Civil Rights Org. Opposes Big 4 compacts

Civil Rights Organization Opposes Compacts with Big 4 Tribes
TEMECULA, CA - The American Indian Rights and Resources Organization ("AIRRO"), a civil rights advocacy group, has joined the growing number of tribes, labor unions, and environmental groups in opposition to the gaming compacts signed with the Pechanga, Morongo, Sycuan, and Agua Caliente Tribes. AIRRO cited the failure of the Governor, the tribes, and the State Legislature to include language in the compacts that would protect and preserve the basic human and civil rights of tribal employees, casino patrons, and the thousands of others who do business with the tribes.

"The expansion of tribal gaming in California has seen an increase in the number of human and civil rights violations, especially within Tribes that have gaming operations," stated AIRRO President, John Gomez, Jr. "These compacts were the perfect place to address these rights issues and to protect California citizens from further abuses."

"The Governor and the State Legislature let the citizens of California down in negotiating and approving these compacts. Fortunately, the voters of California will have an opportunity to vote "No" on these compacts and force the Big 4 tribes back to the drawing board to negotiate new compacts- compacts that are fair to California's citizens and respect basic rights."

AIRRO also believes that the compacts with the Big 4 tribes fail to adhere to the purpose and intent of previous gaming initiatives where California voters were led to believe that Indian gaming would benefit all California Indians.
"A news article in the Sacramento Bee estimated that only a small percentage of California Indians actually benefit from Indian Gaming," said Gomez. "With the rise in human and civil rights violations in California Indian Country, we expect that the percentage may be even less as thousands of California Indians have been stripped of or denied citizenship in their tribes. As a result, these dis-enfranchised Indians have been cut-off from or denied health care benefits, elder benefits, education assistance, and other social services provided by their tribal governments. Most must now avail themselves of state and federal programs at taxpayer expense."
Along with several other organizations, AIRRO has signed the ballot arguments in opposition to the Big 4 tribes' compacts. The ballot arguments provide voters information on the proposed ballot initiatives and are distributed to all of California's registered voters.

For more information on the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization, go to www.airro.org or email mail@airro.org. OP: Please join AIRRO if you aren't already a member

CalFedTeachers: NO to Pechanga, no on 94,95,96,97

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/11/big_4_gambling.html

Big 4 Gambling Deals – A Bad Deal For Education And For California--“No” on 94, 95, 96 and 97
By Marty HittelmanPresidentCalifornia Federation of Teachers

Every once in a while voters get a chance to correct a legislative mistake. The Secretary of State has officially qualified four referenda, Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97, for the February 5, 2008 ballot. That means voters will have a chance to reverse the “sweet heart deal” that the governor and the majority of the legislature made with a few wealthy Tribes. Of course, I’m referring to the Big 4 Gambling Deals -- a political giveaway that would result in unfairly benefiting four of the state’s wealthiest and most powerful Indian tribes at the expense of other tribes, workers and taxpayers. OP: Not to mention rewarding Pechanga for violating the civil and human rights of 25% of their membership.

As an educator, these deals are especially bad because those behind them promise schools will benefit, when the truth is, not one penny is guaranteed to education.
We’ve arrived at this point after these Big 4 Tribes -- Pechanga, Morongo, Sycuan and Agua Caliente – spent millions in campaign contributions to cut themselves a Sacramento deal that dramatically shifts the state’s gaming policy from modest growth to rapid expansion. During the past few months, they spent millions more trying to keep their deals off the ballot by hiring people to block the signature-gathering effort. However, nearly three million referendum signatures were collected to demand the opportunity voters now have to cast a vote against these terrible deals. OP: Thats more than 15% of the adult population of CA signing the petitions.

Now that they’re in the position of selling their deals to California voters, they’re making misleading claims about the benefits to the state.

Now is the time for commenting at the article

Who Opposes Expanded Gaming?

AIRRO for one, they are prominently displayed on the front page of NO UNFAIR DEALS website. Check their site out and please join.

California Federation of Teachers is another.

Watson Under Fire?

Teetilawuncha's blog has an article with commentary on Rep. Diane Watson under fire for helping the Cherokee Freedmen. It's also linked at Pechanga.info. We are new to blogging and are learning how to link correctly. We are a work in progress. Thanks for sticking with us.

UPDATE: I was remiss in telling you that Rep. Watson has taken what has happened in CA Indian Country to heart. She has supported AIRRO's position and as referenced previously has heard Pechanga people speak.

Tell your friends.

Welcome

A big welcome to my new readers. I trust you will find this blog informative. As many of you are tribal leaders and members, please know that our fight is with the sovereign nation of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. Unfortunately, their violations of their members civil rights and human rights, may have collateral damage in California.
I urge you to discuss this with the Tribal Council of Pechanga.

PO BOX 1477 Temecula, CA 92593 or Fax them at 951-587-2769

There is still time for them to turn the tide. It's not going to happen with their commercials.

UPDATE: Tamra, of http://www.ndnnews.com/ will be featuring our open letter on her website and she was going to send it our to her mailing list. Please make sure you subscribe to her site, there is a lot of good information on all of Indian Country. Thank you Tamra, for your support.

Open Letter to Pechanga Tribal Chairman Macarro

Dear Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro,

For over a decade, you have been in the lead of the tribal council. During that time you have helmed the disenrollment of 25% of your membership, sent many back into poverty, and forced the state of California to cover the health care expenses YOU promised would no longer be an issue when you pleaded for Californians to approve casino gaming.

What makes you proud to be the chairman? That you have made the tribe weaker? You were quoted in 2004 saying, “I believe that our tribal members know the fairness and diligence I try to bring to all of our issues." Where sir, was the diligence in creating fairness on the Enrollment Committee? Why “sir”, did you allow the committee to bring families up for review out of order, instead of the order they came in?  Why did you allow Enrollment Committee members, Frances Miranda, Ihrene Scearse, and Ruth Masiel to sit in judgement of other families, when it was THEIR OWN families who brought up the charges that led to disenrollments.

Why “sir”, did you, during your terms in office, not uphold the constitution and bylaws when you allowed an illegal moratorium on membership when the Pechanga constitution and bylaws says open enrollment is every January? How “sir”, can you say you bring fairness and diligence when you did not follow tribal law and in fact skirted the new law that the tribe passed to “halt all disenrollments”? All "currently enrolled" members were covered in the July 2005 petition halting disenrollments. Why “sir”, did you not follow tribal law?

