Help Stop the Lawlessness in Indian Country

1. Call, Write, and Email your Congressional representatives and tell them that the violations of human rights and civil liberties must be stopped and the violators must be prosecuted.
OP: If only 10 people send a letter, it makes no impact, 11 is more, 120 is better. Don't sit back and hope somebody writes a letter, or email or fax. Send one yourself and one for you wife and kids.
2. Write letters to the editors of your local newspapers describing the violations of human rights and civil liberties occurring in Indian Country.
OP: How do you think we got a news piece on KNBC (linked at my blogroll)? The editors will right about what their readers want to read.

3. Boycott Indian Casinos owned by those tribes whose tribal officials have violated the human rights and civil liberties of its citizens and customers. (List coming soon to Pechanga.Info Homepage)
OP: I used to spend $3,000 a year at Pechanga, but no more. I tell people now, not to go there.

4. Get others to boycott with you.
OP: How about your reunion committee that's thinking of having it at the casinos? Nope.
5. Stand beside those who have been wronged - walk the protest lines.
6. Speak out about the injustices occurring in Indian Country. Don't hide behind the fear "that you might be next".
OP: Bullies will beat up on those who won't defend themselves.
7. Stand up to your tribal leaders and show them that you won't tolerate being a part of creating another era of dishonor and genocide against Indian People. Do not hide behind the shame of what is being done to your family and friends
OP: Had more of the other families brought their relatives in to vote, we wouldn't be in this situation. One vote lost by 4 votes.
8. Join and support the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization or any other organizations that work to promote, protect and preserve human rights and civil liberties in Indian Country.
9. Persuade local business and community leaders not to accept Casino money from tribal officials that violate the human and civil rights of any individual.
OP: How is it that school districts will support illegal immigration, but not violation of civil rights to their Native neighbors.
10. Support and encourage those who have had their human rights and civil liberties violated by tribal officials.
OP: Say, like commenting on blogs, or passing the blog address to friends or visiting the blogs 3-5 times a day to show some love?

For more information on the fight to end lawlessness in Indian Country, please continue to visit www.Pechanga.Info or contact mail@pechanga.info or www.airro.org

Tribal Justice at Barona: Paid for Judges?

Quote of the Day: Most people don't realize that when you go to an Indian casino, it's like entering a foreign country where you have very few rights,"

Tribal justice for outsiders is not swift or sure. And judges taking contributions from tribes that may come before them?

When Redd discovered that Goldsmith had taken political contributions from nine Indian tribes, including the Barona tribe, she filed a petition to have his decision thrown out on grounds that he should have disqualified himself. The petition was turned down by the California Supreme Court.

Barona Bedbug Bites mean be careful when going on sovereign territory

Jerry Brown: Fox Guarding the Tribal Casino Henhouse?

State AG Jerry Brown doesn't seem to be taking a strong stand against crime on California's Indian Reservations. He DOES seem to be courting the tribes, however, should he plan to run for governor again.

Michell DeArmond has the story HERE.

The attorney general's office's Bureau of Gambling Control is one of several entities that regulate Indian casinos. Whether Brown, as attorney general, can crack down on problems at Indian casinos and simultaneously solicit tribes' political support could become an issue on the campaign trail, as questions of potential conflicts of interest often do
Records show that Brown hasn't collected any campaign contributions from tribes during his time as attorney general thus far. In a telephone interview Tuesday, Brown said he wouldn't rule out accepting tribal donations later but would exercise "prudence and good judgment" in cases of potential conflict.
"That's a concern I might have with respect to anybody," he said, noting that many political donors do business with the state. "I don't want to single out tribes. They're big and they're important in the political process, but there are also a lot of others."

OP: Except, Jerry, that YOU KNOW that tribes, led by Pechanga are the single BIGGEST donors. Are you going to be out front when the indictments are going to be handed down?

Does Pechanga Think Crime Pays?

Paulina Hunters Blog asks that question

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.

Picayune Rancheria (Chukchansi) and Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians (Pechanga) toss out members .

Picayune Rancheria and Pechanga, two like-minded tribes, getting rid of long time members in an thus far successful effort to enrich the remaining members.

