Joe Liska vs PECHANGA Judge perturbed at Tribes Confusion

Joe Liska, son of deceased member of Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, Fred Magee has had another day in court. In an email, Joe details what went on in the case. For those native Americans that are being kept off their tribal rolls or who have been terminated, there's still a chance to show support.

Joe has been out front, mostly alone, taking on the Pechanga Tribe, who are standing by an unconstitutional moratorium on new members. Here's Joe's commentary and it looks like he left a few marks upon Pechanga's lawyers.


I WAS THERE ALONE WITH MY GIRLFRIEND AND THE TRIBE HAD THEIR ONE ATTORNEY (A TOTAL OF THREE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF A FEDERAL JUDGE)!!

THE COURT HAD FIVE PEOPLE LAW CLERKS ALL TAKING NOTES AND COURT TRANSCRIPTS

THE JUDGE TRASHED THE TRIBES ATTORNEY AND STATED THAT MR LISKA IS UNDER SEVERE DETENTION BY THE TRIBE AND I SPOKE OF PEOPLE IN THE MORITORIUM DISENROLLED AND OF THE FAKE FACTION BUTCH MURPHY

THE JUDGE AS IF I FILED A FRAUD REPORT WITH THE FBI SHE ASK WHEN AND WHERE?

I ARGUED THE JESSE SHORT CASE THAT IT WAS MY TRUST LAND AND MEMBER OR NOT THEY ARE MY TRUST PROCEEDS! OP: This will leave a mark and give the judge some precedent.

I STATED ITS NOT TRUE TRIBAL MEMBERS CAN BE SUED AFFECTIVE SEPT 8 2008 CHEROKEE FREEDMAN CASE IN THEIR OFFICAL CAPICITY ! OP: Thank you Chad Smith, for your criminal actions against the Freedmen

FIRST THE ATTORNEY STATED I COMMITTED NO CRIME, THEN WHEN THE JUDGE READ THE EXCLUSION LETTER BANISHMENT HE SAID I BROKE TRIBAL LAWS... .

I GOT UP FOR THE 4TH TIME AND STATED "YOU JUST SAID I COMMITTED NO CRIME NOW SHE READS LETTER I DID A CRIME YOU'RE
CONFUSING THE COURT

MY GIRLFRIEND SAID IT LOOKED LIKE I NEW MORE ABOUT INDIAN THEN THEM ,,,,,,,,THE JUDGE SAID SHE WOULD REVIEW THE JESSE SHORT CASE,,,,WHERE HE WAS A DECEDANT NOT ON TRIBAL ROLLS LIKE ME BUT WAS GIVEN TRUST PROCEEDS FROM HIS LAND,,,,,,,,,,,,

SHE WILL RULE ON PAPER IN A WEEK

OP: Congratulations Mr. Liska, for standing up for your rights and for the rights of others whose rights have been infringed upon.

Airing PECHANGA'S Dirty Laundry in Public; Spotlight is a good Disinfectant

A reminder of a post from 2007 where Pechanga remaining members (remainers?) were upset that we were speaking out in public about the horrid actions of the CPP haters. We culled the story from Paulina Hunters blog on My Space. In essence, the remainers are upset about being called out, but NOT upset about violations of civil rights, human rights, Pechanga Constitution, Child Molesters.......

from 2007

We've received a lot of comments from families of CPP members that we have spoken out against. They are not the least embarrassed about what their relatives have done to the tribe.

UPDATE: Sorry, for those who don't know the CPP is part of a splinter group of tribal members that conspired to violate the civil rights of some of the membership. Check out the main page of http://www.pechanga.info/ for the rest of the story. Feel free to join in on the message board at the link above.

Here's what A. Basquez wrote to Paulina Hunter's My Space :

Hey dont be mad because you cant prove your ancestors because I am a basquez and I am proud of it I have been enrolled since 1973 when were you enrolled when the casino went up thats what I thought. OP: Kind of sweet don't you think? that's only 25 years AFTER Lawrence Madariga built his house. He would've needed a new roof by then. Please NO comments on spelling here. After all, he admitted his family, so it's understandable.
.
another comment...this time from shawn....

From:Just me
http://www.myspace.com/mechamp1
Date: May 15, 2007 9:33 AM
Date Sent: 5/15/2007 9:33:00 AMBody:Please leave my family and my people alone, accept the truth and move on....Thank you...."
STOP THE MADNESS!!
Body: Please leave my family and my people alone, accept the truth and move on....Thank you....