Where “sir”, was the fairness when you denied Hunters their civil rights by not allowing members to have an attorney with them to defend their positions? Where “sir”, was the fairness when you would not even allow writing implements for those who came before the Enrollment Committee, and in their appeal to the Tribal Council? Or to see the evidence against them. Was it because there was no credible evidence and the decison was pre-ordained?"

Why “sir”, did you not respond to the questions as to your Enrollment Committee member sleeping through the Hunter family’s hearings? Why “sir”, did you allow hearings to be held when one of the council was late? Couldn’t you even wait for him to hear the appeal, or, did you KNOW, it didn’t matter, as his mind was made up?  Why “sir”, did you not respond to the obvious bias of one of your Enrollment Committee members in telling Hunter family that they were going to be out no matter what evidence they had?

Why “sir”, did you consolidate cases? Why was each member not allowed to present his or her own case for appeal? Where is the fairness you said you would bring? Was a half hour per member, to appeal their own position, too much to ask?

Why “sir”, was the Enrollment committee allowed to use evidence biased against the Hunter family in their decision, when it was not presented to the family so they could address it in their appeal?  Why would the word of a convicted child molester be considered valid, versus the most respected authority on California Mission Indians, that Pechanga, not the Hunters chose to research Paulina Hunter?  Why was "hearsay" testimony, that wasn't even notarized, turned in by the CPP given more credibility than five other notarized depositions from other current tribal elders not from CPP families that affirmed our membership?

Why "sir", during the shameful period that you and the tribal council were working to disenroll two large families, did you not hold monthly meetings, as was the custom? What were you trying to keep from the tribe?   Do you only believe in custom and tradition when it suits YOUR purpose?

Will you, Mr. Chairman take credit for the erosion of Tribal Sovereignty in California? There is still time to reverse this terrible injustice. Lead the tribe back to peace. Your ancestor Martin Berdugo called mine “Aunt”. Antonio Ashman SWORE to this.  Bring the tribal family back together.   Be the leader in Indian Country, not the follower of a corrupt organization like the CPP.

More on Sovereignty Breakdown..

Teetilawuncha was kind enough to post an article I wrote for The Native Blog months ago. And, with the Maine decisions, still very pertinent

Here is the link. Take a look: http://teetilawuncha.blogspot.com/2007/11/dedicated-to-o-pechanga.html

Thanks for posting it.

Another CRACK in the Sovereignty Dam

Tribes who wield their sovereignty like a club, may start feeling some of the backlash. Pechanga, you will be responsible for the erosion of sovereignty in this state. There is still time to make restitution for what the Splinter Group has caused. Let's discuss how.

Supreme Court Turns Down Appeal From Maine Indian Tribe


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court has decided it won't hear an appeal from a Maine Indian tribe that argued it has sovereign powers over its tribal government affairs.
A federal judge ruled two years ago that the Aroostook Band of Micmacs wasn't subject to state employment laws or the Maine Human Rights Act in a lawsuit stemming from the tribe's 2001 firing of three Aroostook County women. The women complained to the Maine Human Rights Commission that their terminations violated the Maine Whistleblower Protection Act. OP: A STATE law.

But that ruling was overturned last spring by the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. The tribe then appealed to the Supreme Court.
The high court also declined to hear a similar case involving the Houlton Band of Maliseets, another small tribe in northern Maine.

Sovereignty should be used for the good of the people, not to deny our citizens their civil rights and property. Vote no on 94.

Odds are even in Casino Battle

www.pechanga.info

www.sacbee.com

The Buzz: Odds are even in casino battle royal
By Steve Wiegand - swiegand@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PST Monday, November 26, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A3

The bad news for four SoCal Indian tribes that want voters to approve deals allowing their already-big casinos to get bigger is that the public is kind of lukewarm about the idea so far. OP: Which is WHY we need to get the word out that we don't reward civil rights violators with a fortune.

Both public and private polls show the approval ratings of the referendums launched by opponents on the Feb. 5 ballot hovering around 50 percent, which is ordinarily not a good omen early in campaigns. Sources on both sides say the sticking point with voters appears to be language in the ballot summary that implies that under the deals, the tribes don't have to meet some state environmental standards. OP: Also, the fact that the tribal foxes will be counting the chickens in the henhouse.



The expansion-seeking tribes may also benefit from backing by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who OK'd the deals and is counting on the state getting big money from the agreements. OP: This would be the SAME governor that doesn't want the people of CA to decide the issue? Isn't that OUR decision?Although the guv hasn't decided whether he will actively campaign for the deals, he has lent support to the tribes in a court challenge scheduled to be heard in Sacto Superior Court this week.

No on Prop. 94 = NO to Pechanga's Civil Rights Violations

UPDATE: Please read the comments

Pechanga has tried to get a Compact amendment through Congress without the vote of the people of California. As a sovereign nation, trying to do business with our state, they should not be rewarded for violating their citizens civil rights and human rights. Quite simply, California chose not to do business with South Africa because they denied their citizens civil rights, we should do the same for a nation in our own backyard that does the same.

In fact, Californians should STOP doing business with that entity. The city of Temecula will turn their backs on people whose rights are violated for a few hundred thousand a year? Don't reward Pechanga for wrongdoing, reward them when they do the right thing. Riverside county, stand up for HUMAN RIGHTS.

http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/initiatives/pdfs/2007-07-27_07-0037_Referendum.pdf


Proposition 94

1260. (07-0037)

Referendum Petition to Overturn Amendment to Indian Gaming Compact.
Proponent: Jack Gribbon

If this petition is signed by the required number of registered voters and timely filed with the Secretary of State, it will stop the law (Chapter 40, Statutes of 2007) from going into effect, unless a majority of voters at the next statewide election vote in its favor. The challenged law ratifies an amendment to an existing gaming compact between the state and Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians; exempts certain projects from the California Environmental Quality Act; requires that revenue paid by tribe be deposited in the General Fund. (07-0037.) (Full Text)

DISENROLLMENT!

http://www.manataka.org/page1858.html

This will help new readers understand a bit about disenrollments, driven by profits.

FIRST, they deny civil rights to their people, losing voting rights and then, take their health care, education assistance, elder care away.

Native American tribes are facing allegations of greed and racism as they purge members from their rolls and deny the applications of others.

