California Counties FAIL to Document $1.7 MILLION in Indian Gaming Money.

Is it fraud?  Is it theft?  Or is it "only 5%"?

The LA TIMES is reporting:

Counties in California have failed to properly document how $1.7 million in Indian gaming money was distributed, according to an audit released Thursday by the California state auditor’s office.

State lawmakers earmarked $39 million for the Indian gaming special distribution fund between the fiscal years 2010 and 2013, money which was then distributed to local governments to offset the impact of casinos in the area. The money often funds public safety, public health and roads projects.

In all, the audit reviewed 12 grants of casino funds in San Diego, Riverside, Butte and Lake counties.

In seven of them, the audit found, the grants were improperly documented by the benefits committee in each county — a group typically consisting of county, city and tribal representatives charged with distributing the funds.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-indian-casino-audit--20140306,0,5891350.story#ixzz2vKZEtsCW

Pala's William Pink: Tribal Leaders Need to Stand UP for Native Americans Harmed by Tribes.

Here is a letter to Tribal Leaders across the nation, regarding what the Bureau of Indian Affairs has done in the Pala Disenrollment Matter.  Secretary Washburn, knows what is right, but apparently doesn't have the cashews to stand up, go to a committee on Capitol Hill and stand up for what is right.

Palawatch.com has lots of paperwork showing they do belong, and showing evidence that the porcine chairman Robert Smith even signed off on their right to belong.  This is retaliation for daring to not follow the party line and for not wanting a sex offender as Vice Chairman.   Take a look Indian Country, this is what happens when you don't stand up.

If you let them do this to them and get away with it, THEN YOU'RE GIVING THEM THE ETERNAL RIGHT TO DO THE SAME DAMN THING TO ANY ONE OF YOU - B. Pusser 

Dear Tribal Leaders        

Honorable Members of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Staff, Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs

In a recent decision by the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, Kevin Washburn, surrendered the sovereign power and pre-emptive authority of the United States to determine the Degree of Indian Blood of an Indian person. He has formally recognized that this is now a reserved power of Tribes or their duly elected/appointed committees governing Tribal membership.

The decision was the result of various appeals made by recently disenrolled members of the Pala Tribe in California as well as myself, challenging a Tribe’s right to determine an individual’s degree of Indian Blood. (Please see the enclosed decision as it pertains to me)

At first glance this decision may appear to be harmless and even innocuous. The fact is this may be the most important decision ever made with respects to the relationship between Indians and the United States.

Tribes are now empowered to adopt ordinances/regulations, delegating to themselves the authority to determine who is and who is not an Indian and not just a Tribal member. This seems harmless but the reality is that such a system is subject to extreme abuse and it already has been.

It means that Tribes, depending upon their governmental structure, can make Indians into non-Indians and non-Indians into Indians and hence duly Federally recognized. As such the United States will be obligated to provide services to these non-Indian Indians and refuse service to Indians made non-Indians. One would have to surmise that Tribes will also have the authority to recognize non-citizens as Indian too. (Remember that Tribes were often split apart by international boundaries) This now provides an opportunity for these affected parties to become members of Tribes within the United States. This is an action long opposed by the United States.

A quick and short summary of the facts in my particular case is that my Tribe’s Executive Committee reduced the Degree of Indian Blood of my great grandmother from 4/4ths Indian to 1/2  Indian. This single action caused the disenrollment of more than 170 descendants of my great grandmother and a reduction of the degree of Indian Blood of more than 100 other descendants of my great grandmother. 

On appeal, the Pacific Regional Officer held that my great grandmother was indeed 4/4ths Indian but due to the Tribe’s Ordinance the BIA could not overcome the Tribe’s action and has allowed the decision to reduce my great grandmother’s Degree of Indian Blood to 1/2  to stand. Assistant Secretary, Kevin Washburn concurred.

Many of you, both Tribal and representatives of the United States, may think this a simple matter and of no concern. I promise you that if you take even a minute to consider the ramifications of this decision you will quickly realize that the ability to truly determine who is and who is not an Indian reaches catastrophic proportion.

IF A TRIBE CAN DECREASE DEGREE OF INDIAN BLOOD THEY CAN ALSO INCREASE DEGREE OF INDIAN BLOOD AND EVEN CREATE A DEGREE OF INDIAN BLOOD FOR NON-INDIANS.