MY RESPONSE:
Shawn, Thanks for writing. We HAVE accepted the truth. The TRUTH is that we were screwed by the Concerned Pechanga People, which includes Butch Murphy, who has NO Pechanga blood. Now, the TRUTH, as proved by Pechanga's own hired expert, (The Hunters DID NOT HIRE HIM, Pechanga did) is that Paulina Hunter was Pechanga. The TRUTH is, that Pechanga Disenrollment committee has depositions taken in the Luiseno language from 1915 that prove that Paulina Hunter is Pechanga. The TRUTH is that Paulina Hunter has census reports from 1895 that says she's from Pechanga. That's 112 years ago. YOUR people, is OUR PEOPLE, Shawn. Educate yourself a little more. Ask yourself why a moratorium is legal? Because of the will of the people? Then why wouldn't that same will of the people, that voted overwhelmingly to halt all disenrollments not followed by the tribal council? You need to accept the truth Shawn, and know that if you don't help to right the Pechanga ship, it will go down. Would you fight for your rights to be Pechanga? Or would you just walk away and say...hey, it's no big deal? Pechanga has been overtaken by corrupt people,

Last one:

Delila V. from Pechanga sent me the following email:

your profile is the most fucken stupidist shit ever a real member wouldnt say shit about the tribe TALK SHIT about other families or about anyone from the REZ. use a person that is no longer here wont say who's profile this is so FUCK YOU AND STOP SENDING ME SHIT. DAMMIT! i dont give a fuck if you got dissenrolled if you were truly from Pechanga Reservation then you wouldn't have got dissenrolled..and can prove that ur from there!

Delila, the problem is that WE DID prove that we were from Pechanga, and in fact, the Pechanga Enrollment Committee PROVED we were from Pechanga, by hiring their own expert, who SAID we were from Pechanga. They chose to believe a child molester instead, and one who stood up in the General Meetings and complained the we weren't voting the way they wanted, and a guy who's two sister's are on the enrollment committee. Gloria W, who came to the reservation 100 years after Paulina was there, and of course, one who doesn't even want her brother in the tribe.
I understand that you don't care if we got disenrolled, you benefit by more people getting kicked out.

These kids are the future of Pechanga...

Defrauding the Pechanga People by Pechanga Enrollment Committee

Our cousin A'amokat responds to the question of whether the Pechanga tribe is defrauding its people by not allowing those who rightfully belong and are caught up in the moratorium into the tribe.

Yes cousin it is defrauding true Pechanga people.

And in some cases blood relatives probably just voted to keep out their own blood who rightfully should now be in even though there is a moratorium on new adult members because their applications were in before the deadline but not processed by an enrollment committee who were either incompetant or at the very least dishonest.

Since I don't want to insult the enrollment committee by calling them idiots, what does that make them? OP: EXACTLY! Their primary job is to accurately enroll new members and they did not do their jobs. Instead, they concentrated on eliminating Native Americans from the tribe.

Frankly the moratorium should not have been allowed in the first place as the Band's constitution says open enrollment is every January. OP: Thereby making the moratorium UNconstitutional.

But let's assume for a moment that the moratorium is a legitimate law.

So doesn't that mean that it would keep out only those people who didn't get their applications in on time?

But again I would also like to ask, if disenrolling us (without basis of fact, though) was supposed to correct past errors made by the enrollment committee, then why can't they correct an obvious mistake of not enrolling people who beat the moratorium deadline?

But I guess the common factor is that the the tribe will side with keeping people out of the tribe.

Wrongfully kicking us out of the tribe but also wrongfully not letting in people who can prove they beat the moratorium deadline.

Another irony is that there are Hunter family members who joined during open enrollment between 1980and 1996 before the moratorium was in place who had official date stamped enrollment papers signed by some of the very same people who years later in 2006 voted to kick them out of the tribe or who submitted letters or statements opposing the Hunter family's tribal membership saying that the tribe had never recognized the Hunters as being Pechanga.

So if the tribe had never recognized the Hunters, then why did they sign their enrollment papers when they were enrolled?

So what changed bewteen 1980 and the 1995/96 time period?

Answer: the tribe got the casino. OP: And others couldn't stand their good fortune and had to have MORE. Thank you A'amokat for your contributions.

