CHALLENGE to Wilton Rancheria-Elk Grove casino filed in U.S. District Court

We wrote that this issue wasn't settled in Wilton Rancheria and City of Elk Grove Celebrate CASINO Prematurely. The Issue is NOT Settled at ALL  and about possible subterfuge here  Also, Stand Up For California sued them here

The filing says,  the BIA trampled "public notice and participation requirements in the process, to prevent the incoming Administration from reviewing the underlying merits of the application or the extraordinary deficiencies in the process." 

The argument states "every step of the review process was without precedent and without support in the law or the regulations governing NEPA, the fee-to-trust-process, and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)."

At the heart of the argument, plaintiffs claim that the Wilton Rancheria and BIA officials engaged in a bait and switch maneuver. They assert that while the original site in Galt had a required public scoping meeting, none such were conducted for the benefit of Elk Grove residents.

AND:

Of interest, the filing also provides a history of the Wilton Rancheria noting that as part of the California Rancheria Act of 1958, California Rancheria would be disbanded by a popular vote of members. In return, members were given proportional shares of land and certain improvements.

By September 2006 however, a group identify themselves as the Wilton Rancheria submitted a development agreement with the National Indian Gaming Commission for approval. According to the filing, a group called East West Gaming was to provide the "group financing to obtain federal recognition and start development of a gaming operation."

Eight months later the same group sued the U.S. Department of Interior seeking restoration as a recognized tribe claiming the government had failed to "provide certain improvements to roads, water and sewers." In a stipulated agreement, the group's status as a tribe was restored and the former land was placed back into federal trust.

Read the whole article here

 

Tribal Disenrollment: Indian Termination by Indians WHO is Still Fighting For their Rights?

That's RIGHT. Indian Termination BY Indians, watched from the sidelines by BIA, NARF, NCAI, NIGC, Senate Indian Committee, The House.... 

Yes, dear friends and readers. Many Native American Tribes such as: The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, The Redding Rancheria, The Picayune (Chukchansi) Rancheria,Nooksack, PALA have all DESTROYED Indian families, including the elders that have made their tribes successful. And ruined the futures of the children.  WHO STILL FIGHTS FOR THEM?

Tribes like the Cherokee and Creek have violated treaties that their vaunted elders agreed to almost two centuries ago with the Cherokee Freedmen being restored after DECADES of struggle.

We must understand that we can only fight with the weapons that are available to us: TIME, ENERGY, WILLPOWER and ALLIES. We know tribes have casino dollars to spend on politicians. We know for a fact that most of us don't have those kind of funds to fight back. And we know these fights aren't won instantly. Continued pressure will work, while a once a year event has impact for a day or two, we must show our strength and willingness to fight for our rights on a regular basis. 

Creek Freedmen Call for BOYCOTT of Muscogee Creek Nation For Discrimination

A group of Creek Indian Freedmen have called for the boycott of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation amid endorsement of a U.S. House resolution that would sever government ties with the Oklahoma tribe.

The Muscogee Creek Indian Freedmen Band called for a boycott of the Creek Nation. General counsel for the band, Damario Solomon-Simmons, said they are working with their national partners to call for “all individuals of good faith, particularly African Americans,” to end business with the Creek Nation until the freedmen are able to enroll in the tribe.

BIA Dragging It's Feet on FOIA Requests on Pacific Regional Director Amy Dutschke

Owner of the native American news website STOP TRIBAL GENOCIDE, Emilio Reyes, also a frequent contributor to Original Pechanga's Blog has share his communication to the Dept. of Interior's FOIA office.   It seems they are  protecting the BIA's Pacific Regional Director Amy Dutschke's tribal affiliation information.   Here, again, they are dragging their feet on getting information out.  Maybe Dutschke's Denton's Law Firm lawyer niece can send a threatening letter to Emilio like she did to Pala's King Freeman.

Dear U.S. Department of the Interior/Office of Government Information Services:

Pechanga Tribe Banishes Tosobol Descendant Landowners for TRESPASSING on their OWN LAND

REMEMBER this treatment of the RIOS/TOSOBOL family, stuck in the decades old moratorium, purportedly created to give the enrollment committee a chance to get through all the applications.  Did I say decades?  Yes, I DID. They were kicked off the reservation, where they are land owners for PICKING SAGE...




It's amazing what Pechanga chooses to BANISH tribal descendents for. It's WELL KNOWN that they have a child molestor in their midst as well as many of the Masiel Crime family with violent offenses that bring police to the reservation.

And AMAZINGLY, they banish members of the Tosobol family, which HAS LAND ON THE RESERVATION and BLOOD RELATIVES living there for: wait for it...

PICKING SAGE!

Those dastardly villains who come onto the reservation, TELLING the security guards WHAT THEY are doing there, then get detained, searched and now face LIFE EXCLUSION for merely being on the land they OWN?

