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Fired Official Now Indian Gaming Lobbyist5 June 2002CALIFORNIA – As reported by the Associated Press: "Four days after he was fired during a federal influence-peddling investigation at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wayne Smith was offering to lobby on behalf of opponents of a California Indian tribe's planned casino. "Smith was fired as the Department of Interior's deputy assistant secretary for Indian affairs effective May 28. "Alexander Valley Association President Karen Passalacqua said Smith offered his services to the association Friday. The association is fighting the River Rock Casino proposed by the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians 75 miles north of San Francisco in Sonoma County. "…Present at the lunch with Smith and an association board member was Danny Walsh, a Sacramento lobbyist and husband of Sacramento attorney Tracey Buck-Walsh. "…In his meeting Friday, Passalacqua said she was told Smith `seemed to be very straightforward and a very nice man and very knowledgeable, and he says he's totally innocent.' "…The Alexander Valley Association board will consider Smith's offer of representation Wednesday prior to a public meeting in Geyersville on its casino opposition, said Passalacqua, but is likely to decide it is premature to hire any lobbyist. "…`Virtually every government official knows that a very lucrative second career awaits them, and that's the world of lobbying,' said Steven Weiss of the Center for Responsive Politics…" |