The expulsions have sent tremors through Indian country. Thousands of Native Americans have lost their cultural identities and access to tribal benefits, such as medical care, housing and education. Certain gaming tribes divide casino profits among members, in some cases thousands of dollars a month per person. Those expelled lose their cut. Tribal officials say they're protecting legitimate members by making sure everyone in the tribe is qualified.

As sovereign nations, tribes have the final say in who can - and cannot - join. Each tribe determines what degree of Indian blood is necessary for membership, a requirement that varies among the 561 federally recognized tribes.

In California, at least 2,000 Native Americans have been taken off the rolls of their tribes since 1999, says Laura Wass, executive director of the Many Lightnings American Indian Legacy Center, an education and advocacy group in Fresno. Disenrollments have surged with the rise of Indian casinos, she says.
Thousands of Native Americans elsewhere have lost, or may lose, their tribal status. An upcoming vote at the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma could deny citizenship to more than 1,000 of the tribe's 260,000 members. "The motive varies from tribe to tribe," says Daniel Littlefield, director of the Sequoyah Research Center at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, an archive for contemporary Native American issues. "I would say money is at the bottom of a lot of it."

Mary Chapman of Fresno was disenrolled from the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians last month, along with 20 members of her family. About 250 members of the tribe have been disenrolled this year, Wass says, and about 400 others have received letters questioning their status.

The 1,200-member tribe, which opened a casino in Coarsegold, Calif., in 2003, expelled Chapman because she didn't meet the eligibility criteria in the tribe's constitution, a complex set of categories based on ancestry, according to a disenrollment letter sent to her by the tribe.

Thanksgiving Weekend

I hope all of my readers are having a great Thanksgiving weekend. We are gearing up to spread the word about loss of civil rights in Indian Country. Did your read my blog where the Native American Caucus voted down due process? Amazing.

We will be getting some Tongva information out to you this next week. Please check back often. And tell your friends,too.

PECHANGA: KNBC's "WITHOUT A TRIBE" Disenrollment Story

For my new readers, I want to point out a link to a news story that KNBC in Los Angeles did on our family, the Hunters.

WITHOUT A TRIBE told the story of one segment of the Hunter family, Elder Lawrence Madariaga. This story was explosive, bringing to light the corrupt activities of the Pechanga Council and Disenrollment Committee (There have been few enrollments in a decade, just some quid pro quo additions)

This segment was so popular that KNBC ran it in its entirety the next day. That's 16 minutes of air time in a 90 minute block of news (less commercials).

The Pechanga Chairman Macarro, (who is ancestorally related by marriage to the Hunters) was caught in a lie in the first 15 seconds of his commercial leading up to the broadcast. You will be able to see how shifty-eyed he is, which is indicative of lying in the piece.

One thing to remember: Macarro has spoken on camera many times, given speeches to audiences of thousands and interviews with newspapers, politicians, activists, new clients of the casino. Dr. John Johnson is a scholar, the authority on California's native tribes.
Watch the video and ask yourself: WHICH ONE LOOKED MORE AT EASE on camera? Was it the chairman, or Dr. Johnson? The one with lies behind him, or truth? Please leave your comments at the KNBC site and rate the video. You can help get a second story aired closer to the election.

Bloggers, please link to this blog. You will help hundreds of us.

Tribal Gaming Expansions

This story is heating up. You have

1. 4 tribes that want to triple their slot machine totals.
2. A Governator that does NOT want the people to vote on this.
3. The Gov and Tribes are touting 9 Billion in fees to state over 17 years, which WON'T balance the budget. And the fox guarding the henhouse.
4. Unions and Racetracks that are against it.
5. Disenrolled members of tribes who lost their heritage fighting back.
6. Civil Rights attorneys getting in on the act.
7. A new blogger in this arena, me.

The story is a good one. The Democrats don't know who to back in this one. And for sure, nobody in power cares about the 3,000 Native Americans in CA that have been booted from their tribes, violated civil rights.

Here are some sites to look at:

www.pechanga.info (which details ALL tribal disenrollments in CA)
http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga

Teetilawuncha's Blog

A new blog has sprung up that deals with Pechanga issues:

http://teetilawuncha.blogspot.com

Keep an eye on it.

Pechanga: Behind the Scene Fight Preceded Democratic neutrality

http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?xid=wpb5k31gf283k6

Behind-the-scenes fight preceded Democratic neutrality on gaming compacts
By Malcolm Maclachlan (published Thursday, November 22, 2007)
For months, Democratic loyalists have been bracing for a fight between labor and tribes over the amended gaming compacts that could become a contentious distraction within the party. They got a preview last weekend, with the sides fighting it out during the party’s executive board meeting in Anaheim.

Meanwhile, two legal challenges to the anti-compact referendums were turned back last week. Next Tuesday, a third challenge will get its day in court, with the help of a “friend of the court” brief filed by the governor’s office.

(snip)

Some opposed to the compacts were upset with an e-mail that went out to several dozen people on November 13 from Ron Andrade, a board member of the CDP’s Native American Caucus and the Executive Director of the LA City/County Indian Commission. Andrade is a member of a “small, non-gaming tribe,” the La Jolla of the San Diego area.

In the e-mail, Andrade wrote: “We are asking for you to attend the Native American Caucus of the Democratic Party on Friday at 8pm at the Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim. We will pay for your membership and we will provide dinner.”

This led to charges that Andrade was using his offices to stack the meeting with compact supporters, particularly since message went out from his LA County email address.

Andrade confirmed that he wrote the email, but said it has been taken out of context. He said the offer was from him personally, and was not meant to come from any official body. (OP: Then WHY didn't he uses his OWN person email? What does the time-stamp say?) Three people took him up on the offer, he said, and he paid for the meals and the $25 caucus membership out of his own pocket.

“I don’t like to use the word ‘I,’” Andrade said. “It’s not in our culture.” He added, “It went out to my friends. No one got it blind.”

“I don’t think it matters how many people took him up on it,” said John Gomez, a former member of the Pechanga tribe who has become an activist for disenrolled Indians. “It’s the fact that offer was made.”
OP: AND the fact that he said, "Please distribute this to you lists and ask your friends to attend." That is a solicitation to bring people he doesn't know.

Governor say NO to the people's right to vote on Pechanga and Gaming

Governor backs bid to block vote on casino pacts

www.pe.com

By JIM MILLER
Sacramento Bureau

Gov. Schwarzenegger has gotten involved in a Coachella Valley tribe's lawsuit seeking to block a public vote on its renegotiated gambling compacts with the state.