Pres. Obama Forces out 1st Native American U.S. Attorney Diane Humetewa

Arizona's U.S. Attorney, Diane Humetewa, the nation's first-ever Native American woman to become a U.S. Attorney in any state, will resign on August 2.

In continued acts of cronyism, the White House announced a few weeks ago, former Janet Napolitano chief of staff Dennis Burke has been nominated by President Obama to be the U.S. Attorney in Arizona.

Arizona officials praised Ms. Humetewa's tenure as U.S. Attorney, during which she led the office in a high profile public integrity prosecution, oversaw the expansion of the District office to address southwest border security challenges, provided victim advocacy services to crime victims, and advanced unprecedented collaboration with Arizona's tribal nations. She has served as a key advisor to the Justice Department leadership in both administrations on border crimes, federal victim rights and Indian Country issues.

Read more HERE

Pechanga Court Case: Liska case continued

The report is that the case against the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, who have a judgement against them in the Liska v. Barron case has been continued for two weeks, when the judge says he will have a decision.

Best of luck to Joe Liska in his battle for JUSTICE.

Pechanga's Latest Revision of HISTORY

Word from the Pechanga Reservation is that a faction of Pechanga people are pushing a resolution that the 1928 Census will be the defining document for tribal membership. Is that because many can't pass the 1979 census test and more families are NOT on the censuses of late 1800's?

Ask yourselves WHO will that benefit and WHY change the requirements? Is tribal history NO LONGER important? Lineal descent from barely blood people?

This is a travesty of history to our family, and the ORIGINAL PECHANGA people. BIA, it's time to get INVOLVED.

Is that because many people like Jennie Miranda and Butch Murphy are NOT on the 1979 Enrollment? Hunters have enrollment number under 100, which put to lie Chairman Macarro's intimation on KNBC's WITHOUT A TRIBE that we came after the casino opened.

Macarro is A LIAR on that issue. My own father helped build our family cabin in 1957.

Pechanga Tribal Member Bemoans the Fact That WE are FIGHTING BACK.

A recent post about the embarrassing way that employees were treated at a surplus sale at Pechanga Resort and Casino, sparked many comments. The Mark Macarro led council may have overlooked this. Apparently one tribal member is unhappy about the way that those of us who were unlawfully terminated from the tribe are fighting back.   Here's the money quote:

but of course, YOU don't believe anything I say, because we're all a bunch of "lying, greedy, fake Indians," right?? GOD, when will this end!!!

The poor Tribal Members, having to endure the scorn and tactics of families who were egregiously harmed by both the action and inaction of tribal members. And the fake Indians that he/she may be referring to is the family of Russell "Butch" Murphy, a council member who is NOT Pechanga blood.

The Pechanga Tribal Enrollment Committee acted WRONGLY in terminating the Paulina Hunter descendants. The Pechanga Tribal Council acted wrongly in not upholding the will of the people AND the Pechanga Constitution by not allowing the vote to end ALL disenrollments to stand. Remember, the council stated that the will of the people was proper to initiate the moratorium that kept families OUT of the tribe that rightfully belonged.

Readers, DISENROLLMENT is NOT like getting kicked out of the PTA! This is our family's HERITAGE that others, with less documentation, are ruling on. The inconsistencies are staggering.

Here is MY response to the member's question, "When will this all end?!!!"

It MAY end, Tribal Member, when the tribe does the right thing by bringing the people HOME. The disenrollment/termination/moratorium were WRONG and fighting back is what a person should do in this situation.

The bad publicity, comments, letters to politicians, letters to the editors, joining forces with other tribes, improved relations with the media, Facebook and My Space stories, PBS stories, documentaries will CONTINUE until the tribe does what is right. WHY should we give up, when our cause is just?

Many of YOU are hoping we will go away, but WE WON'T. WE will be here in various strengths until justice is done. You realize what this means don't you?

It means: Less traffic to casino, more scrutiny from news sources, judges who get sick of what the tribal governments are doing and erosion of sovereignty. It means that people will CHOOSE to not go to Pechanga or Chukchansi or Redding and go to another more tribal friendly casino.
It means: We will continue to publish your bad acts, members whose thuggish behavior leads to the shutdown of Pechanga businesses like the Eagle's Nest. We will continue to inform our legislature, the BIA, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs of the injustice that Pechanga has done on HUNDREDS of Pechanga people.

