UPDATE: The comment section has some interesting reading and I'm moving this post forward so that readers can see them and take part. There's a good comment on reconciliation.
To all Pechanga Employees facing layoffs and who have already been terminated. If you have information to share about what you've seen, heard and know, here is the contact information for the FBI:
FBI Los Angeles
Suite 1700,
FOB 11000
Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90024-3672
losangeles.fbi.gov
(310) 477-6565
FBI San Diego
Federal Office Building
9797 Aero Drive
San Diego, California 92123-1800
sandiego.fbi.gov
(858) 565-1255
They have been investigating for quite a while and now is a good time for you to help them wrap up the investigations with the Department of Justice. Pechanga obviously doesn't have your job to hold over your head anymore. Give them a call. I'm sure they are interested in what you've seen and what you know.
33 comments:
Can't Pechanga take away their severence if they talk to the feds?
Did they sign confidentiality agreements?
Why rely on disgruntled employees to do your work for you? Why don't you talk to your friends in the tribe and report what they say? Perhaps you don't have any friends or there's nothing to report.
Is Pechanga really that vindictive that they'd take away severance packages because some people talked about what they've seen?
It's comical that Rob from Pechanga.net already calls the terminated employees, "disgruntled".
And, it's not "doing the work for you", it's coming forward with more details than the DOJ already HAS. Filling in the gaps.
If there was "nothing to report", the Pechanga band would not have had the upcoming indictments as an AGENDA item at their meeting.
And we ahve talked to friends in the tribe. Many are disgusted with the CPP and the direction the tribe has taken. They remember when it was a peaceful place and they didn't have to live in fear of reprisal.
Isn't Pechangadotnet hoping to rid the Pechanga tribe of it's criminal element?
Rob, you seem to think there is no corruption going on at Pechanga well, we have proved corruption is going on there in regards to the land transfer of the Great Oak Ranch property.
You seem to think that because there hasn't been a story directly about it in the papers, that it can't be going on or since I said it, and I am a regular poster on this Blog, that my comments are suspect.
But could it be possible that the papers are wary of losing ad money from a big customer such as Pechanga?
Stories though that qoute critics, among them the Temecula city manager, of a new land transfer the tribe wants have been written and the reason these people are questioning the new land trasfer is because of the golf course on the Great Oak Ranch.
You stated on another thread that the golf course that is on the Great Oak Ranch property could be on land adjacent to the property, not actually on it, and since that thread is now in the archives you may not have seen my answers to your comments.
Well, the history page from the Journey at Pechanga golf course official Web Site verifies that it is indeed on the Great Oak Ranch property, the tribe does not deny it.
http://www.journeyatpechanga.com./history.asp
HISTORY
The native history of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians is deeply implanted in every fertile yard of Journey at Pechanga. The cultural heritage and connection to the land runs deep and is virtually inseparable. The very name "Pechanga" means "place where the water drips," a fitting description so in keeping with the beautiful and natural water features that abound on this magnificent course.
Journey is built on a portion of Pechanga’s ancestral land that has been their "home" for countless generations. This land is also home to "The Great Oak" – one of the largest natural-growing, indigenous coast, live oak trees in the United States and estimated to be anywhere from 850 to 1,500 years old.
To the Pechanga people, the land that Journey is built upon, and the Great Oak that stands upon it, carries meaning that far transcends mere physical presence. The Great Oak, for example, has come to embody the very identity and character of the Pechanga Band: strength, wisdom, longevity and determination.
The Pechanga Tribe’s devotion and deep "connection to the land" makes playing the course at Journey all that more awe-inspiring. So when you’re out there on the pristine greens, enjoying every exhilarating minute, take a moment to pause, breath deeply and appreciate your surroundings…you too will feel the connection to this very special land that the Pechanga people hold so dear.
Rob, It cannot be refuted that chairman Mark Macarro in 2002, repesenting the tribe, promised the United States congress and the United States Dept. of Interior that no changes were going to be made to the Great Oak Ranch property, that it was going to be kept in its natural state.
It also can't be refuted that Macarro's brother John, general council of the tribe, said in response to critics of the Great Oak Ranch development, that the tribe can do whatever it wants with land once it is put into trust.
It is very apparent to me that it is corrupt to tell the U.S. government one thing and then for Pechanga to do whatever it wants once they have the land added on to the reservation.