Article linked here

"It's what you do as an Indian. I am a Chukchansi Indian," she said.
She is - and she isn't.
The 77-year-old Martinez has been kicked out of the Picayune Chukchansi tribe in the tiny Madera County town of Coarsegold - the tribe where she was vice chairwoman just two years ago, the tribe that is full of her cousins.
The tribal council threw her out last year, just as it has tossed out almost half its membership that in 2000 was 1,500 strong. It's the biggest disenrollment of any tribe in California, observers say.

snip

They kicked me to the curb so they could keep more money for themselves," Martinez said, tearing up as she visited the historic grinding rock, used by local Indians for millennia, near the tribe's rancheria. "Our ancestors would roll over in their graves if they knew."

OP: This is exactly what Pechanga did to 25% of their tribe! And they will tell you it's not about money. Well, then they'd be lying.

But at least 14 tribes have caused enough protests by ejecting members that activists say they have been able to tally 5,000 people disenrolled in the past eight years.

Down near San Diego, the ax even fell on a cousin of Mark Macarro - the chairman of Southern California's Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians who famously, and successfully, pleaded in TV ads for passage of several Indian gambling ballot initiatives. The cousin was barred from rejoining the tribe after living off the reservation for several years. At least 200 others have been disenrolled. OP: Uh, Mark Macarro went to COLTON High School, his father to San Bernardino High. What a pantsload.

Read these for more information:

Paulina Hunter's Blog
WITHOUT A TRIBE
Pechanga's Bad Business
MYSPACE HUNTER BLOG
Pechanga Tribes Ouster of Members

Please, those of you with blogs, link to my blog and pass it on to your friends. I'm sending it to my friends in the State Assembly.

Pechanga Compacts: Investigation NOT Ratification

Tribal Gambling Compacts, Investigation Not Ratification
By Kathryn Bowen

Article

The road to ratification of tribal casino expansion deals leading to Sacramento and of the largest expansion of gambling in American history is littered with private deals, silenced communities, co-opted police, media, local governments and elected officials who have been summarily bought-off.
An investigation is what is needed into the negotiation and ratification of tribal gambling compacts and the Office of the Attorney General should be calling for one. One problem. The AG's office is playing politics like the rest of our elected officials. Turns out the Attorney General's office is busy assisting the Governor with his privately brokered multi-billion dollar tribal gambling deals.
What the state plans on doing to enforce compacts with 5 powerful Indian gambling tribes that operate outside of U.S. Constitutional law is a mystery to us all. Straight answers - any answers - would be helpful to the citizens of California.
Although the Attorney General's office is skeptical as to enforceability when they admitted compacts are difficult to enforce because of the "sovereign nation" status of tribes, the Assembly is still moving full speed ahead.

OP: Readers, please remember that the AG is not investigating the recent firing of a Pechanga Casino manager, who is the son of former Pechanga Tribal Spokesman Jennie Miranda. Why isn't this public? He not only cheated Pechanga, but the employees, who are CALIFORNIA citizens. And of course, the state, who lost some taxable income from the employees who didn't receive all their tips. WHERE is the news on this? THESE are the people (Pechanga) that we will TRUST to tell us how much they earned?

Pechanga: Tribes must Halt All Efforts to Add Illegal Slots

Tribes Must Halt All Efforts to Add Illegal Slots in California
By Cheryl A. Schmit
Founder and Director of Stand Up for California ARTICLE HERE

You may have read one of the numerous news reports that somehow the unfair gambling deals the Big 4 tribes cut for themselves in Sacramento – and that await voters as Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 on the February 5 ballot – have been approved by the federal government. That’s not quite true for a number of reasons.

The compact must first be validly entered into under state constitutional law. Since nearly 3 million signatures were gathered to put the deals on the ballot, the deals await the decision of California voters under the referendum process authorized in the State Constitution. If voters reject the deals, California can’t be a party to them and there would be nothing for the federal government to review or approve.

Nevertheless, even if the federal government were to publish the authorization of the tribal state compacts in the Federal Register the Secretary’s approval cannot give life to a compact which is considered void on Feb. 5th by California voters, or determined by the courts to be void from the beginning (ab initio). To date, the federal government has indicated it will postpone publishing anything in the Federal Register. We applaud this decision. Unfortunately, the federal government’s respect for California’s referendum process is not shared by the Pechanga tribe in Temecula. The chairman of the tribe has told numerous reporters that they have plans to move forward with adding what would be illegal slot machines to their casino.