This week's filing in Sacramento County Superior Court came as election officials certified Feb. 5 voter referendum measures on casino-expansion deals between the state and four tribes, three of them in Riverside County.
In the filing, Schwarzenegger's top attorney urges a quick resolution of the suit by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to avoid the loss of expected compact revenue and the costs of printing additional ballots.

"This, of course, is in addition to the millions of dollars that will be spent by interested parties on a campaign that is likely to be quite divisive and will undoubtedly distract voters from other important issues on the ballot," Andrea Hoch, Schwarzenegger's legal secretary, writes in Monday's brief.

OP: Andrea, what can be more divisive than the PECHANGA tribal council ripping 25% of their people apart from the tribe. Destroying their heritage and accepting hearsay evidence, rather than sworn testimony from those ALIVE with Paulina and concrete evidence from Pechanga's expert?

The tribe's suit argues that its casino compact is exempt from the referendum challenges.

A hearing on the case is scheduled for next week.
Can we pass out flyers at the hearing?

UPDATE: The referenda on the Indian Gaming Compacts have qualified. They will be Props 94 (Pechanga), 95 (Morongo), 96 (Sycuan), and 97 (Agua Caliente). There was a little bit of a debate about these during the E-Board in Anaheim. UNITE-HERE is gearing up to fight these, AS ARE WE!

"UNION is CORRUPT" says Pechanga's Macarro

Them's fighting words. I think that all union members should stay away from Pechanga, Patronize another business.

Macarro would probably be given a little weight for his opinion. At least under the "it takes one to know one" category.

"The corrupt HERE union has cost Californians billions in new revenue, and millions for the Temecula Valley," Pechanga Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro said in a statement released Friday afternoon. "We are deeply disappointed by these political games."

http://www.pechanga-nsn.gov/page?pageId=440

Kicking Family to the Curb via Moratorium

Paulina Hunter's blog has a couple of new blogs about the "MORATORIUM PEOPLE"

The Rios family can trace their Pechanga ancestry to before the War of 1812. Actually, Abraham Lincoln was TWO YEARS old when their ancestor was born. No casinos then.

AIRRO working for all Natives

Mary Riley is a Paulina Hunter descendant, one who has worked very hard for the family in fighting for what is right Thank you Mary.


MEDIA ADVISORY

AIRRO speaks during Town Hall Meeting on Cherokee Freedmen

Muskogee, OK- A member of the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization ("AIRRO") gave a prepared speech to Congresswoman Watson (D- CA) and other elected officials on the growing problem of rights violations in Indian Country.

The Muskogee meeting was one of two meetings in which Congresswoman Watson invited the public to attend and comment on the "…this important issue of law" which affects all people, not just Cherokee or Freedmen.

Mary Riley, a Pechanga/Temecula Indian whose family was stripped of their tribal citizenship by Pechanga tribal officials in 2006, expressed the support she and many others, including AIRRO, have for the Cherokee Freedmen.

Ms. Riley called the issue one of civil rights, "Not because the Freedmen are descendants of slaves, it is a civil rights issue because the Freedmen are Indian as well."

In addition, Ms. Riley reminded those present that the Freedmen are not the only Indians suffering from human and civil rights abuses. Thousands of individual Indian people from throughout Indian Country have been victimized by arbitrary and unjust acts of tribal officials. OP: Pechanga is responsible for 500 victims, Chukchansi over 700.

Along with the Cherokee Freedmen, California Indians seem to be the hardest hit as the spread of human and civil rights violations seem to coincidence with the passage of ballot initiatives that legalized Indian casinos in California.

Ms. Riley concluded her remarks by calling for the acknowledgement and enforcement of the Freedmen's rights as a step to meaningful enforcement of the rights of all Indian people.

For additional information on the Cherokee Freedmen issue please visit: http://www.freedmen5tribes.com/index.html

For more information or to join the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization please visit http://www.airro.org/ or email pechangajg@msn.com

UPDATE: Mary Riley from OK's speech

Presentation at Town Hall Meeting Regarding the Cherokee Freedmen
Monday, August 20, 2007
Muskogee, Oklahoma

Congresswoman Watson welcome to Oklahoma. My name is Mary Riley, I am a Pechanga/Temecula Indian of California and I live here in Oklahoma.

I came here today to listen to what you had to say and offer my support in this battle for civil rights. And, make no mistake about it, this is a civil rights issue. Not because the Freedmen are descendants of slaves, it is a civil rights issue because the Freedmen are Indian as well.

For several years I have watched the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma violate the rights of its Freedmen members. As an Indian person, it saddened me because I know their pain.

Congresswoman Watson, the Freedmen are not the only Indians suffering from human and civil rights abuses. Throughout Indian Country, the rights of individual Indian people are being violated by arbitrary and unjust acts similar to those committed by Cherokee officials.

In your own state of California, nearly three thousand (3000) Indian individuals have been stripped of their tribal identity and many more have been denied their birthright to be a member of their tribe. And, it is no coincidence that these actions have taken place since the passage of ballot initiatives that legalized Indian casinos in California.

My tribe, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians in Riverside County, California has stripped nearly 400 members of their tribal citizenship in the last 3 years. And it has denied membership to many hundreds more in an attempt to limit the number of members who will benefit from tribal gaming. (OP: Via an illegal moratorium against the tribe's constitution)

Unfortunately, what is happening at Pechanga and with the Cherokee Freedmen are not isolated incidents. Individual Indians from throughout Indian Country have had their human and civil rights violated by tribal officials.

And, even though the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 specifically prohibited tribal governments from acting to deny certain rights, tribal officials have escaped prosecution for violations of the ICRA and other laws by hiding behind sovereign immunity.

Whether it be the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the Pechanga Band of California, or one of the many other tribes, the outcome is the same- the individual Indian is being made to suffer as her basic rights, rights enjoyed by all other United States citizens, are trampled on. As a result, our identity is taken, necessary health care services are cut-off; elder and child benefits are halted; education assistance stops; and many other benefits are denied.

Congresswoman Watson, I and many others offer our support to you and our Freedmen brothers and sisters. We believe that a meaningful resolution of the Cherokee Freedmen issue, where their rights are protected, preserved, and enforced, is the first step in securing and enforcing the rights of all Indian people.