A small Tribe can now enroll hundreds of people not entitled to Tribal membership while a large Tribe can now disenroll hundreds of people who are entitled to membership. 

I and my family have been rendered helpless in this matter. It is my hope that courageous individuals will take up this matter and stop this new genocide. 

You can find the complete details of this case at: http://www.palawatch.com/2013/10/william-pink-appeals-directly-to.html

Sincerely,

William J. Pink

BIA KNOWS APARTHEID IS Practiced on Indian Reservations. Inaction Means APPROVAL.

The Mark Macarro-led Pechanga Tribal Council is practicing APARTHEID on Indian people at the reservation in Temecula, CA.   YES THEY ARE.
How can we compare what Pechanga is doing to their own families as something as despicable as what South Africa practiced against their black citizens?  Let's see where they are similar

APARTHEID as described by the dictionary is:
a•part•heid
2. any system or practice that separates people according to race, caste, etc.

Pechanga is doing just that, determining that families with historical ties to the origins of the reservation are ‘no longer pure’ in their eyes. They may be Temecula Indian, but “they aren’t Pechanga.” Even though the expert hired BY Pechanga proved that we were.

Here are some similarities to the Apartheid system you are familiar with:

South Africa - Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system.
Pechanga - Splinter Group invented disenrollment as a means to control membership during a time of new economic growth (Casino).

South Africa - Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation.
Pechanga - Initially, aim of the Splinter Group was to dominate the tribe while instilling fear in other members.

South Africa - Africans living in the homelands needed passports to enter South Africa: aliens in their own country.
Pechanga - Descendants of original allottees that have been disenrolled have to verify their reasons for entering their own land. An entire family of Tosabols have been denied access to use the roads to go to their property because of their banishment. Their crime? Nothing, they were never charged, just banished.

The reservation and its allotments were set aside for the Temecula Band and village of Indians not just  Pechanga, the self described subset, which includes people with NO Temecula Indian blood, much like the Boers of South Africa.

Pechanga now has a group living on the reservation that have:
Lost the right to vote
Lost their rights to healthcare provided by the government.
Their children can no longer attend tribal schools
They can no longer be buried in the reservation cemetery with their relatives.
Have no access to tribal health center
Are not protected by the Tribal Rangers.
Been disallowed the use of reservation facilities. YES, bathrooms and drinking fountains, too
Have a separate entrance to their homeland.  Tribal Citizens have another.

The Federal Government with it's Bureau of Indian Affairs ALLOWS APARTHEID on Tribal Reservations and has FAILED it's TRUST RESPONSIBILITY to Native Americans.

What the MEDIA is MISSING in Tribal Disenrollment Stories

MURDER, ELDER ABUSE, THEFT, CORRUPTION, VOTER INTIMIDATION, CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, are just a FEW of the issues the media gloss over when doing a story on tribal disernollment.    It took a murder at Cedarville to get Indian Affairs Secretary Washburn out of his hole.

What the media fails to expose to expose:

(1) How repeated requests to Senate and Congressional representatives have fallen to deaf ears:

(2) How repeated requests to Senate and Congressional Committees have fallen to deaf ears.  Even our Representatives requests go unanswered by committee chairs.

(3) How many disenrollments have occurred around the country to casino tribes?  How much money does the casinos bring in annually? And how much does government lobbying bring to our politicians?

(4) Congress needs to amend ICRA to put enforcement in civil rights statutes where disenrollment is involved; disenrollment is equivalent to losing citizenship

(5) Various human interest stories of hardship, including loss of housing, land, votes, financial assistance, all while councils are enriching themselves and their lobbyist wife..

We must contact our news media, shows like 60 minutes, 20/20 and get an in-depth profile done. 

Then and only then, maybe the federal government might do something.

Secretary Washburn, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS on Disenrollment PART IV

More thinking outside the box that Secretary Washburn of the Bureau of Indian Affairs MAY NOT HAVE thought of, or his blinders may have kept him from SEEING.   WHAT CAN BE DONE?  We wrote this a couple of years ago, but it still applies.

Do Tribes that Practice Apartheid and Disenrollment Taint Other Tribes with The Civil Rights Abusing Brush?

We at Original Pechanga’s Blog  have been highlighting the despicable actions of tribes, primarily in California, that have harmed their own people, using sovereignty as club to beat the weak and helpless.  

