First, Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro was the spokesperson for for Prop. 5 and Prop. 1a, where he promised that gaming would stay on current tribal lands. Now, we have tribes reservations shopping.
Then, the Macarro led Pechanga tribe tried to keep Californians from voting on Propositions 94-97, suing to invalidate signature gathering. Pechanga had to spend over $40 million more than the other tribes to overcome some bad publicity.
There were carjackings in front of the casino, their security guards beat Richard Swan, who over a year later still suffers from medical issues.
NOW, Mark Macarro, who led the council to act outside the tribes constitution and bylaws, wants to keep Californians from being able to have online poker.
Macarro testified before a California Senate hearing yesterday:
Macarro invoked the raw history of the state and federal governments breaking treaties with tribes.
"When times are good, the state has agreement with tribes. When times are bad, they break agreements with tribes. That's a dangerous road to go down," Macarro said.
This is the same Mark Macarro that had his tribe's casino put in extra Class II gaming machines, that looked like a slot machine, acted like a slot machine, but wasn't really a slot machine to try to get around the "state's agreement with tribes". A clear violation of the compacts, that almost led to a shutdown of the casino.
Macarro Threatens to withhold Money:
Arguing that the games violate the tribes' gambling agreements with California, he said his tribe may withhold more than $42.5 million in annual casino revenue-sharing payments to the state if California approves online poker.
So, we have the leader of a tribe, who tried to keep us from our rights to vote as citizens of California, which eliminated 25% of the tribe to fatten their per capita checks to $360,000 each, ripped healthcare from over 300 people, forcing the state to pick up that responsibility, NOW trying to keep the state from generating more income from POKER, which is already legal in California.
SHAME ON YOU, Mr. Mark Macarro
So Macarro is threatning the State Of California now?...couldnt California shut down some of the roads going into the Casino and hold up services provided to the tribe?...what do you bet some politicians are going to get some thick envelopes from the tribe to stop the online gambling??...
ReplyDeleteMacarro is earning $360K from per capita and at least another $100K as Chairman.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't want anyone else making money from gaming, including other tribes, and other Indians.
Pechangas Mark Macarro is an arrogant Ass who is now telling US CALIFORNIANS that we can not have legal internet gaming.
ReplyDeleteYou wanna bet that a lot of money will be changing hands at our State Capitol to make this go away
and will never be heard from again.
Macarro threatens to withhold funds from Californians? Jerk.
ReplyDeleteTribes shouldn't get online gaming to the detriment of the people of California.
ReplyDeleteWe need that volume. San Bernardino native Mark Macarro should know that, as should adopted white man Butch Murphy
What is it about those in power, who want to keep others from either sharing the wealth, in this case, the people of California?
ReplyDeleteWhy Mr. Macarro do you hate us so?