Two "termed out" politicians turn to Indian gaming sources to feather their political beds?

Arnold Schwarzenegger:

There is no doubt that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has larger political aspirations, otherwise he would not continue to fundraise like a politician in heat. The Governor will be termed-out of office in 2011 after reaching the California Constitutional limit of two consecutive terms.

So it is no surprise that we find that the Governor has agreed to further expand Indian gaming in California with another precedent-setting deal; this time by signing an Indian compact which allows two different tribes, from two different locations, to share the profits from a single casino which would feature 2,500 slot machines and be located near Fresno California in Madera County.

According to published reports in the Sacramento Bee...

"This time the potential beneficiaries are the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Wiyot Tribe. Under new compacts signed by the governor, they are being promised revenues from a casino resort destined for a prime freeway location near Highway 99 in Madera County."

Cast as both a State revenue enhancement and ecology play...

"Schwarzenegger announced today he has signed gambling compacts allowing construction of a 280,000 square foot gambling facility for 2,000 slot machines - and an option to add 2,000 more. The catch is that the governor is requiring the 600-member Wiyot Tribe to give up its right to build a casino on tribal lands near the ecologically sensitive Humboldt Bay and Eel River Estuary."

Although it appears that common sense regarding travel times and location would endanger the success of a casino located elsewhere...

"The governor said the agreement would also keep the 1,700-member North Fork Rancheria from putting a gambling facility in remote Sierra foothills near the Sierra National Forest."

Political bafflegab...

"'These compacts are a model for protecting the environment and balancing the needs of the tribes and local communities,' Schwarzenegger said in a statement today."

Bottom line: money for California, grateful deep-pocket friends...

"The casino project, which would share revenues between the two tribes, would pay the state a 13.5 percent to 22 percent of slot machine and card game revenues. The plan reflects Schwarzenegger's pledge to look to increase state revenues through a continued expansion of tribal gambling."

Not quite a done deal...

According to a report by KQED...

"The formal gaming compacts are being signed today by Schwarzenegger, but are not yet being submitted to the Legislature. The governor’s advisers told reporters on a conference call this morning that until federal officials approve the 305 acre parcel near Madera, the compacts will be in a holding pattern."

"The proclamation also stipulates that the 'local community' support the project. How to measure that, of course, is the tricky part. Some local officials in Madera County have signed off on the deal, but others in the community have voiced strong objections. And in today’s briefing, there was mention of a telephone poll that reportedly showed the community is in favor."

A larger surge of gaming applications may be imminent...

"Nonetheless, today’s news marks a significant new chapter in Indian gaming in California. Expect fans and critics alike to use it as a rallying cry for other proposed expansions in the coming months."

Tom McClintock:

Here is a man who I regarded both as a neighbor (Thousand Oaks, California) and as the smartest, most conservative Republican member of the California Senate. A man who I wholeheartedly supported in the past and who is about to be termed-out of office by California's term-limit law.

I became somewhat concerned when this universally-acclaimed fiscal conservative voted for a proposition which would weaken the State of California's position with respect to Indian gaming activities. Reducing the audit requirements to verify a casino's take in favor of more "self-reporting" and an agreement which penalized the State of California if they opened up gaming activities to "non-Indian" groups. [ See Scalping California Tax Dollars: Is this a Schwarzenegger "Back Room" deal with Indian Casino interests?|One Citizen Speaking]. It seemed to me, totally out of character for a man who has fought hard and long for budget and legislative responsibility in California.

Next came continued rumblings of Indian campaign contributions which were somehow characterized as "non-campaign contributions. The amount mentioned was approximately $2.5 million dollars.

From the Wall Street Journal [9-24-2003]  Indian Givers--II:
Tribes that run California casinos aim to run the whole state.

"... Last Friday the Morongo Band of Mission Indians began airing independent-expenditure ads in support of Mr. McClintock. The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation has also ponied up a large sum for a similar independent expenditure."

"John Stoos, Mr. McClintock's campaign manager, told me that his boss has nothing to do with the ad campaigns but welcomes them as appropriate support given the senator's longtime backing of tribal sovereignty."

Repeat pattern?

From the Sacramento Bee [4-26-2008] McClintock independent campaign effort questioned

"Partnership for America, a Washington-based nonprofit headed by former Rep. Richard Pombo, is organizing the $660,000 independent campaign in the 4th Congressional District where McClintock and former Rep. Doug Ose are locked in a bitter Republican primary battle for the seat held by retiring Rep. John Doolittle."

"Steve Ding, a former Pombo aide who was on McClintock's campaign payroll until a few weeks ago, is now soliciting donors to the independent effort."

"Both Ding and McClintock were in San Diego earlier this week for the National Indian Gaming Association conference where McClintock was soliciting contributions to his campaign and Ding was looking for contributors to the independent effort. McClintock has been an advocate of Indian casino expansion."

"But the Ose campaign charged Friday that a wall that is supposed to separate an independent expenditure campaign from a candidate's committee has been breached."

Jumping venues...

It seems the decision to change residency was conditioned more upon a job opening in the Fourth Congressional District than any regard for his long-time residency in Thousand Oaks.  In fact, according to Wikipedia...

"In March 2008, McClintock was criticized for receiving payments totaling over $300,000 in per diem living expenses during his time in the California State Senate, despite the fact that he lives near Sacramento. McClintock held that the payments were justified due to the fact that his legal residence is in his Senate district in Thousand Oaks. He stated, "Every legislator's [Sacramento area] residence is close to the Capitol. My residential costs up here are much greater than the average legislator because my family is here."

Which made me think even harder as I could not fathom anyone who would give up living in Thousand Oaks for life in Sacramento -- even on a semi-permanent basis. Even Schwarzenegger commutes back to Pacific Palisades on a weekly basis.

So the more research I did, the more McClintock started looking like a "professional politician." Perhaps it was my fault for viewing him as something else: a citizen-legislator; a standup, principled guy fighting for the rights of all Californians.

Sacrificing our fiscal future...

By making sweetheart deals with Indian gaming operations  restricting other gaming organizations from expanding their operations in the state, relaxing the reporting requirements of generated revenues, it appears, at least to me, that we are sacrificing a portion of our fiscal future to allow professional politicians to feather their own nests. But, that is only one citizen speaking.

What can YOU do?

View all agreements between the Indian gaming casinos and the State of California with a critical eye.

Ask which politicians appear to be feathering their political beds by granting privileges not available to other gaming corporations in the State of California and ceding procedural controls over gaming operations in favor of Indian self-regulation.

Ask yourself about the apparent hypocrisy of a State which demands programs for "out-of-control" gamblers but facilitates casinos which foster the very behavior which they deplore -- all for the sake of increased revenue to be spent by profligate politicians on their special interest projects.

-- steve

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Reference Links:

The Latest From Capitol Alert - Capitol Alert - The Sacramento Bee - Schwarzenegger again offers casinos as eco solution

Capital Notes — From KQED’s John Myers » Governor Says Yes To New Indian Casino

Scalping California Tax Dollars: Is this a Schwarzenegger "Back Room" deal with Indian Casino interests?|One Citizen Speaking