Ask yourselves, readers, WHAT is the larger crime, child molestation or sage picking? Destruction of a childhood or a plant that grows in abudance? What is the Pechanga Tribal Rangers definition of UNDESIRABLE?          Please check the links above

Tribal Membership Revocations: Disenrolling For Dollars? It's about the $$, NOT Membership PALA CHUKCHANSI Nooksack Explored

Over a BILLION REASON$ to DI$ENROLL....

Dennis Whittlesey and Patrick Sullivan have an article on disenrollment, or here, called membership revocation due to casino money and discusses the corrupt activities at PALA, Nooksack and Chukchansi

Over the past several years, there have been a series of publicized tribal enrollment revocations of enrolled members - including former tribal leaders - and their entire families. While this phenomenon was extremely rare in the past, it is becoming increasingly and disturbingly common.

Many in Indian Country openly trace this activity from the date on which the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act became law in 1988 and tribes too often spending large amounts of their casino revenues in per capita payments to tribal members. In some cases, as tribal populations grew, revenue distributions were accordingly reduced to continue payments to all members. In other cases, the economic downturn that dates back to 2007-08 led to reduced casino revenues and, in turn, reduced individual payments. Still, many have linked dollar reductions in per capita payments to the increase in expelling members.

Saginaw Chippewa Appeals Panel Hearing Arguments on Families Disenrolled. New Hearings Requested.

A three-judge appeals panel heard arguments Wednesday morning concerning the status of two families who were disenrolled by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and whether those cases should be given a new community court hearing expanded to include expert testimony.

At the heart of both is whether there is documentation linking both families -- the Fowler/Wheaton family and the Ortiz/Perez family -- to Tribal rolls from the late 1800s.

The same panel will hear about a third family, the Alma family, early Wednesday afternoon. Sitting on the appeals court are Chief Justice Andrew Pyatskowit, Associate Justice Gregory Paulson and Associate Justice Carolyn Abeita.  

The Fowler/Wheaton hearing filled the courtroom Wednesday morning as family attorney Paula Fisher traced that family's linneage back to a woman named Jane or Julia David and whether that was the same woman who appeared on the 1891 membership roll as Jane David.

Shawn Frank, attorney for the Tribe, said that the claim of lineage was completed directly and required that the family make several assumptions not born out in evidence.

Similarly for the Ortiz/Perez family, the matter comes down to just who is the John Williams identified on a Tribal membership roll from around the turn of the 20th century.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

 

Cherokee Principal Chief Bill John Baker's Commemoration of Trail of Tear IGNORES the SLAVES THEY DRAGGED AS PROPERTY

Image from Vocativ.com

Baker's commemoration without a mention of their slave descendants is in full at INDIANZ.com  I have a few excerpts here.


On March 24 we commemorate the 180th anniversary of the end of the infamous Trail of Tears with a National Day of Remembrance.

On this day in 1839, the last detachment of our ancestors’ forced removal from their homelands in the southeast region of the United States occurred as they marched to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. We remember and honor the sacrifices and untold hardships of our ancestors. Those who completed the trek and those who perished on that brutal journey will always remain in our hearts and in our minds.
AND
During the Trail of Tears, an estimated 4,000 Cherokees perished along the way, which represented about one quarter of our tribe. The grit and determination of our ancestors allowed them to not only survive adversity, despair and grief, but it empowered them to thrive. That sense of where we come from and who we are is deeply rooted in who we are as Cherokee people.
Their slaves ALSO PERISHED, and those who survived had despair and grief and yes, they thrived and fought their battles to VICTORY, 150 years after the Trail of Tears.  Read about the Cherokee Freemen History here and here 

Lake Elsinore SUPER BLOOM BLOCKING PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO Traffic

Pechanga coughs up money to improve traffic flow to the casino after super bloom fans clog up the roads, delaying gamblers.

PECHANGA – The Pechanga Tribal Council on Thursday, March 21 announced a grant of up to $100,000 to the City of Lake Elsinore to support the city’s efforts to aid with traffic control surrounding the “super bloom.”

Last weekend, more than 150,000 people were estimated to have visited the hillsides off of Interstate 15 in Lake Elsinore. On Sunday, March 17, local officials were forced to cut off access and stopped courtesy shuttles running to the flower-covered hills, calling the crowding “unbearable.”

“This natural wonder is a treasure to be enjoyed by Californians, but we need to be responsible about it,” said Pechanga Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro.

“Elsinore is part of our ancestral territory, and we even have reservation lands there. We are pleased to support the city and our local partners to help better manage traffic control and public safety for the thousands of visitors enjoying the super bloom, as well as the local residents and commuters impacted by traffic conditions. Conservation and protection of our natural resources are important values to our tribe.”