But MORE importantly and CRITICAL to tribes like Pechanga: The more you mistreat our people, the MORE LIKELY that statewide gaming will happen SOONER, rather than later. And THAT will be more expensive to you that bringing the people home.

Tribal Members, remember, Pechanga had to spend $50 MILLION MORE to defend their proposition for more slots than the other 3 tribes COMBINED. That means that the bad press/publicity WORKED against you. Richard Milanovich only had to spend $14 million for his Prop, because the tribe gets good publicity. What would having that $50 million have meant for the tribe.

The Pechanga Tribal Council can make ALL of this GO AWAY. They can revisit the incorrect ruling on the Hunter family disenrollment, they can bring the family of Pablo Apis and Manuela Miranda BACK to the tribe and the can TURN away the moratorium.
THINK about this tribal members! THINK of the excellent publicity this would generate. Newspaper articles about how the tribe has done the right thing and brought ALL it's people HOME. Do you think KNBC might do another 9 minute segment on how Pechanga has done right by it's people? I believe they would and take some credit for it too.
This is a very simple fix. Do you not think that those of us who are restored wouldn't tout that to our politicians, media? Or, you many continue to reap the negative press, the attention and the lack of consumers. And by acting like thugs, the employees will begin to let the stories fly.

STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, and good things will come to you. Continue this bad direction and we will continue to FIGHT AGAINST you. THAT is the INDIAN WAY!

Justice for the People: San Manuel Member Sent to PRISON

She got off EASY, with simple house probation for conspiracy to COMMIT MURDER, while other, non tribal members got prison. Now, Stacy will be where she belongs, IN PRISON for violations of probation 17 years.

San Manuel tribal member Stacy Barajas Nunez was sentenced to 17 years in state prison Friday after a Superior Court judge ruled that she had violated her probation in her attempted murder and drug case.

Prosecutors argued that Nunez had failed to follow directions from the Probation Department about her electronic monitoring, did not have her probation terms on her body when she was stopped by law enforcement, and had associated with a known felon.

A long line of defense witnesses, including Nunez's mother, brother and 16-year-old son testified during her day-long hearing in San Bernardino Superior Court. (what does mom say? "My Stacy is a good girl, she really didn't MEAN to hire those guys to kill another human being" A red-eyed Nunez even took the stand herself, following the sometimes emotional testimony from her son. (I'm sorry, your honor, I didn't think you REALLY MEANT I had to wear that electronic stuff ALL the time, it didn't match some of my outfits.)

None of it swayed Judge Michael Dest from sending the 26-year-old Nunez to state prison for violating the terms of probation he had meted out to her in November.

Another Killing on the Soboba Reservation. Is it no longer Safe?

Murder rate at Soboba is skyrocketing.

A 24-year-old man was shot dead while riding in a car with several others sometime around 3 a.m. Saturday (JULY 18) on the Soboba Indian Reservation.

When deputies arrived at the scene after receiving a 911 call at about 3:30 a.m., they found Raymond Lopez, of Hemet, dead, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.

Investigators interviewed several people who were with Lopez at the time of the shooting in the 43000 block of Castille Canyon Road.

This is the second killing in a week at Soboba:

A man was shot dead today (JULY 15) on the Soboba Indian Reservation, and a suspect who led deputies on a chase was arrested, a sheriff's sergeant said.

The shooting was reported at 4:39 a.m. at a home in the 24000 block of Poppet Flats Road, a winding track that climbs from the Hemet valley into the San Jacinto Mountains, according to sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.
Deputies found a dead man identified as 33-year-old Benjamin Dee Lindsey of San Jacinto, in the residence, which is on Soboba land, and were told the suspect, Larry Ayres, 24, of Soboba, fled in a pickup truck, according to Gutierrez.
The truck was spotted on Interstate 10 in Beaumont, and

Pechanga Resort & Casino Sale Offers Picked Over Junk to Employee/Team Members

All is not well at the Pechanga Resort and Casino. Morale is down and an offer of used furniture to employees turns out to be NOT as advertised. Apparently, $30,000 per month is not enough for tribal members to buy NEW furniture, leaving employees with nothing

From a commenter:


For a few weeks, the casino touted the following in the employee newsletter; first notice the title- then how silly it is after being negated by the first bullet

JUST FOR TEAM MEMBERS

Surplus Sale for Team Members on Friday, July 17th from 9 AM to 4 PM in the Ballroom