Did LA COUNTY PAY FOR VOTES III

As you may know by now, Ron Adrade, a member of the Native American Caucus Executive Board sent out an email where he stated "We" would pay for membership and a meal to those who attended the Caucus meeting last Friday.

> Subject: Democratic Caucus meeting -- need your help> Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:15:11 -0800> From: RAndrade@css.lacounty.gov

LACOUNTY. GOV????

> We are asking for you to attend the Native American Caucus of the> Democratic party on Friday at 8pm at the Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim.>
We will pay for your membership and we will provide dinner.> >
A group of non-Indians led by Steve Haze (Uh, Ron, Steve has Cherokee blood) and supported by people like John Gomez (Uh, Ron, people 'like' John are working for civil rights for the people your buddies have violated) are trying to get passed a resolution that will undermine the rights of Tribal governments under the lie that it is a Civil Rights Bill. (Uh, Ron, YOU said all the people you invited were your 'friends". Who is the liar?


They are also coming to the meeting to support the Watson Bill H.R.2824 that will terminate all federal services to the Cherokee> Nation. (LIAR, that's not why we were there) WE NEED YOU SUPPORT AND VOTE AT THE MEETING. (Even if we have to PAY your membership fee and feed you. Was it county budget?)



Here are the email addresses for the LA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
Gloria Molina molina@bos.lacounty.gov
Mike Antonovich FifthDistrict@lacbos.org
Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke seconddistrict@lacbos.org
Zev Yaroslavsky zev@bos.lacounty.gov
Don Knabe cpedersen@lacbos.org Curt Pedersen Chief of Staff

Pechanga Commercials

Pechanga is spending millions of dollars trying to rehabilitate their image in Southern California.

UPDATE: Make that $5 MILLION

http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1014591&session=2007&view=contributions

Interesting to see how much they spend for their lobbyist, Wayne Ordos.

Now we know why Jim Battin is unresponsive too... check his contributions. Hey Pechanga, why no donations to Sheila Keuhl????

Here's an idea of what they are spouting from http://www.pechanga.info/

One of Pechanga's commericals including former tribal spokesperson Jennie Miranda, (who's son was just fired from Pechanga for being a thief) saying, " 200 years ago, the Spanish Tried to Break us up".
Well, congratulations Jennie, you succeeded where the Spanish couldn't! A Notice from the Tribal Government in November of 1980 says: The special meeting notice sent to you by Jennie Mirana and Russell Butch Murphy is not an official notice. The are not official representatives of the Pechanga Band. There will be no official nominationf or the council on the 16th of November. Paragraph three: Now we would like to answer a few of the distortions an misleading statements in the notice sent out by Jennie Miranda and Butch Murphy.
There are copies of this memo of course. But it shows a 25 year pattern of deception, conspiracy and subterfuge from splinter group members.

http://www.pechanga.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1679

Protests of Chuckchansi Disenrollments

http://www.pechanga.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1700

A reported 30 protestors, complete with signs carrying slogans such as "STOP TRIBAL DISENROLLMENT!" and "THE WYATTS AND RAMIREZ'S MUST BE STOPPED!" demonstrated outside the oakhurst elks lodge on saturday morning where a meeting with the picayune general council was being held by the tribal council and dci america consultant james mills...

Inside the building, where the constitution and the general councils true beliefs were being discerned and examined, the majority of the general council expressed grave concern that their opinions were not being heard, followed, or voted on accordingly by the tribal council in regard to enrollment decisions, resolutions, ordinances, and policies, SPECIFICALLY in relation to the disenrollments being undertaken at picayune in the past, present and VERY near future...

Many motorists traveling down highway 41 stopped to ask questions, and several stated that they no longer were patrons of chukchansi gold due to the tribes horrific actions of disenrolling over 600 of their own chukchansi people... see link for the rest of the story

Will LA COUNTY PAY FOR VOTES II -Pechanga Corruption

In a previous post, I posted a letter from Ron Andrade who sent it to numerous people on his email list. There is a question as to whether LA County approves of using government e-mail for personal politics. (Is that racketeering? Mail Fraud)

At the Native American Caucus meeting Thursday evening, Ron Andrade shouted at Steve Haze that, it was his PERSONAL EMAIL and "he could invite his friends and anyone he damn well pleased".
Well, that's certainly true he can invite any he pleases. But his email said, "WE" as in "WE WILL BUY YOU DINNER AND PAY for your membership. Here's that portion as posted yesterday:

> We are asking for you to attend the Native American Caucus of the> Democratic party on Friday at 8pm at the Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim.> We will pay for your membership and we will provide dinner.

So, is each membership coming out of Andrade's pocket? Or out of COUNTY funds? As the joke goes... Tonto says, "what do you mean WE, Kemo Sabe?"

How did Ron know that all the people he was buying memberships for were Democrats? Does Art Torres know about this? Does Governor Bill Richardson?

I'm sure the County Supervisors will be looking into this. Especially since there are no casinos in Los Angeles county. Speaking of which, WHEN is the TONGVA going to get recognized?

I'll address the Cherokee issue later...

Welcome New Readers

Welcome to my new readers.

I've been getting a lot of new visits this week. I was lucky enough to be the benficiary of some good press at the Native American Caucus at the Sheraton in Anaheim last night.

Art Torres had some nice things to say and that's always good. Also, this blog was included in a flyer that was at the tables in the caucus.

Thank you all for checking us out. Please come back and also, tell your friends.

Pechanga.net rises above censorship?

That's what Brenda at CENSORED thinks: http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

We, the violated and disenrolled know different. How much do you hear about what Pechanga has done to his tribe from Mark Macarro's cousin.

Check Brenda's site out for indiginous stories that don't make it into mainstream media. Paris, Lindsay, Nicole, Mary Kate & Ashley are so much more important.

