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California Tribes Support Bustamante, McClintock

SACRAMENTO, California – As reported by the LA Times: "In no time at all, they have established California's fastest growing industry and have become a powerful force in statehouse politics. Now the state's fabulously prosperous casino tribes are the major players in a historic campaign drama: the gubernatorial recall.

"Having contributed or spent $11.1 million in the recall campaign, the tribes have much at stake in the contest to determine who sits in the Capitol's big corner office.

"The next governor will play a pivotal role in deciding the future of the $5-billion tribal casino industry, while shaping the debate over how much gambling revenue tribes should share with the state.

"California's most powerful gambling tribes have put their money squarely behind the candidacies of Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, a Democrat, and state Sen. Tom McClintock, a Republican from Thousand Oaks. Some have reaffirmed their support of Gov. Gray Davis.

"…If the tribes have a public enemy, it is Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"The Republican front-runner has drawn anger by calling tribes `special interests' and criticizing them for not paying taxes on profits. Last week, Schwarzenegger lashed out in a TV advertisement spotlighting huge tribal donations.

"…Most of the tribal campaign spending has come from the Pechanga band and three other tribes that control major Southern California casinos. They have bought large chunks of television time — nearly $3-million worth of ads to run about two weeks — for ads praising Bustamante or encouraging conservatives to cast their ballots for McClintock.

"The Morongo Band of Mission Indians, which operates a sprawling casino on Interstate 10 near Palm Springs, paid for $2-million worth of television time last week for commercials on McClintock's behalf.

"…If elected, Schwarzenegger said, he wants to renegotiate every casino compact with an eye toward funneling more money into the state treasury.

"…Davis, Bustamante and McClintock all extolled the benefits of tribal gambling for the state. Indian gambling has created 100,000 jobs, `many in some of the most blighted parts of the state,' Bustamante said, and impoverished Indian families have been yanked off welfare and provided money for college education…"

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