• Apartheid and Segregation (Pechanga)
• Elder Abuse/Disrespecting our Ancestors (Enterprise, Pechanga, Pala, Nooksack, San Pasqual)
• Loss of Voting Rights (Chukchansi, Pechanga, Pala)  
• Theft of Per Capita (Pala, Pechanga, Redding, United Auburn, )
• Destruction of Heritage (EVERY FREAKING TRIBE that has terminated members
• Disenrollment of large voting blocs against factual evidence that ties families to tribes (Redding Pechagna (who hired their OWN expert)
• Banishment for exercising free speech
• Tribal Constitutional Violations by corrupt tribal Councils (Pechanga)

IS THIS WHAT YOU MEANT BY SELF RELIANCE?  

Sitting on the sidelines, with your heads in the sand while tribes abuse their own people gives tacit approval of their actions.    Why is it that only SOME tribes disenroll en masse?   Greed for power and money, of course.    But what makes other sovereign nations not stand up against the outrages perpetrated by tribes?  Is it because they are native?    Or is YOUR tribe afraid to make a stand?

Robert Smith said on a KCBS report that he didn’t have to show proof because Pala was a sovereign nation.   That’s an example of McCarthyite tactics ( I have here in my hand...).

Sheryl Lightfoot wrote in her column “Reconciling Moral Outrage with Self Determination”:

In order to be sovereign nations, we must act like sovereign nations.  But that does not mean that in order to support self-determination in principle, we need to agree with every decision of other sovereign nations.

She offered some guidance on exercising your outrage: 

Another tactic which can be employed by other indigenous nations or the private citizens of other nations is the art of moral persuasion, or, ”moral suasion,” as it has also been termed.  This involves a campaign of exposure and embarrassment.    This tactic has most often been employed in international human rights campaigns, with the purpose being to expose the immoral government action in the media and open up international discussion in order to embarrass the target government into changing its policy to better conform to international norms. This was done in the early days of the campaign against apartheid in South Africa … 

We have options available to us that allow us to register our moral protest at another state’s actions which will, at the same time, help us act more like the self-determining sovereign nations that we are

YOUR Tribe can stand up for those THOUSANDS of Native Americans that have been harmed by their tribe.   Come out against the policy of extermination used by Pechanga, Pala, Chukchansi.  

Turn your back on them at the next conferences, come out publicly in the press.

Don’t get tainted with the stink of corruption.

Learn More on Disenrollment, Ethnic Cleansing in Indian Gaming Country at these Links:
Gaming Revenue Blamed for Disenrollment
disenrollment is paper Genocide
CA Tribal Cleansing
Tribal terrorism
TRIBAL TERRORISM includes Banishment
Nooksack Disenrollment

Secretary Washburn, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS PART 3 - Laura Wass, Director of AIM Central CA Responding

Laura L Wass, Director of the American Indian Movement in Central CA responds to Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn's flaccid interview in Indian Country Today regarding sovereignty.  Add your voice and please SHARE this on Facebook and Twitter : 


Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn’s comments are entirely representing how, once again, the federal government continues to exercise its policy of Indian Extermination. 

To dare state “trample over their sovereignty and self-governance” in regards to the disenrollment issue shows either ignorance of Indian history, or a blatant attempt at shirking responsibility and accountability from his office. 

Let’s talk about trampling on Tribal sovereignty!  
Let’s talk about how the federal War Department shattered the tribes, attempted to use every means possible to destroy culture and traditions, removed Indians from their lands and all held sacred. 
Let’s talk about how the Secretary of Interior’s office built prison camp reservations and Rancherias as they stole Indian children to fill their boarding schools, sent in lawyers and BIA to write federal style Indian constitutions to fit their purpose. 
Let’s talk about the congressional acts of relocation, termination, reorganization, the secret sterilization of our Indian men and women at the hands of IHS. 

Trample over tribal sovereignty? 

This is exactly what is happening again through the dismemberment of Indian Peoples from their tribal bodies! 

Tribal sovereignty belongs not just to a tribal government but to the whole of its tribal citizens. 
All Indian citizens have the inherent right to be protected, to not live in fear, to enjoy the same rights as each of their citizens. 

What we see going on today with those who are practicing this new paper genocide are tribal government dictatorships conducting business without full knowledge of Indian history and their sacred duty to build their Nations strong and thriving once again. 