- Sale is exclusive to Tribal Members on Thursday, July 16th from 9 AM to 5 PM in the Ballroom
- Available items are subject to quantities on hand and may include:
- From Hotel - exercise bikes, treadmills, sofa beds, lamps, nightstands, armoires, etc.
- From F & B - dinnerware, pots, pans and other cooking utensils or equipment and more!
- Acceptable payments include cash, check, credit cards, and payroll deduction spread over 2 pay periods"

Notice how the "sale" is exclusive to Tribal members before team members can attend. The sale for the team members today ended up being a joke and a slap in the face- it was like a dirty garage sale that had already been picked through. There was nothing of the sort except for strange odds and ends, dirty comforters, and one damaged piece of furniture.

A tribal member DID STOP BY to pick up a piece of exercise equipment that was being held for him... nevermind that he already has an exclusive huge new gym that he can go to for free on the reservation.
The day before- tribal members purchased everything of value that most team members couldn't otherwise afford.

I wish the tribals had thought about the people that earn their pay for them-- employees can't afford nice patio tables or exercise equipment like they could have gotten from this sale anywhere else. I wonder if the tribals paid sales tax?
WHAT A SAD JOKE! This should never have been touted as an employee event-- they just got the crumbs from the table.

To any tribal members that read this- it's ok. We forgive you. We'll keep smiling as you roll by in your new cars that you treat like trash; we'll keep offering our talents for compensation; we'll keep looking the other way when you drink too much and cause a scene, or treat us like we're under you; and even when you send that felon to visit us when we try to serve other guests when Silk reopens (no one likes his flirtation). We'll even continue picking up the slack after those layoffs that spread us way too thin, just so that you can enjoy your monthly paycheck of $30,000 (what'd you have taken away, $1000? $1500 that you complained about even after the layoffs?)

Here is your notice that the feeling from within all of the departments is far worse than it has ever been before. We feel fortunate to have a place that will compensate us for the services that we offer, but YOU need to remember that your reservation and the laws that you live by are governed by the United States of America, and the State of California. If you don't treat your people right, the country that surrounds yours may take another look at your compact.

The whole team member sale issue may seem trivial, but it truly represents the larger issue of this attitude of tribal superiority before the team. Just because you are in the minority doesn't mean that you are immune from being racist, and from the standpoint of many... MANY... that is exactly what you are doing by word and deed. Ask your employees how many times a tribal member has been inside the casino, complained about something, and then is threatened by that member e.g. ,"What's your name? What's your badge number? I'm going to get you fired. I'm a TRIBAL MEMBER."

That $30,000 paycheck isn't going to look so hot if all of your employees walk out. Good luck running the show without us. If you think it can't happen, or won't happen, think again. We can all take a sick day over the course of 24 hours- and since that last "doctors note" fiasco, we can all produce a valid reason for calling off. Even if you fired us all for it, that wouldn't look so hot to your biggest supporters, now would it?

You need to stop taking away--- now!

Phil Ivey Makes World Series of Poker Final Table

Congratulations to poker fans everywhere and especially ESPN's NORMAN CHAD, who always picks Phil Ivey to make the final table and win it all. We'll know in four months. Some of the final nine players said the next four months will be an overabundance of attention and potential sponsorship opportunities. For others, the time off will translate into an opportunity to better their game. Some will watch the taped coverage of the main event on ESPN to see if they can pick up clues about their opponents. "Study them? I don't know," said Phil Ivey of Las Vegas, easily the most recognizable name of the nine players. "I think they all know what they're doing. Anyone is capable of winning it." Ivey, 33, has seven World Series of Poker individual event champion bracelets, 35 career cashes in the tournament and almost $3.5 million in career winnings. Two of his bracelets came this year. But Ivey had never made it to the final table in the main event. "I'm just in a zone, playing really well," Ivey said. He almost didn't survive Wednesday. Ivey entered play in fourth place. He quickly dropped to the bottom of the leader board, losing three successive pots worth some 10 million in tournament chips. "I lost every hand I played," he said. "I got knocked down pretty quickly and just grinded my way back. I was just hanging around waiting for something good to happen."

Stanhoff: Native Businesses SHOULD Support Native Businessess

Tracy Stanhoff, former tribal chairperson of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and current head of the Native American Chamber of Commerce of CA, and owner of AD PRO recently had an opinion piece published in Indian Country Today. Native nations should be looking to support American Indian businesses. And Native businesses need to step up their game so that they are hireable.