Berry Creek Rancheria: If Tribal Corruption doesn't succeed, TRY AGAIN

Wow, one vote didn't decide it, so, let's have another vote. Sounds like the NAC action. Bring people in with promise of food and free paid membership.

http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=541



Berry Creek calls for second vote
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Posted: November 22, 2000
by: James May / Today staff
OROVILLE, Calif. - The presidential race is not the only place where an election is being disputed. The Sierra-foothill Berry Creek Rancheria is having difficulty deciding if its election to decide the status of 28 tribal members was legitimate. On Oct. 22 the rancheria's general assembly voted 83 to 78 - with 13 abstentions - to retain the disputed members in full status. That should settle the matter, right? No says the tribal council whose members felt there were sufficient irregularities in the voting process to establish grounds for a new election. This has disputed tribal members crying foul. The central issue is whether disputed members, largely from one family, were descended from Dick Harry, a tribal member from the 1850s. Disputed members say they are descended from Dick Harry's half-brother, a historically documented Maidu Indian named Billy Day. The members in question claim the evidence they have was sufficient for the tribal council in the 1980s when many of the family members were admitted to the tribe. Disputed members say the reason their membership has been called into question relates to gaming revenue.
The disaffected members feel the tribal council wants to gain bigger gaming shares for themselves and their families.

Last summer the tribal council decided to put the matter to a vote in September, later delayed until October. Ballots were sent by certified mail to all voting members who were asked to vote on whether the 28 members were full members. All 28 disputed members were allowed to take part in the vote. In a summer interview, tribal council members said that no one was being considered for disenrollment. They said a discrepancy was found in 1992 regarding their descent and the disputed members were informed at that time and they were looking to change the members' status to a lesser rank without full member rights. When the ballot appeared in October, however, it asked for the disputed member's disenrollment. Enrollment committee chairwoman Bolton says the reason for this discrepancy was because the council was "still researching the matter." One of the disputed members, Victoria Mahnke, points out that the tribal council is claiming the members in question had known of the council inquiry into their ancestry since 1992.

Sounds eerily familiar to Pechanga members when someone said "I think they are witches!" or something similarly stupid and then, the disenrollments at Pechanga began.

Native American Caucus - Anaheim Meeting to Violate Their Own Bylaws

It was a good night to be Native American. We saw the NAC violate their own bylaws in a well orchestrated effort of Ron Andrade's paid-for voters.

Pechanga leaders Andrew Masiel Sr. and Butch Murphy brought in two busloads of people (small buses) to cast votes. The young people of Pechanga had absolutely NO IDEA what they were voting on. They just looked to their handler, and if the handler raised her blue card they did, too. It was comical in one instance as one kid raised both his hands as if to say, "I really, really, really, really mean it!"

There were well over 150 people, as the NAC stacked the deck with Cherokee people with a resolution in support of the Cherokee's right to kick people out of their tribe. Funny how they complained that Assemblywoman Diane Watson of California is getting involved in Cherokee business, yet CA Natives have no problem supporting Oklahoma Cherokee.

The NAC Exective board actually asked the membership to vote against due process for Indian people. Nice work.

Stay tuned.......

WILL LA COUNTY PAY FOR YOUR VOTE?

UPDATE:

New information has come out. Looks like the email I posted earlier was a FW from Ron Andrade. Take a look at who he sent it to, and where he sent it from!

Hey, Looks like Mr. Andrade is using his county government email to send out a notice that say they will PAY for people's dinners and membership in the Native American caucus, in order to vote out a civil rights bill. Is the county of Los Angeles involved in denying civil rights to Native Americans?

Look who is on his address list from Pechanga.
----- Forwarded Message ----From: John Gomez To: rcuevas235@yahoo.comSent: Friday, November 16, 2007 3:30:17 PMSubject: Fw: Democratic Caucus meeting -- need your help
It looks like the originator of the email is RoN Andrade. Ron sits on the Caucus Executive Board and used his email account as Executive Director of the LA City/County Indian Commission to send out the notice. He also spoke after Congresswoman Watson at the meeting in SD and basically said the Caucus would oppose any bill, even those introduced by Democrats, that it felt infringed on tribe's rights.


> Subject: Democratic Caucus meeting -- need your help> Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:15:11 -0800> From: RAndrade@css.lacounty.gov> To: luiseno@pechanga-nsn.gov; hholmes@pechanga-pdc.com; jlcoin@aol.com; jmejia@pechanga-pdc.com; rmurphy@pechanga-nsn.gov; chicks@pechanga-pgc.com; CC: kudosforkids@prodigy.net> > >


We are asking for you to attend the Native American Caucus of the> Democratic party on Friday at 8pm at the Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim.> We will pay for your membership and we will provide dinner.> > A group of non-Indians led by Steve Haze and supported by people like> John Gomez are trying to get passed a resolution that will undermine the> rights of Tribal governments under the lie that it is a Civil Rights> Bill. They are also coming to the meeting to support the Watson Bill> H.R.2824 that will terminate all federal services to the Cherokee> Nation. > > > WE NEED YOU SUPPORT AND VOTE AT THE MEETING. > > You must be a registered Democrat to be a part of the Caucus. Please> contact Helen Doherty Caucus Chair if you need more info at> kudosforkids@prodigy.net> >

Please distribute this to you lists and ask your friends to attend.> > Also attached is the full Democratic meeting agenda.> > > > California Democratic Party> Executive Board Mtg.,> November 16-18, 2007> AGENDA> Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim> 1855 South Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, Ca 92802> 714-750-1811> 1-866-837-4197>
Tentative as of Nov 6, 2007> > > Friday, November 16, 2007> 5:00 - 6:00PM Credentials Committee> 5:00 - 7:00PM Platform: Southern CA Statewide> Hearing> 6:00 - 9:00PM Registration> 6:30 - 8:00PM Executive Board Social> 8:00 - 9:30PM Caucus Meetings> Arab-American> Asian/Pacific Islander> Women's> Business & Professional> Rural> Irish-American> Native American> > > Saturday, November 17, 2007> 8:00AM - 12:30PM ...

The NAC will pay for votes? With food. This will be interesting. Why is the Native America Caucus against.....Native American Rights?

And what do they mean when they say... PEOPLE LIKE John Gomez?


From: Danielle Vigil Sent: Thu Nov 15 16:13:23 2007

Subject: FW: Democratic Caucus meeting -- need your help!!!! > We are asking for you to attend the Native American Caucus of the > Democratic party on Friday at 8pm at the Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim. > We will pay for your membership and we will provide dinner. > >

A group of non-Indians led by Steve Haze and supported by people like > John Gomez are trying to get passed a resolution that will undermine the > rights of Tribal governments under the lie that it is a Civil Rights > Bill. They are also coming to the meeting to support the Watson Bill > H.R.2824 that will terminate all federal services to the Cherokee > Nation. > > > WE NEED YOU SUPPORT AND VOTE AT THE MEETING. > > You must be a registered Democrat to be a part of the Caucus. Please > contact Helen Doherty Caucus Chair if you need more info at > kudosforkids@prodigy.net > > Please distribute this to you lists and ask your friends to attend.