On previous threads on this topic I have posted links to the congressional record and the links to the two stories from the Riverside Press Enterprise that qoute the critics of Pechanga's new land trasfer and attorney John Macarro's response to them.
I have not taken his comments to critics of the new land transfer or Chairman Mark Macarro's comments to congress out of context so if I need to post those links again, then I will do so if you think I need to so that you can read their comments in their entirity from the origninal source.
However, if you go to previous threads on this subject the links are there.
Rob, if corruption occured regarding trust land transfers, couldn't it possible there could be corruption elsewhere in the Pechanga government?
Rob, keep up the good work on Pechanga's behalf. You have been trained well.(like a puppy dog)
If facts don't work for you, (just like your GOOD friends at Pechanga) you just ignore them or call them mistruths because you can't find a news report. By the way there are many reports out there about the corrupt& illegal actions your buddies(pechanga) have taken! Also, what has happened within the tribe, PERHAPS, you are privy to, as you are soo close to V. Have you pledged a vow of secrey to V or does he just keep you in the darkness of "blue corn"-nice comic!
It is funny that you seem to run to support Pechanga at the drop of a hat with no support(PECHANGA HERE SAY) for your claims. All this from such a reputable news guy!!
I think Rob is looking for adoption!!....and by the way...should a "real" journalist be so slanted towardsthe tribe and stoop to name calling Rob?..
Anyone notice how Rob and other critics pop in here and drop a comment but ussually don't stay around to answer our responses?
I realize that Rob is a busy man who may not have time to check this board on a regular basis but I have posted several responses regarding the Great Oak Ranch on several different threads that he has yet to comment on.
He seems to think the best about Pechanga's current leadership and he didn't believe that they could actually could tell congress one thing to get the Great Oak Ranch as part of the reservation and do another thing once they got it.
Rob, again if you do see this, if there is corruption regarding trust land, couldn't there be corruption elsewhere?
Is it true that a tribal member that worked at Pechanga was actually stealing the tips of the hard working employees??....is he being prosecuted?..can't the employees sue him ..if not the Casino?...and is he a tribal member getting the $30,000 a month?? wasn't that enough for the greedy guy??..he had to take more money out of the place?..he should be in jail..not hiding on the reservation....
Rob,
Why do you consider the eliminated workers..er "team members" disgruntled? Don't you think some of them understand the realities of business?
Nothing to report? Please. Maybe for your website.
Where's Rob? Did V tell you to stop commenting? Were you threatened, like the rest of the tribal members? I know you are way to interested or paid?, to stay away! Where are your 2 cents, not worth? Come on, we love your banter about nothing & illusion.
Yes, reportedly Larry Miranda was fired from his position because of allegations that he was stealing from employees at the casino and yes last we heard he was still getting per capita payments as he is a tribal member.
I understand that he is one of the people who will be facing upcoming indictments.
I also understand that his mother, CPP faction leader and former tribal chairwoman Jenny (Masiel) Miranda, has tried to get him his job back.
Do you really think these indictments will take place or will they just pay to make them go away?....
Is there any info on the percentage of Pechanga tribal members that actually work inside Pechanga...it seems like a conflict if a mechanic of machines is also a tribal per capita receiver...why would he want the machines to pay out?...thats money out of his pocket??..I was at Pala one day and a lady hit a jackpot on a $5 dollar machine...they paid her off and waited for her to leave the machine and as soon as she was gone...they came and switched the computer insides...as I watched ...playing 2 machines away..don't think they could get away with that in Vegas!!
I am the husband of a tribal member and I have read the decision against the Hunters, the Johnson report on the Hunters, and I was given a copy of some of the things that have been posted here at this blog.
A few thoughts on the disenrollment of the Hunters:
First of all even the Johnson report isn't 100 percent conclusive that the Hunters are Pechanga, it says the perponderance of evidence, which would stand up in a civil court in the U.S. but not in a more restrictive setting in which the burden of proof is on the defendants, and it is my understanding that the burden of proof was on the Hunters according to tribal law.
Things that come to mind are the fact that Johnson and even the Hunters thenselves are not entirely sure the name of Paulina Hunters mother, her name is listed as Eualia in Paulina's marriage record but Johnson stated that it could be actually Hilaria, that it may have been written down wrong by the priest documenting Paulina's wedding.
Johnson in his report says the Hunters said that Paulina's grandmother was named Restituta and there is a Restituta Nesecat who is listed as the mother of Hilaria in the pardrones.