Here's an excerpt:

Our frustrating Indian politics are derailing one of the greatest economic opportunities in the history of Indian country, the ability to parlay our success in tribal government gaming into a sustainable, diverse, prosperous Indian business community.

I have been blessed, and with more than two decades of persistent, hard work my business has obtained work from the nation’s most progressive associations, tribes, tribal enterprises and other American Indian businesses.

I have been honored to lead my tribe, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, as tribal chairwoman in our quest for true tribal gaming economic self-sufficiency, by transitioning our casino from non-Native corporate management to our own tribal corporate management through the creation of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Entertainment Corporation.

As an aside, I have also been able to interact on another level with Corporate America, participating on many community boards where we are integrated with the presidents and CEOs of major multi-billion dollar corporations.

So I can say that I have sat on “both sides of the table” as a tribal leader contracting for products and services, and as a business owner seeking work. I have also witnessed how others keep themselves economically healthy by circulating their money back to their own communities.

The two largest and most esteemed national American Indian fraternal organizations, the National Congress of American Indians and the National Indian Gaming Association, get it. They incorporate American Indian business usage into their organization’s supplier base.

One can argue that NCAI and NIGA could do more, but I know that they believe in our people and rotate projects around to qualified American Indians.

Read the rest of the article HERE and if you have a Native American business, you should consider joining the chamber. Networking is essential to growing your businesses and YOU MUST get into the game.

Answering the Deluded Pechanga Members Statements

Our cousin Aamokat answers a Concerned Pechanga Person who claims the facts weren't on our side:


Even Chairman Mark Macarro said that he heard an estimation of 90 percent but he said that was inconclusive.

So he was in effect saying there was a 90 percent probability that we the Hunters are Pechanga Indians but that wasn't good enough?

It couldn't have been a 90 percent probability against our claim of being true Pechanga Indians because all sides acknowledge that our family were on the first census records of the reservation when it was created in the late 1800's and we can prove through probate records that Indians of the period verified our family lived with the people on the original reservation as well as before they moved to the reservation.

Our resident critic will try to say that these Indians where only saying our family were their neighbors and not that we were Pechanga.

However, it is very clear that Pechanga elder Dolores Tortuga included my ancestor Paulina Hunter in the inclusive "we Pechanga Indians" when she tesitfied in the 1915 probate hearings by saying in response to the examiner's question below:

"Were you acquainted with the deceased Pechanga Indian allottee Paulina Hunter?"

Tortuga responded by saying, "yes, I knew her as a neighbor when WE PECHANGA INDIANS lived on the Pauba Ranch near Temecula, California."

Tortuga's testimony was collaborated by Pechanga elder Jose David Rodriguez who added that he knew Paulina Hunter as a neighbor on the Pechanga reservation.

Also, all sides agree that our family has a land patent as Temecula Indians from the U.S. government.

So we own trust land on the Pechanga reservation and many of our family members still live there.

The following excerpt is taken from the official Pechanga Web site concering vaunted (much praised) Pechanga elder Antonio Ashman's recounting of the Temecula Indian eviction of 1875.

The late Antonio Ashman, a vaunted Pechanga Tribal member born three years after the eviction recounted how the eviction-trek ended: "They just dumped them here"— pointing to a low hill near the golf-course. "Just dumped them!"

So why is this significant in showing that we are Pechanga people?

Because prior to the first written enrollment of 1978 our family got none other than Antonio Ashman to vouch for our family as Pechanga people.

And he said in a written notarized statement when he was asked, "did you know Paulina Hunter as a member of the Band."

His response was, "yes, I knew her as such."

Mr. Ashman went on to say he remembered her being called aunt by tribal member Martin Berdugo and that she used to stay in the home of tribal members Salvador and Micheala Quilig and that he heard they were related.

In the first enrollment application of 1978 there was a supplement sheet that listed ways people could prove they were Pechanga.

One of those acceptable ways was to be vouched for by a recognized tribal member and what better person to stand up for our family than to have Antonio Ashman stand up for us!

In addition, seven current tribal elders gave notarized written statements that we are Pechanga people.

Five are listed as being reviewed by the enrollment committee in our Record of Decision and two were turned in during our appeal to the tribal council.

But the committee ignored the testimony in our support in favor of letters and statements from members of the CPP faction of the tribe who said we are not Pechanga people.