More on Pechanga Loss in Court

Here's an article from SignONSanDiego:

http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/breaking/2007/11/judges_rules_against_gaming_tr.html

Please take a look at the comments section. Looks like one person Spammer, is a plant to try to stir up feelings of sympathy for the tribes.

This is a big loss for Pechanga.

Pechanga Man Convicted in Meth Crash

http://www.indianz.com/News/2006/016848.asp

Joseph Anthony Barrientos, a member of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, was convicted of second-degree murder for a hit-and-run crash fueled by methamphetamine.

Sad day for Betty......

http://cashcountry.blogspot.com/

Pechanga Suit Struck Down; People of CA WIN

The people of California have maintained the right to referendum. The Pechanga Tribe, led by Mark Macarro had sued to take that right away from the people. The Tribe, already known for decimating their own population via disenrollment, had tried to keep their back room deal with disgraced politician Don Perata on track. Unfortunately, Pechanga's convoluted sense of Sovereignty does not apply here.

The article says that more tribal money will be spent on this suit.

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2887382220113280558

Judges rule against tribes

05:22 PM PST on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Jim Miller/The Press-Enterprise

Two Sacramento County judges this afternoon rejected identical lawsuits by the leaders of two Inland tribes seeking to block voter referendum measures on the tribes' recently ratified casino-expansion agreements.

In their Oct. 10 suits, Robert Martin, chairman of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning, and Mark Macarro, chairman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians near Temecula, argued that critics of the deals took too much time collecting voter signatures and failed to make a 90-day deadline to qualify referendum measures for the Feb. 5 ballot.

Pechanga Jeopardy Questions

As in JEOPARDY! The answers are in the form of a question

From JAGJR at: Pechanga.info

Click on Message Board when you get there. Here's a sample:

ANSWER: Pechanga, CNIGA, and the Native American Caucus of the California Democratic Party.

QUESTION: Which three (3) groups in California Indian Country share common membership among their governing bodies?

ANSWER: Pechanga and the Native American Caucus.

QUESTION: Of the three groups listed above, which two groups who have denied membership to eligible individuals in violation of their governing documents.

Paulina Hunter's Blog Asks....

For a little help from our friends.

Paulina Hunter's blog

Take a look. Pass her page on to your friends and family.

Have you checked out:

Pechanga.info

Help us in our struggle, with some simple links, and communicate with your friends.....

PECHANGA: Indian Tribes Fight Employee Rights

Pechanga Chairman has already called the unions corrupt. He should know...

http://www.calitics.com/userDiary.do?personId=1018

Feb 2008 Ballot: Indian Tribes Fight Employee Rights (+)
by: Elliott Petty
Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 16:34:46 PM PST

[subscribe]

(This is going to be a major battle and February is just a few months away, so this is a good rundown of what's at stake. Full disclosure: I have done some video work for UNITE HERE. - promoted by David Dayen)

If you don't follow the daily happenings in Sacramento, you can easily be confused about four ballot initiatives slated for the February 5th Presidential Primary Elections. In four separate propositions, voters will be asked to approve state gaming compacts with four individual tribes looking to expand their casino fortunes. If approved, worker rights will continue to be non-existent at the Las Vegas-styled resorts.
Elliott Petty :: Feb 2008 Ballot: Indian Tribes Fight Employee Rights
At issue is the lack of basic worker rights that were passed into the California constitution generations ago, but don't apply at Indian gaming casinos and hotel resorts because of their official sovereignty. California penal code doesn't apply in France, nor does it apply at Pechanga's resort just outside of Palm Springs.
Thus, Indian tribes and the American companies managing their properties don't have to honor anti-discrimination, sexual harassment or workers' compensation laws. Imagine that.

This is only complicated by the fact that nearly 99 percent of employees and management of these resorts are non-Indian, California citizens.

Seems unusual, but since the tribes are raking in a reported $7 billion a year in revenue with residuals going to tribe members in the form of direct cash payments, college scholarships and the like, members don't exactly need to work there.

But the Californian citizenry who make up almost their entire workforce are afforded no basic civil rights on the job.

Of course, their jobs wouldn't exist if the State of California didn't reach gaming compacts with specific tribes which allow them to operate the gambling cash cows in return for a share of the revenues.

Chukchansi: One of the most OFFENSIVE Tribes

Read the article at: One Little Indian

Even though the Chukchansi are now listed as one of the most offensive Tribes in American history by percentage of their own people terminated from their membership, they are by no means alone in their aberrant behavior. Tribes across California and the Nation have had similar purges of their memberships, especially when casino gaming income is in the mix.

Bryan is talking about Pechanga for one...

Pechanga Veterans: Thank You

The Hunter Family, recently disenrolled from the Pechanga Band after over 200 years of living in the Temecula area have many veterans who served in our military.

Pechanga Veterans

We salute our Pechanga Veterans for your courage, honor and commitment.

· Cuevas, Felipe - Army
· Cuevas, David - Army
Cuevas, Thomas - Army
· Harris, William A - Air Force
· Miller, Durio - Army
· Miller, John D - Navy
· Miller, Louie - Army
· Poole, Mary Ann - Navy
. Poole, Gregory - Navy
· Smith, Maltilda - Army
. Smith, Frank - Air Force
. Smith, Ernest - Navy
· Tavison, Ernest - Army

I'm sure I've missed a few. Thank you to all Pechanga people who have served. And shame on the Pechanga Tribal Council for staining the memory of these fine people above. We should honor their memory (and,for those still living) with our courage to maintain this fight to regain what is rightfully ours.

Paulina Hunter of Pechanga's Blog

Over at Paulina Hunter's Blog, they have reached 25,000 blog views. That's a pretty good accomplishment. And that means that a lot of friends are keeping up with what the greed and corruption has wrought on 25% of the Pechanga Band.

If you look at my counter, I'm way behind at 1850. Please tell your friends that there is another blog to look at.

Paulina Hunter’s Blogis on my blogroll on the right.