Read the rest at the link above. Chairman Macarro's cousin Victor calls Cheryl a shill. As one whose site gets ad monies and links to the Casino, he may be an expert. Takes one to know one, such as when Macarro called the unions Corrupt.

Gov. Schwarzenegger more like Benedict Arnold?

http://tribalwatch.blogspot.com/2007/12/arnold-schwarzenegger-more-like.html#links

Our friends at Tribal Watch are asking the question. Through some letters to the editor in Capitol Weekly. Arnold does not want the people to vote.

Also, some more comments, including from yours truly, to article by the President of the California Federation of Teachers. Why haven't YOU left a comment there? 12,000 people have seen it since it was written.

Interior to Delay Final Step On Pechanga, other Compacts.

In a good move, Interior Department won't allow civil rights violator Pechanga and other Tribes to get started on adding new slots without the vote of the people.

A spokesman for Attorney General Jerry Brown, who represents both the governor and the secretary of state, would say only that “a compact must be valid under state law as well as receiving federal approval.” And, since the people haven't approved it, it's NOT valid.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20071204-9999-1n4compacts.html

Tell your friends, you heard it here first.

Pechanga waiting to install slots after Feds approval

Last week I posted that the expanded gaming issue was in limbo and now it looks like Pechanga has followed my advice where I advised waiting until the referendum is voted on by Californians.
It appears that even though Pechanga has been working on expanded gaming for 9 months, spent loads of money on their favorite politicians, planned for success, well, the EARLIEST that Pechanga can get the machines running is 1st quarter 2008.
Additional, Pechanga has added $5 million MORE to the pot for commercials. $10.5 million now trying to convince us that 5,000 additional slots to a tribe that violates their people's rights is a good thing. Is that all civil rights are worth? To Pechanga, and to Californians?

Union rights are one thing, civil, human, property, voting rights are quite another. DO not reward Pechanga.

Pechanga: Without a Tribe Pechanga Tribe Destroys Indians

http://originalpechanga.blogspot.com/2007/11/pechanga-knbcs-without-tribe.html

I'm re-linking to the article above, which is ALSO linked on my blogroll to the February piece on KNBC, WITHOUT A TRIBE. This is in honor of the visit my blog got from somebody at KNBC today. I think it's good that I keep reminding my friends, family and readers to look at that piece. Its the most shared video in their collection.

Please rate the video. They have a stars ranking. Leave some comments on how you feel about Pechanga eliminating more Natives than the White Man has this century.
THANKS KNBC!

Gambling Vote in Limbo: Pechanga waiting....

I'll link to more stories like this as they appear. The PEOPLE of the state of California will have the last word on this, either through the referendum process, or the recall process. The four tribes are putting their heads together right now, asking themselves: "do we add the machines, or don't we?" And they'd be wise to take their time with this. BACKLASH, can be a horrible word. Hey, people like to gamble, obviously, but they don't like getting screwed.

Can you say, unlimited gambling in California? I think you can. The customer will choose to go elsewhere, rather than a business they now know is without scruples.

Gambling vote in limbo
SAN DIEGO -- A statewide vote on the expansion of gambling at four Southern California Indian casinos has potentially been short-circuited by a federal government decision, it was reported today.
Requests to dramatically increase the amount and types of gambling at the four reservation casinos was to be decided by California voters in the Feb. 5 state primary election, when four initiatives are on the ballot. But the San Diego Union-Tribune has learned that the U.S. Interior Department has suddenly ratified compacts between the state government and the tribes, possibly making the February votes moot.
Attorneys for other tribes, and for union groups that have opposed the additional gambling, say they were surprised by the Bush Administration’s decision to ratify the gambling compacts before California voters could make a decision on them. Wealthy tribes seeking casino expansions are locked in a bitter battle with casino-less tribes, and unions that have been frozen out of casino contracts.

Almost $30 million has been raised to flood the state’s TV stations with pro- and anti-gambling commercials.