Folks those letters and statements from the CPP faction and the fact that are some missing historical documents from the mid 1800s that Dr. John Johnson, Pechanga's own hired expert on the linage of the Hunter family said that no family could find, was the only so called evidence that was submitted against my family in our disenrollment proceedings.

By the way, Dr. Johnson came to the conclusion that my family are Pechanga Indians.

So there is more than enough evidence that should have satisfied any reasonable person's questions regarding my family's heritage.

Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro said at a 2005 general membership meeting that we should listen to what elders like Antonio Ashman said.

So Macarro and the the tribal officials believe what Mr. Ashman had to say about the eviction from the old Temecula Indian village but they don't believe what Mr. Ashman said when he verified that my ancestor was a Pechanga Indian?

Remember, Mr. Ashman is still called a vaunted tribal elder on Pechanga's own official Web site.

So gentle readers, as our resident critic likes to call visitors to this site, do you believe our critic or Antonio Ashman?

Remember, Mr. Ashman passed away before any of us ever got a penny of per capita money and our critic got a raise when we were kicked out of the tribe.

Here is WHO PECHANGA BELIEVED

Will The NEW Obama Care be as Good as Indian Health Services?

The AP has the story:

On some reservations, the oft-quoted refrain is “don’t get sick after June,” when the federal dollars run out. It’s a sick joke, and a sad one, because it’s sometimes true, especially on the poorest reservations where residents cannot afford health insurance. Officials say they have about half of what they need to operate, and patients know they must be dying or about to lose a limb to get serious care.

Wealthier tribes can supplement the federal health service budget with their own money. OP: Unfortunately, MANY wealthy gaming tribes in California are cutting people out of their rightful healthcare via tribal termination of membership status. They are forcing MANY onto the inhumane government health care.


But poorer tribes, often those on the most remote reservations, far away from city hospitals, are stuck with grossly substandard care. The agency itself describes a “rationed health care system.”

The sad fact is an old fact, too.

The U.S. has an obligation, based on a 1787 agreement between tribes and the government, to provide American Indians with free health care on reservations. But that promise has not been kept. About one-third more is spent per capita on health care for felons in federal prison, according to 2005 data from the health service.

HOTAIR has more.

Agua Caliente to HOST American Indian Chamber of Commerce EXPO

Agua Caliente, home of the fabulous Steakhouse restaurant, will host this weeks Native American Chamber of Commerce Expo:


EXPO'09 is known as "Indian Country's Best Value & Return For Your Time In A Business Conference." This event provides American Indian business attendees with presentations and ONE on ONE access to California's top Tribal Leaders, Corporations and Government/Municipal Agencies.

Our tribal enterprise, corporate and agency partners know that this event is where to find top-knotch, verified American Indian businesses who can do any job right the first time in a cost effective manner.

The Chamber's Mission:

The primary goal of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of California is to provide opportunities for networking and support of American Indian business people in California. This includes providing:

• a mentor environment for those individuals beginning
new endeavors

• a vehicle for education

• an opportunity for networking

• a conduit for growth opportunities among
American Indian business

DO YOU HAVE A NATIVE AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESS? Consider joining the Chamber.

July 25th, Cherokee Freedmen Meeting

The Freedmen Band of Cherokee nation of Oklahoma will meet Saturday July 25, 2009 at the West Side Community Center, 501 S Bucy, Bartlesville Oklahoma at 12 noon. The meeting is free and open to the general public. We ask that meeting attendants bring a covered dish to share with other meeting attendants.

Why is this important to black Cherokee freedmen people?

Come hear about how join the fight to protect your legal treaty rights from being demolished by Cherokee freedmen leaders. Learn the latest about ongoing actions in Congress to protect the freedmen peoples rights, the Vann and Nash lawsuits, tribal services, tribal voting, etc.

Who should come?

Any registered Cherokee freedmen, unregistered Cherokee freedmen, or any member of the general public who is interested in hearing more about the racial discrimination suffered by the black Cherokee freedmen people cased by actions of the Cherokee nation leadership. The meeting is open to people of any race, creed,

Protect YOUR treaty rights to tribal membership, as well as associated services and economic rights. Join the Fight against Racism. Dont let your history be rewritten.
For more information contact:

Marilyn Vann 405-818-5360 or 405-227-9810 email: mkvann@yahoo.com
Vicki Baker 918-798-0771
Ruth Nash 918- 333-9683

Cracking the Tribal Sovereignty Dam

Did you know that if you are injured on Tribal land that you can only sue if the tribe gives you that right? Here, it looks like the state courts are expanding jurisdiction in Oklahoma, giving citizens who are harmed the right to sue.