So Hilaria Nesecat could have been Paulina's mother but again it isn't conclusive that she was.
Johnson is more sure about the indenity of Paulina's father, Johnson's report says that her father was most likely Mateo Quasicac, AKA Mathias, still most likely is not 100 percent sure.
The decision against the Hunters says that Mateo's name was Walla and that name isn't in any of the Padrones but Johnson says a lot of Indian families from the period used different last names for the same person but is conclusive?
Another thing is the Hunters are not on any of the early Pechanga censuses after Paulina's death in 1899 and they don't appear to have a direct connection until the 1930's when there were probate hearings for some of Paulina's children's portion of the Hunter allotment.
As far as the Masiel/Basquez line, probably the most vocal critic of the Hunters,which by the way my wife is not from, they have shown a presence on the reservation since the early 1900's.
I have read the censuses all they way through and they are on these records however, as a poster pointed out here on this blog, are they on the records before 1900?
There is some connnection to the Garcia line but is it direct lineal descent?
It could be but is it?
It is possible that since the Masiel/Basquez family have been around so long that maybe they truly believe they have an historical claim and that they know who the true Pechanga people are and that since the Hunters may not have been around for a period after 1900, that they believe the Hunters don't belong.
But isn't the requirement supposed to be from an Original Pechanga Temecula family and isn't that from before 1900 and not after the turn of the century, no matter how many years a family has been there?
It is my feeling that the Hunters are probably Pechanga people and the Masiel/Basquez line might be as well.
In all fairness, because of the law that was passed in 2005 that was supposed to end disenrollment, the sides may have to find a way to work together that the tribe should retroactively abide by that law and that while the Hunters shouldn't have been kicked out, that the Masiel/Basquezs and others now can't be kicked out either.
The solution may be some sort of reconciliation.
My wife voted for the petition to end disenrollment but lately, in all honesty, she has been turned off by the constant attacks on her tribe that appear on this and other sites.
So she is not as sympathetic as she was before.
By the way, I don't have regular access to a computer at the moment but I will be happy to respond to comments when I can.
I think the key point in Anonymous's post is whether the Hunters were around at the beginning of the resevation in the 1800's.
Not only were the Hunters around at the beginning of the reservation we were there at the Temecula village before the reservation and this is documented.
As far as the difference in last names for Paulina's parents, Anonymous points out that Dr. Johnson said in his report that a lot of families had different last names for earlier generations so a lot of other families would be in the same boat as the Hunters.
Anonymous says the Hunters didn't have a direct connection to the reservation until the 1930's.
Well if that was the case, then why did Dolores Tortuga say in 1915 that he knew Paulina to be Pechanga and why did she name all of Paulina's children during Paulina's probate hearings.
Clearly Tortuga knew her fellow Pechanga person's family well.
Maybe the Masiel/Basquez family have been around the Rez for a long time but were they there at the beginning and did they get an allotment?
Like I have said, it doesn't matter how long a family has been there if they are not really Orgininal people.
One thing though, as distasteful as it sounds, we may have to somehow learn to, as Anonymous says, learn to reconcile ourselves with some of these people.
Because he is right, if the 2005 law was fairly implemented and we were somehow retroactively reinstated, then the Masiel/Basquez would still be there and we would be in the tribe with them.
ANONYMOUS, THE KEY POINT ABOUT OUR DISENROLLMENT CASE IS THERE IS ACTUALLY NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE AGAINST US.
YES, THERE WERE QUESTIONS THAT REASONABLE PEOPLE MAY HAVE HAD ABOUT US BELONGING BUT WE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE HAD ONLY TO HAVE OUR ANSWERS IGNORED BY THE POWERS THAT BE.
The Anonymous Husband has an excellent comment.
But isn't the requirement supposed to be from an Original Pechanga Temecula family and isn't that from before 1900 and not after the turn of the century, no matter how many years a family has been there?
YES! And the Hunter family fits that requirement quite nicely. As referenced by mulitple depositions taken in the LUISENO LANGUAGE.
It is my feeling that the Hunters are probably Pechanga people and the Masiel/Basquez line might be as well.
And, nobody from the Hunters were trying to get the Masiels/Basquez family kicked out, but we brought their family to light after they attacked our elders.