Congress set up the horror we’re seeing today amongst the tribal citizens. They must take responsibility and hold themselves accountable for their shameful acts, now! 

The Secretary’s office must lead the charge to stop the tragedies from continuing, clean up the mess and restore all Indian citizens to their inherent rightful place………..their tribes! 

We invite Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn and whomever else he may choose to meet with us and find resolution immediately before more Indian lives are destroyed! 

Laura L Wass  American Indian Movement Central California

OP:  Time to get re-energized.   Get your family back INTO THE FIGHT.  

 

Secretary Washburn, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS On Disenrollment PART TWO

Yesterday, we had some pointed comments to make on Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn's comments to Indian Country Today concerning Tribal Disenrollment.  Today, we have MORE.

Our commenters from yesterday seem to have a handle of Mr. Washburn's shortcomings.  It almost seems as if he came to do the bidding of Tribal Leaders, not to articulate what is right and just.

Let's start again with this quote from Washburn:       “I think the question is, should tribes always be sovereign and self-governing? Or are there times when the United States should trample over their sovereignty and self-governance for some other purpose – the principle of justice or equity or something like that?”

TRAMPLE OVER THEIR SOVEREIGNTY.  Let that roll around for a minute.  He seems to forget about justice and equity for those NATIVE AMERICANS whom the federal government, you know....HIM.

In Miwok vs. Jewell, the presiding judge, Rothstein had THIS to say:

"In the federal defendants view of this case, once a tribe announces a government, the BIA is prohibited from ever questioning the legitimacy of the government no matter how many allegations of fraud are raised. Such a conclusion is not consistent with the 'distinctive obligation of trust' the federal government must employ when dealing with Indian tribes." 

In other words, HANDS OFF is not what the BIA should be doing.  It should be doing it's duty to protect the TRUST RESPONSIBILITY of ALL Native Americans.  Here's how my friend Marilyn Vann put it:  Perhaps they do not understand  that the trust responsibility of the US government to "Indians" isnt just to the chiefs and chairmen.....


We don't have a lot of respect for Washburn's predecessor Larry Echohawk's legacy, but he said  in the San Pasqual/Alto Family matter:  Bia treats enrollment & dis-enrollment differently. Tribes must use fairness & due process in disenrollment decisions. The federal government recognizes its trust responsibility to all indians and has a duty to protect their rights.

Here's how one commenter put it:

Expecting the tribes to sort this out while their leaders threaten members with disenrollment for opposing their policies is unrealistic. To say that there is no fair way to rule that disenrollment requires due process, equal protection under the law, meaning that the same standards must apply to all, is a failure to attempt to solve a problem that was created by BIA and US Government policies in the first place.


We will have MORE later.   Meanwhile, PLEASE help spread the word, ask your friends to drop by, share some posts via Twitter ( @USIndianAffairs   @IndianCommittee  @Interior  @NPR @CantwellPress ) and Facebook.     

A SPOTLIGHT on the corruption is the BEST disinfectant.


Learn More on Disenrollment, Ethnic Cleansing in Indian Gaming Country at these Links:
Gaming Revenue Blamed for Disenrollment
disenrollment is paper Genocide
CA Tribal Cleansing
Tribal terrorism
TRIBAL TERRORISM includes Banishment
Nooksack Disenrollment

Secretary Washburn, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS! On Disenrollment PART ONE

REALLY, Secretary Washburn?

In a recent interview with Indian Country TODAY, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn discussed the scourge of Tribal Disenrollment.   It was nice of him to do that, as he's NEVER discussed it with, you know, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISENROLLED.

Washburn says:  “I think the question is, should tribes always be sovereign and self-governing? Or are there times when the United States should trample over their sovereignty and self-governance for some other purpose – the principle of justice or equity or something like that?”  

Tribes give up portions of sovereignty all the time, for gambling casinos and building permits. Was Secretary Washburn a supporter of South African sovereignty, or was he a supporter of divestment?   South Africa had a SOVEREIGN RIGHT to practice APARTHEID in their country, didn't they?    NOW, under his watch, tribes like the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians and their "chief" Mark Macarro practice APARTHEID on their reservations.