In a ruling that a Choctaw Nation attorney called a blow to tribal sovereignty, a split Oklahoma Supreme Court has held in two cases that lawsuits against Choctaw casinos can be brought in state courts as well as tribal courts.

“I’ve been representing Indian tribes for 40 years, and this is probably the single most difficult blow for tribal sovereignty that I have ever seen in my career,” said Choctaw counsel Bob Rabon. “These tribes have never been subject to state court jurisdiction.”

The court’s decisions came in two lawsuit filed by individuals claiming they were injured at the Choctaw Casino at Pocola. The rulings track with justices’ recent opinion in the Cossey case, which involved a lawsuit against Cherokee Nation Enterprises.

Rabon represented the Choctaw Nation in the case involving Danny and Pat Dye of Lavaca, Ark. Danny Dye alleged that he was injured in December 2005 when he was hit by a casino shuttle cart.

“This gaming is conducted on Indian country, the tribes’ Indian country,” Rabon said.

Previously, he said, no court has attempted to exercise jurisdiction over a tribe’s activities on its own land.

Read the rest of the story HERE

Letter to our U.S.Attorney General Eric Holder on Indian Civil Rights

The Honorable Eric Holder
United States Attorney General
Department of Justice Building
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20530


Dear Attorney General Holder:


I respectfully submit this letter urging the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division to commence a full-scale investigation into the gross civil and human rights violations which have infected California Indian Country


Throughout California Indian Country, tribal officials have taken actions which have denied and/or stripped thousands of California Indians of their membership status and denied them access to federal benefits and programs in the areas of housing, education, health, voting and public works assistance. In some instances, the illegal actions occurred decades ago, however, there has been a marked increase since Indian Gaming was approved and later expanded in California.


Tribal leaders justify their right to systematically deny civil rights and expel their citizens under the guise of tribal sovereignty. Tribal leaders have routinely committed acts to deny Indian individuals due process; equal protection of tribal, state, and federal laws; property interest rights; and voting rights. Theses actions have been carried out in gross violation of laws enacted to guarantee and protect the rights of the individual Indian.


We can no longer allow those who oppose upholding the civil and voting rights of thousands of California Indians to claim that this is a sovereignty issue that rests solely within the domain of tribal courts and tribal law. Few California Tribes actually have tribal courts. Therefore, in most cases, the tribal government officials responsible for the violations of law are the very same people who pass judgment as to whether or not laws have been violated - they are the judge and jury all rolled into one.


The United States has a trust responsibility to the thousands of California Indians whose civil and voting rights have been infringed upon. And, in recognition of the special status of California Indians, Congress passed California Enrollment Act of 1928 in which certain rights were guaranteed to California Indians and their lineal descendents. 25 U.S.C. § 651.


Unfortunately, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has failed to exercise this responsibility and has allowed tribal leaders to continue to commit violations unabated. Therefore, I believe that the DOJ has the legal and moral responsibility to investigate and prosecute such violations of basic rights.


I therefore urge you to direct the DOJ Civil Rights Division to initiate an investigation into the gross rights violations described above. In addition, I trust that any investigation would not be short-circuited by those who would claim tribal sovereignty as a justification for inaction.


Respectfully submitted,

With Revenue Slowing, Pechanga to Re-Open SILK Nightclub That Closed Due to Alcohol Related "Incidents"

As the economy continues to hurt business, and of course the continued lack of patrons due to Pechanga's treatment of their tribal members and families, they look to re-open the Silk Nightclub.

We discussed the issue back in March 2008 HERE. There were fights, thuggish behavior by young tribal members.

We already know that security guards beat up senior customers but now, they will attract that thug element again and make the venue even more unsafe for seniors. Then again, with falling revenue, who cares?

When in doubt about how Pechanga treats its customers, like Richard Swan, or it's members, like the Manuela Miranda family, the Hunters and the many, many caught up in it's illegal moratorium, it's better to AVOID Pechanga.

Let them know that you are NOT patronizing them because of their policies. IF they will cheat their own people, they will cheat YOU.