In all fairness, because of the law that was passed in 2005 that was supposed to end disenrollment, the sides may have to find a way to work together that the tribe should retroactively abide by that law and that while the Hunters shouldn't have been kicked out, that the Masiel/Basquezs and others now can't be kicked out either.
YES, we tribal members were told by Macarro that "ALL MEANS ALL" yet, he stabbed the family in the back and cut our throats.
The solution may be some sort of reconciliation. I'm game
My wife voted for the petition to end disenrollment but lately, in all honesty, she has been turned off by the constant attacks on her tribe that appear on this and other sites.
Your wife should be proud of us, the way we are fighting for our rightful place in the tribe. NO FAMILY turned in more proof than we did. And please remember, WE DID NOT HIRE Dr. Johnson, the ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE did. We have the words of people who were ALIVE when Paulina Hunter got her family alotment, "they" have the hearsay of Vince Ibanez. Would YOU, Anonymous Husband let him babysit your young ones?
Anonymous husband said:
My wife voted for the petition to end disenrollment but lately, in all honesty, she has been turned off by the constant attacks on her tribe that appear on this and other sites.
So she is not as sympathetic as she was before.
I JUST ASK, "WOULD YOUR WIFE JUST WALK AWAY AND ACCEPT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HER FAMILY OR WOULD SHE TRY TO REGAIN HER RIGHTFUL PLACE AMONG HER PEOPLE?" DISENROLLMENT IS SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING RAMPANTLY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES MAINLY BECAUSE OF GREED. IT NEEDS TO STOP. WE ARE PECHANGA/TEMECULA PEOPLE AND ARE PROUD OF IT! DISENROLLMENT HAS NEVER BEEN THE INDIAN WAY!
Back in the late 70's and early 80's, Jennie Miranda asked Marie Russell if getting an allottment on the reservation constitutes an original Pechanga person, and Marie Russell said Yes, it does.
The Indian Agent at the time, Carrerre, stated that the allottees of the Pechanga reservation were certified true Temecula Village Indians.
That says it all!!!! The Hunters are orginal Temecula/Pechanga Indians. Period!
If the Masiels are Original Pechanga people, why did Ruth have to be adopted in the Indian way?
Why are her brother and sister who were not adopted in the Indian way members just as big as you please?
Why are Ruth's descendants members of the tribe if they were not also adopted?
Names were recorded in the padrones, as well as other church records, such as marriage records, phonetically in the 1800's. Many were recorded by spanish priests so they have a spanish spelling, but some were butchered because the Indian speaker had a language handicap, thick tongue, and spelling deficit. That is why the priest recorded (as best they could and with a spanish twist) what they heard.
Why are the writers blaming you guys for talking??...the blame lies only on your greedy fellow tribesman that kicked you out...if you were getting Government allotments for all thgose years...how can they now say you aren't Indian enough?..and didn't they count your votes when they needed them to even build the Casino?..I bet you mattered then...why not now??..
Your tribal leaders are making a big mistake...they are waking up the NON-tribal people who are starting to take a big interest in all these matters...soon there will be more petitions..I already heard on one talk show where someone suggested that the State take away your tax-free personal status..now that it is such huge amounts of money tax-free..it would be a nice source of additional income for the state...
and its all because of some greedy people that this will all come tumbling down...and its not the people of this site that are to blame...you guys are just sticking up for what is rightfully yours..and NO..I am not tribal or even ex-tribal...but a taxpayer who thinks things should change in California!!
Hello Rob, seems to me that you receive all of your misleading info. from your employer...hence your loyalty to him..you don't bite the hand that feeds you and all that stuff...i can respect loyalty, but not when its so totally misplaced. WOULD IT NOT BE A REAL REPORTERS/JOURNALIST'S JOB TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH FROM THE ACTUAL VICTIMS? What have you got to lose...become a SEEKER OF TRUTH
Im not indian,but alot of my friends,And I mean alot, have stopped going to pechange, because of all the talk of greedy non indian people. Wake up pechanga your losing alot, You cant have it this way all the time!
I am a former employee of Pechanga Casino who was fired after four years of employment. After being fired, they even tried to deny my unemployment from the state. I went to defend myself at the hearing and the Judge asked the attorney from Pechanga, “Why was I terminated?" They gave a reason but when the Judge asked for proof or evidence of the accusation for me being fired. The attorney said that it was unavailable and he would not be available to supply the evidence in the future. ???????? What the F*** is that?