 

Washburn continues:  One can make a solid argument that the United States never has any business trampling on tribal sovereignty and self-governance, but that’s not satisfying to everyone because we all see occasionally a tribe doing something that well-thinking people outside the tribe disagree with. These are just agonizing decisions and I’m not convinced that the United States is better at making these decisions on average than tribes are at making them themselves,”

Washburn is being deliberately obtuse.  He knows how these things go.  A few people are jealous of others, they call their aunt on the enrollment committee.   In Pechanga's case, the disenrollment action heated up when to representatives of large families found that current enrollment committee members were shuffling papers for a decade, to keep another large family (not related) OUT of the tribe.  This month is the TENTH anniversary of the Apis family disenrollment.  Oh, yeah, their cousins are still in the tribe.  This wasn't an agonizing decision, this was cold and calculated.   If Washburn doesn't believe the US s better at these decisions, he shouldn't be Secretary.  He should be on a tribal council.

Then again, he may be right, his predecessor, Larry Echohawk, screwed up the San Pasqual tribe.

It's SHAMEFUL that it took MURDER and death to bring Mr. Washburn out of hiding on disenrollment and stripping of citizenship of Native Americans.  

 

FUSION Again Discusses Disenrollment. News Media is WAKING UP. Did it take MURDER to do it?

Last week, we gave props to Netflix series, "House of Cards" for adding a storyline about tribal disenrollment to the story plot.

Again, "disenrollment" is when a tribe decides to boot out their own members. This has happened for hundreds of years when members of a tribe commit an offense of some sort, but it usually wasn't permanent. These days it's happening more and more for a different reason. And the decisions aren't being reversed.

As the New York Times has reported, "In recent years, experts say, [tribes have] begun routinely disenrolling Indians deemed inauthentic members of a group. And California, with dozens of tiny tribes that were decimated, scattered and then reconstituted, often out of ethnically mixed Indians, is the national hotbed of the trend."

But, it's not just happening in California. It's happening all over Indian Country.

Imagine having your citizenship taken away from you. That's what happens when a member of a tribe is kicked out by their tribal government for no other reason than they decided to redefine what constitutes a member of their tribe.

To paint a clearer picture of what this means, here are four possible consequences of tribal disenrollment:  Click Here for the REST of the Article 

Rep. Karen Bass: Heat from Oscar Tweet, but NOT for Accepting Money and Gifts from APARTHEID Practicing Pechanga Tribe.

Rep. Karen Bass is getting some heat for a tweet she put out about the Oscar winning film 12 Years a Slave.

Congratulations 12 Years a Slave! It may take Hollywood to get us to acknowledge what America has denied for over 200 years. #TheOscars2014
— Congressmember Bass (@RepKarenBass) March 3, 2014

Was it her ebullience at the film winning that led her to send the tweet, which is wrong on so many fronts, ignoring the impact of her party, the Democrats trying to keep slavery as an institution? No sane person has denied slavery. But she also forgets that she SUPPORTS an Apartheid Reservation and accepts accepts money from the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indian, which has that practice on their reservation in Temecula. They have violated civil and human rights of their people.

Can Ethically Challenged Tribes Like Pechanga or Chukchansi Be Trusted To Lead on Gaming Issues?

In this update of a story we wrote about a couple of years ago, as we see internet gaming bills coming through, and Pechanga being touted as a "leader" we thought it would be appropriate to review....


It’s been a decade since Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro asked the People of California to help Native Americans in their quest for self-reliance. I believe that most people took self-reliance to mean that Native Americans would help take care of their own people with the proceeds of Indian Gambling. This is the messaging of every public relations campaign during every California referendum on Indian Gaming, Each time the leaders of Pechanga were the face of the California Native community.  Behind the scenes, however plans were already being made to strip families of their inherent rights as Temecula people and long-standing members to share in the fruits of gaming.

Unfortunately, then, self-reliance to Pechanga means keeping rightful people from joining the band and removing people via a process benignly called "disenrollment"  who don’t think the way the leadership wants them to think, so there will be no dissent among the membership. The Council’s policy is cash your check and shut the hell up.   Democrats, think what would happen if the Republicans could keep 25% of you from voting for your choice of leadership.   Do you think your choice would win?  Republicans, what would you think if the Democrats or even a civil rights group like the NAACP accepted readily this type of behavior? (Well I guess the NAACP did, as their head Alice Huffman took Pechanga's money...)