And also, make sure you check out: www.pechanga.info

Giago: Rep, Watson, Clean up Pechanga First

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-giago/congresswoman-watson-atta_b_71072.html

Tim Giago write in the HUFFINGTON POST:

Congresswoman Watson hails from the mighty State of California. If she had bothered to look around in her own backyard she would have noticed that some of the most notorious actions of disenrollment of tribal members by sitting tribal governments is happening right under her nose. OP: Like Pechanga, which has eliminated 25% of their tribe. Several hundred former members of California tribes have been kicked out in the cold without apparent comment or action by Ms. Watson. Why then is she making herself such a thorn in the side of the people of the Cherokee Nation? I am pretty certain that there are a few thousand Indian people in her own state that wish she would pay attention to their state of disenrollment.

Disenrolled vs. Pechanga = Goldmans vs. OJ?

Fred Goldman has waged his war against the murderer of his son, OJ Simpson for over a decade. Why didn't he give up the fight and quit? "You'll never collect from Simpson" they told him. "He got away with killing your son." "Move on with your life" Mr. Goldman never wavered in his fight to make OJ Simpson pay for what he did. And now, he has won, after a decade of struggle, he owns the right to OJ's book, which will make money that OJ will NEVER see. He got OJ's admission in print. Similarly, the disenrolled Pechanga people, ancestors of the noted headman of the Pechanga people Pablo Apis, and descendents of Original Pechanga Temecula Person, Paulina Hunter, have been told, by those that disenrolled them no less, to "give it up" and "go get a job" or "move on with your life". This is our life. Fighting for our rightful place in the sun, where our family has resided for centuries is our life. Why should we give up trying to regain what is rightfully ours? Why should those who have been kept out of the tribe via an illegal moratorium stop fighting for what is theirs? Many of our family have been sitting on the sidelines for a while. Not all want to be part of the struggle. Many of us came to the table a little late. Some have carried the load for quite a while. John Gomez, both Senior and Junior have been at the forefront of the struggle since they were disenrolled in 2004. Hunter family members fought the struggle from the inside, forcing the disenrollment committee (actually, they are called the enrollment committee, but since there is an illegal moratorium on new members, they have only disenrolled people, not enrolled people. Well, except for some select family members of the committee.) We are continuing to get our story in front of politicians, friends, their families and supporters across the country. Powerful blogs have mentioned the corruption and there is traction gained in that area. Rep. Diane Watson has added the disenrolled to her issues with the Cherokee Freedmen, and the Congressional Black Caucus has their ears open. Pechanga is spending a fortune trying to get some good PR in Southern California. Incredibly, only 52% support them right now. And this is after a few million spent. They wouldn't have to try so hard if they did the right thing: Bring those disenrolled back into the family where they belong, and allow those in the moratorium in the tribe where they belong. Our family, the Hunters have ancestors that were family to the chairman's family. He knows Paulina Hunter was Pechanga, just as the people who gave depositions in 1915 KNEW Paulina was Pechanga. Pechanga Tribal Council, do the right thing. Do not let the Splinter Group continue to lead you down the wrong path. As Mr. Goldman did not give up, neither will we, the disenrolled. Pechanga will have to spend millions more convincing Californians that they are not driven by greed. It would have been simpler had they not acted against the will of the tribe. What will happen to the next family? Pechanga is acting just as OJ did, thinking he got of scot-free. Many of our family are dead now, knowing that Pechanga had ruined their lives. Here are some links for the readers: Original Pechanga’s Blog John’s Disenrollment Blog Tribal Corruption Pechanga Disenrolled website

PECHANGA: Genocide In Indian Country Part One

Genocide in California Indian Country

Below is a list of places in California Indian Country where tribal officials are participating in actions to decimate their own people.
The incidents at each has happened since the passage of Props 5 and 1A which legalized Indian Gaming in California. As a result, California Indian Gaming has grown into a multi-billion dollar business where even non-gaming tribes share in revenue generated by California tribal casinos.

The actions taken by the tribal officials are exactly the types of "arbitrary and capricious" acts that were the catalyst for the introduction and passage of the Indian Civil Rights Act. The acts to strip or deny individuals of their basic human and civil rights have been taken in violation of both tribal and federal laws which are intended to protect these rights and privileges of tribal members. The victims have been denied access to fair and impartial forums in which to have their grievances heard, and the tribal officials have invoked immunity from suit to protect themselves from prosecution.

In most instances, individual members have been denied the due process and equal rights protections provided in the Indian Civil Rights Act, as well as language in their Tribe's governing documents which mandates that tribal officials uphold the individual rights of each member without malice or prejudice.

Another commonality exists- each of the tribes listed benefits in some form or fashion from Indian Gaming. Tribes such as the Pechanga Band and Table Mountain Rancheria have highly successful gaming operations, while others enjoy moderate success. Other non-gaming tribes are paid money from the Special Distribution Fund. In total, hundreds of millions of dollars are paid out each year to individual tribal members.
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians- 300 adults and children
In 2004, 130+ adult members and their immediate families were disenrolled from the Pechanga Band. The members were all descendants of Chief Pablo Apish, a historically significant leader of the Pechanga/Temecula people. None of the members were allowed to participate in the 2004 tribal elections as a result of their disenrollment.
An additional extended family of approximately 100 adults was disenrolled in March 2006 when tribal officials determined that the ancestor from whom they are lineally descended from was not an Original Pechanga/Temecula person. This determination was made despite the fact that a report prepared by a well known anthropologist hired by the Band's Enrollment Committee concluded she was a Pechanga/Temecula person.
The most recent disenrollment of 100+ adults and children was especially egregious as the General Membership, the Tribe's governing body, had previously passed a law which (1) repealed the Tribe's disenrollment procedures and (2) made it illegal for the Enrollment Committee to disenroll members.

The Fight to Expose Pechanga Corruption WILL NOT STOP

Greeting Readers,

This blog was created to help communicate what has gone on at the Reservation of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians in Temecula, CA.

The story of the first family to be disenrolled en masse,descendents of Pablo Apis, in the history of the tribe, can be found here: Pechanga’s Paper Trail of Tears

Please take the time to read it to familiarize yourselves with the inner workings of the Tribal Council and Enrollment Committee.

The second family, The Hunters, were disenrolled en mass, almost two years later. This story can be found here: WITHOUT A TRIBE Now, amazingly, this family was PROVEN Pechanga by the expert hired by the TRIBE!, yet maddeningly, the enrollment committee chose not to use the work that they bought and paid for. A news article is linked here: Pechanga Expert

Please help us get the word out. Send the web address out for my blog, if you have your own blog, please point this site out.

We will not go quietly into the night.....