Civil Rights Org. Opposes Big 4 compacts

Civil Rights Organization Opposes Compacts with Big 4 Tribes
TEMECULA, CA - The American Indian Rights and Resources Organization ("AIRRO"), a civil rights advocacy group, has joined the growing number of tribes, labor unions, and environmental groups in opposition to the gaming compacts signed with the Pechanga, Morongo, Sycuan, and Agua Caliente Tribes. AIRRO cited the failure of the Governor, the tribes, and the State Legislature to include language in the compacts that would protect and preserve the basic human and civil rights of tribal employees, casino patrons, and the thousands of others who do business with the tribes.

"The expansion of tribal gaming in California has seen an increase in the number of human and civil rights violations, especially within Tribes that have gaming operations," stated AIRRO President, John Gomez, Jr. "These compacts were the perfect place to address these rights issues and to protect California citizens from further abuses."

"The Governor and the State Legislature let the citizens of California down in negotiating and approving these compacts. Fortunately, the voters of California will have an opportunity to vote "No" on these compacts and force the Big 4 tribes back to the drawing board to negotiate new compacts- compacts that are fair to California's citizens and respect basic rights."

AIRRO also believes that the compacts with the Big 4 tribes fail to adhere to the purpose and intent of previous gaming initiatives where California voters were led to believe that Indian gaming would benefit all California Indians.
"A news article in the Sacramento Bee estimated that only a small percentage of California Indians actually benefit from Indian Gaming," said Gomez. "With the rise in human and civil rights violations in California Indian Country, we expect that the percentage may be even less as thousands of California Indians have been stripped of or denied citizenship in their tribes. As a result, these dis-enfranchised Indians have been cut-off from or denied health care benefits, elder benefits, education assistance, and other social services provided by their tribal governments. Most must now avail themselves of state and federal programs at taxpayer expense."
Along with several other organizations, AIRRO has signed the ballot arguments in opposition to the Big 4 tribes' compacts. The ballot arguments provide voters information on the proposed ballot initiatives and are distributed to all of California's registered voters.

For more information on the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization, go to www.airro.org or email mail@airro.org. OP: Please join AIRRO if you aren't already a member

CalFedTeachers: NO to Pechanga, no on 94,95,96,97

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/11/big_4_gambling.html

Big 4 Gambling Deals – A Bad Deal For Education And For California--“No” on 94, 95, 96 and 97
By Marty HittelmanPresidentCalifornia Federation of Teachers

Every once in a while voters get a chance to correct a legislative mistake. The Secretary of State has officially qualified four referenda, Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97, for the February 5, 2008 ballot. That means voters will have a chance to reverse the “sweet heart deal” that the governor and the majority of the legislature made with a few wealthy Tribes. Of course, I’m referring to the Big 4 Gambling Deals -- a political giveaway that would result in unfairly benefiting four of the state’s wealthiest and most powerful Indian tribes at the expense of other tribes, workers and taxpayers. OP: Not to mention rewarding Pechanga for violating the civil and human rights of 25% of their membership.

As an educator, these deals are especially bad because those behind them promise schools will benefit, when the truth is, not one penny is guaranteed to education.
We’ve arrived at this point after these Big 4 Tribes -- Pechanga, Morongo, Sycuan and Agua Caliente – spent millions in campaign contributions to cut themselves a Sacramento deal that dramatically shifts the state’s gaming policy from modest growth to rapid expansion. During the past few months, they spent millions more trying to keep their deals off the ballot by hiring people to block the signature-gathering effort. However, nearly three million referendum signatures were collected to demand the opportunity voters now have to cast a vote against these terrible deals. OP: Thats more than 15% of the adult population of CA signing the petitions.

Now that they’re in the position of selling their deals to California voters, they’re making misleading claims about the benefits to the state.

Now is the time for commenting at the article

Welcome

A big welcome to my new readers. I trust you will find this blog informative. As many of you are tribal leaders and members, please know that our fight is with the sovereign nation of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. Unfortunately, their violations of their members civil rights and human rights, may have collateral damage in California.
I urge you to discuss this with the Tribal Council of Pechanga.

PO BOX 1477 Temecula, CA 92593 or Fax them at 951-587-2769

There is still time for them to turn the tide. It's not going to happen with their commercials.

UPDATE: Tamra, of http://www.ndnnews.com/ will be featuring our open letter on her website and she was going to send it our to her mailing list. Please make sure you subscribe to her site, there is a lot of good information on all of Indian Country. Thank you Tamra, for your support.