Pechanga’s Constitution and Bylaws provides for OPEN ENROLLMENT each January, yet in 1997 the band approved a petition, which called for a moratorium on member enrollment so that the tribe can get caught up with the applications. There are 10 members on that committee, how long could it take to catch up? The will of the people was the rule of law in an enrollment matter, upheld by the tribal council.   There has been no "catching up", in fact people who have a right to be in their tribe, just as their cousins are have been kept out for two decades, a paper shuffle that people like Frances Miranda kept going so they couldn't be on their land as members.

When the people passed a valid petition to halt all disenrollments in 2005, the tribal council maintained that the petition couldn’t be enforced, because the general council had no authority in enrollment matters.   When in fact, Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro knew full well that the general membership of the tribe has the final word. Let’s get this right, the general council says the people could keep people OUT, but they can’t keep people IN?

So, we have the Pechanga Tribal Council acting in a shameful manner by eliminating 25% of their citizenry. They stripped this group of their status as Native Americans, and grabbed their share of per capita payments to grow their own.  Many people don't understand per capita, but they do/should understand that if we get rid of 135 people, making $17,000 per month, it adds up to $2.3 Million per month, they can split between the remaining people.  They keep rightful members from their place at Pechanga via disenrollment and moratorium and abused the elders and children of two families, terminating their cultural heritage.   With the subsequent disenrollment of the Hunter family, there is an additional $2.1 million to divvy up.   This is in per capita only, it doesn't include the college scholarship which could easily be worth $25,000 per year.

In direct contradiction to these reprehensible actions, Pechanga donates to groups like the Boys and Girls Clubs, The Temecula Valley School District, and other organizations, which gladly take generous donations from the tribal government.   Of course, remember now that Pechanga had an additional $5.3 million to share PER MONTH.   A yearly donation of $25k here and there wouldn't make a dent in that.


Would these groups accept these donations if they knew what Pechanga had done to their own people?
Pechanga used those donations to trumpet how they were generous to the community, and good neighbors. Yet, I can’t believe that the organizations mentioned above would believe it’s okay to screw someone, let some people die knowing their heritage was stripped, so that they can have a new swing set on their playgrounds? I really don’t believe they would have endorsed Pechanga in the last elections if they knew what was really happening on the reservation in their own neighborhood.  Which makes us wonder why we haven't heard much about this.    Recently the Sycuan Tribe (80 adults) renamed the San Diego sports arena.  Not mentioned was that CA lost a lot of money when Sycuan got expanded gaming, yet hadn't approved it with their people.     Brings us to another point:  Sycuan =80 adults   Pechanga eliminated 225 adults, almost three times an entire tribe.  That number would be more than San Manuel has too.    PERSPECTIVE is everything.

Ethical businesses and governmental agencies should be expressing their outrage at what Pechanga has done, not turning a blind eye. Many sovereign countries quit doing business in South Africa because of their apartheid policies. Pechanga’s policy of denying basic civil rights to the people that they were purported to be helping with Proposition 5A is little different than S. Africa's, or Saudi Arabia's denying women the right to vote.

If Wal-Mart is so bad for not providing health coverage for all of their associates, (they have 53% participation) which bring protests for each new store, why isn’t the same outrage aimed at Pechanga, who not only took away per capita, but health coverage, education assistance, employment and elder care for the citizens they kicked to the curb?

What Pechanga is doing is the epitome of hypocrisy. They are hiding their ‘dirty family secret’ behind a veil of sovereignty, and then publicizing their good deeds to local charities to show what honorable people they are. Don’t allow them to get away with it.  It is time the people of this community learn the truth.

Please spread the word and if you must patronize an Indian Gaming facility, it is time to go elsewhere. Let Mark Macarro know that you DO NOT support his actions.    At the same time, let Democrat senator Dianne Feinstein know that you do not support her efforts to work at the behest of large gaming tribes.

UPDATE: CONFLICTING REPORTS in PECHANGA CASINO MURDER; SHOT IN LOBBY, not hotel ROOM??

It seems the story is shifting in the murder last week at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, CA.

Here is how it played out:

Here is the initial story from the Press Enterprise.:

After he was shot about 11 p.m., Rodman made his way to an elevator and into the lobby of the resort at 45000 Pechanga Parkway and sought medical help. Vihanek was later found injured in the hotel room.