I went back to the casino after my standard 6 month band from the property. About three months after visiting the property frequently, I was playing blackjack and was approached by a Pit Supervisor and security and was asked to follow them down stairs to the jail. They accused me of trespassing on the property. I was taken down to the jail and asked for I.D. They ran my I.D. and they noticed that I was not trespassing and apologized and said have a nice day. Not only was I fired without cause but now I am being harassed while visiting the place as a regular customer.
This could be one of the best casinos around if management could get their head out of their asses and the Indians would just be happy that they are receiving a free check that in one or two months is equivalent to what most hard working people make all year.
Why would you go back to a place that fired you without cause and fought you over unemployment?..don't you think that the money you are losing is going into the pockets of the same people that took away your income??...why patronize this place??...there are many other Casinos....
I would assume that he go's back because he has many friends that still work there, especially after working there for four years. He obviously still has good feelings about the place hence is statement This could be one of the best casinos around if.... Even though he is not so happy about the management, I bet he still has had some good times at the place.
This only a guess from my end though. They DID employ some real nice people to work for them, and I am sorry to hear that they are being let go.
luiseno....I understand what you are saying about the friendships..but why hand your money over to someone that has basically stolen from you?..management is probably doing what the tribe is asking of them..the blame lies more on the tribe from what I have read on this site...I stay away from Pechanga in support of the disenrolled....this fired and harrassed employee goes back and gives them more money....doesn't make much sense to me....but thats just my opinion...I could be wrong?!!
Before I was disenrolled I had for years always wanted to be a tribal elder, I looked forward to the day when I would be considered a Elder. Well finally the day came, but I didn't receive my Elder identification card for several months. I finally received it during our disenrollment. Rats I thought, oh well I might as well receive at least one meal as a Tribal Elder. I went to the Casino Buffet and tried to use my card, it had already been canceled. I was so upset I decided that since I was a pretty good BJ player (I almost always win more than I lose, if I know when to quit) that I would see if at least I could get the casino to pay for a dinner. Well I left the casino with $450.00 more than I came with, more than a meal from them thank you. I haven't been back since.
I would have felt horrible if I had lost money (although I wasn't going to risk more than the $20.00 I started with), but I wasn't really in a good frame of mind at the time.
I haven't set foot in the casino for over two years, in fact the last time was just two weeks before we were disenrolled.
I would not even buy a soda or a candy bar from there as I don't want Pechanga to get even one cent from me so I for sure won't gamble there as I could lose money.
I used to like to play there and I do miss going there but I have made up my mind not to have anything to do with that place until the tribe makes things right.
I'm sure you have not seen every piece of documentation we submitted. The CPP will feed you bits and pieces so you can not connect the dots. Hundreds of certified red ribbon documents were submitted for the Hunters. Not just a couple of census records, or ration cards. Tribal elders who knew Pechanga history in the 1800 and 1900's gave written signed affidavits affirming the Hunters as Temecula and Pechanga people.
I have been told before that it sounds like we are attacking the tribe. When we write our blogs and posts, we are not attmpting to attack Pechanga. We know the CPP has choke hold on the membership, and it causes fear of reprisal. The General membership had its rights violated buy a corrupt faction of the tribe. Behind closed doors the council and enrollment committee went against the will of the people. Several Hunters signed and supported the petition to end the disenrollment procedure, but we did not write it or bring to the council. Since the council trampled over the memberships voice, and the enrollment committee disenrolled an extended family anyways, it should show you the open bias we as a family faced.
As posted on another thread, since there is no government body within our village supporting the people, we have no were else to turn. We will use any means possible to bring justice to Pechanga.
Wiaasal is correct, we faced open bias in regard to our disenrollment cases.
Members of the Hunter and Manuela Miranda families had filed papers challenging the membership of families such as the Basquez/Masiels but once those families were cleared from disenrollment they were allowed to vote on the disenrollment cases of the M Mirandas and Hunters.
Article V of the Pechanga costiution says that "it is the duty of all elected officials of the band to uphold the individual rights of each member without malice of predjudice."
By allowing Masiel/Basquez family members that members of my family had challenged their membership credentials to vote on our cases is a violation of article V of the constitution.
As I have said elsewhere, if we had been cleared from disenrollment, would it have been fair to allow us to vote on the cases involving the famlies that had challenged our membership?
NO WAY!
I don't know and never heard about Pechanga. If there's any thing important, it's good to help giving useful information to them for investigation.
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