SEARCH NEWS:

 

Minnesota Tribes Focus Donations on Democrats

MINNESOTA – As reported by the (Minnesota) Pioneer Press: "Money from Minnesota Indian tribes fighting to maintain their lucrative monopoly on casino gambling made up nearly one-fourth of campaign contributions to the Senate Democratic-Farmer-Labor majority last year.

"Tribes also provided about 14 percent of the contributions collected by a House DFL campaign committee, according to year-end campaign-finance reports made public this week.

"On the other side of the gambling battle, owners and employees of companies seeking law changes to allow privately operated non-Indian casinos made smaller — but still significant — contributions to House and Senate Republicans.

"Republican legislative leaders said the Indian contributions to DFL caucus campaign committees in 2003, a nonelection year, continued a trend in recent years of tribes making big donations to Minnesota Democrats.

"…Democratic legislative leaders including former Senate Majority Leader John Hottinger, who led the DFL Senate fund-raising effort last year, denied the tribal contributions have influenced any votes or driven DFL legislative priorities…"

< Gaming News