The Temecula Patch reports it this way yesterday:

The defendant allegedly confronted Rodman as he strode through the casino lobby shortly before 11 p.m. Friday and then opened fire on the victim, who died at Temecula Valley Hospital about 90 minutes later of multiple gunshot wounds.

Which is correct? And why were we not told that the shooting was in the LOBBY? The alleged murderer is being charged with "LYING in WAIT".  

The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians is well know for terminating members from their tribe, in order to steal per capita money.  That total has surpassed $400 MILLION.   The Tribe is also attempting to change the definition of an allottee, in order to control water rights and steal those from allottees who have had their land for 120 years.

UPDATE:     Heard from PE reporter that the story in the PATCH was wrong, there was no mention in court about the shooting in the lobby.   The story was SO wrong...even the JUDGE's was misidentified

Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro: Internet Poker Could De-Stabilize Brick & Mortar Casinos

In an article in POKER NEWS, Mark Macarro, the portly chairman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians is quoted as being concerned about the casino income stream and not what internet gaming represents. Pechanga has been in the news lately, as there was a murder at the casino, just last week.

Mark Macarro, chairman of Pechanga, didn't seem as optimistic about how close the tribes are to an agreement or of the potential for Internet poker all together.

“The revenue stream that our brick and mortar casinos represent, it's hard to truly emphasize how key that is,” Macarro said. “All my remarks are prefaced by concerns about anything that can destabilize something that's working right now.

“Over the last handful of years, we've listened to a lot of experts, hired some experts, talked to many people and authorities far and wide, and we've concluded, given our circumstances as tribal governments, that Internet gaming is in fact a bigger threat than an opportunity. And frankly, if it were up to us, Internet gaming wouldn't be coming to fruition anytime soon.”

Macarro went on to explain that unless Congress prohibits Internet gaming, which he finds highly unlikely, there is no way to stop Internet gaming from coming to the state and that a California bill that respects tribal rights is the best way forward for tribal governments.

He isn't even concerned with the amount of money Internet poker could generate for his tribe. He specified that the amount of revenue that poker generates at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula pales in comparison to casino games such as slot machines, roulette and craps. His main desire in a bill is an adequate framework to prohibit those games, as he thinks it's possible that the introduction of iPoker would soften opposition or public opinion on full iGaming over the next 5 to 10 years.

“Frankly, we don't think there's a lot of money to be made on iPoker in California,” Macarro said. “Our biggest fear is that iPoker is an entree for Internet gaming, such as New Jersey already decided.”

What should Californians do?  Well, a good rule of thumb could be:  If Pechanga is FOR it, we should be against it.  Pechanga is well known to have terminated 25% of it's tribe, violating civil and human rights and practicing Apartheid on it's reservation. It has used TRIBAL TERRORISM to control it's remaining members. The tribe has been accused of Elder Abuse at Pechanga.   

Kevin Washburn's Statement Regarding CEDARVILLE RANCHERIA KILLING

I believe this is akin to President Obama's RED LINE in Syria, which was weak and ineffective:

Statement of Kevin K. Washburn, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs,

Regarding the Cedarville Rancheria

“Last week, the Cedarville Rancheria experienced a terrible tragedy.  Three tribal members, one tribal employee were killed and two tribal members were seriously injured, leaving the community aggrieved and in shock.

Kevin Washburn, Assistant Interior Secretary – Indian Affairs

Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the survivors, family members of the victims, the Cedarville Tribe and the surrounding community at this difficult time.  The Bureau of Indian Affairs had people on the ground in Alturas the day after the incident and has assisted the tribe with continuity of government operation.  Tribes around the nation have responded with an outpouring of support and offers of assistance.

Tribes are, by necessity, very resilient and we are confident that the Cedarville Rancheria will survive this tragedy.

The Cedarville tribal government will continue to govern, will rebuild their community and they have already taken steps to start the process of healing.

This event has made my commitment to increasing public safety throughout Indian Country even stronger. ”

This is known as BLOWING SMOKE UP OUR ASS.  HOW are you going to increase public safety in Indian Country?  You could be a factor RIGHT NOW at Chukchansi.  You could shut down some casino rights for tribes like Pechanga.  YOU SAT RIGHT NEXT TO MACARRO and looked weak and unknowlegeable on the water rights issue.       GET OFF YOUR ASS.