The City of Lake Elsinore will be able to use the Pechanga grant funds for additional resources including law enforcement, traffic control, shuttles, public safety personnel, and super bloom area protection (OP:notice how that's LAST?)

“We are extremely grateful for this generous contribution from Pechanga,” said Mayor Steve Manos. “This will ensure we can continue to fund the resources and support needed to provide for the safety of our residents and visitors.” (OP: Notice how he doesn't mention the natural resources)

Nooksack 306 Youth, Kiana Hart Takes Down The EVILS of Disenrollment

Watch Kiana Hart, age 18, part of the Nooksack 306, from A.C. Davis High School and a  Senior, TAKE DOWN disenrollment and all of its evils, at a state level debate tournament at the University of Puget Sound.  THIS is what we need from our young people who are disenrolled.  Telling the stories of those affected by this scourge.   Well done Kiana



 

Movement to End 'Redface' Is Slow Say Native Americans

Standing Rock Sioux John Little:  

Doesn't hear widespread outrage over these images that many Native Americans find offensive, even as the country has spent most of the year coming to grips with blackface and racist imagery following the revelation of a racist photo on the Virginia governor's college yearbook page. Since then, new examples have surfaced regularly, most recently a TV host who painted her face brown in a parody of Oscar-nominated Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio.

"These are everyday realities for Native people," said Little
READ THE FULL STORY          

21st Century Indian Wars Has 11,000 Casualties and Growing

On Tribal Disenrollments and the Beginning of the End of Sovereignty

In the 21st .Century, who would have thought that the Indian Wars would begin anew? This is not the war of racist whites who wanted to move west no matter who was hurt. This time, it's greedy Indians who want more power and more money, no matter which tribal members they hurt. The 21st century Indian War is now Indian vs. Indian. Tribes such as Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indiansof Temecula, Redding Rancheria, Jamul of San Diego, Enterprise Rancheria (OP:Which recently brought some members and ancestors back) are violating their members civil rights, eliminating them from tribal rolls and denying them their part of the tribe. Over ELEVEN THOUSAND Indians have had their citizenship stripped

And because of California Tribe's use of sovereignty, it can be "we just don't like you" or "we don't believe the evidence" (are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?), In California's Indian Country, wealthy casino tribes are gorging themselves with cash, the fruits of their casino, thanks to laws passed by the citizens of California. Prop 1A and Prop. 5 were passed overwhelmingly, thanks to ads that promised not to expand gaming and to help tribes with self reliance. Was abusing their people's rights what they meant by that?

Disenrollment for GREED and POWER, At Pechanga The Theft of Per Capita is nearing ONE BILLION DOLLARS

STILL THINK That TRIBAL DISENROLLMENT IS NOT ABOUT THE MONEY?

Anthony Broadman of the prestigious Galanda Broadman law firm just wrote about tribal disenrollment for greed and power  so let's explore a little Pechanga greed and power.

Since 2006, the year of our disenrollment, the Hunter family has lost $3,484,000 per person, in per capita payments alone. We arrived at that figure by taking the last full year of per capita $268,000/12 months ($22,333) and multiplying that loss times 156 months of disenrollment (13 years). 95 adults at the time of disenrollment equals:  $330,975,000

The Apis/Manuela Miranda family was disenrolled two years prior in 2004. The per capita at that time was slightly less, about $17,000 per month times 180 months of termination: $3,060,000 multiply by 135 adults equals:  $413,100,000

Add some NOW, for the 100 or so children who would have reached the age of majority and you are looking at another $100 million in per capita and benefits.

Moratorium People NEVER shared in what was rightfully theirs. In fact, Pechanga's Enrollment Committee worked hard to KEEP them from their rightful place, so as not to reduce the per capita.  Think of this, HAD the Tosobol descendants alone been  included, 80 who may have reduced the first six years of per capita to say $140,000 total. That's an additional $200+ MILLION..
ADD those numbers up and it's nearly ONE BILLION at Pechanga alone

The per capita at Pechanga went up to $360,000 per year for those remaining after elimination of 25% of Pechanga’s tribal citizens, and varies now with children maturing into adulthood.

With Mark Macarro not being opposed at tribal chairman, he's consolidated his power and can spend unchecked.. so it's not JUST about the money.....

I have old data on other tribes disenrolled's losses here  so, for you to bellieve it's not about the money, you have to be blind.  To think it's just about correcting tribal rolls, is laughable as long as there are PROVABLE tribal members still enrolled in tribes.

Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Report: Fighting the Colonizer InsideTraditional Kinship, Blood Quantum, and Disenrollment from the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska

Wonderful article by Marisa Miakonda Cummings on how Disenrollment destroys kinship and uses the colonizer's blood quantum to destroy families.

The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska’s tribal council and enrollment officer have stated that I have been removed as a tribal member (though I have yet to receive official documentation of my expulsion, a removal known as “disenrollment”).