Pala Leadership: Taking Advantage of Drug Addiction

The Britten Family continues to fight back against their unjust disenrollment, with an explanation on how some votes get...skewed.    We've heard similar from Chukchansi, whose leaders have had to PAY members just to show up and vote the way they want.

I have declarations that attest the the following

ONE MORE ELEMENT TO THE BRITTEN DISENROLLMENTS

There is one more critical element to the Britten disenrollments. It doesn’t have a name but it is known by everyone. It doesn’t have a face but is recognized by everyone. It gives corrupt Tribal Councils unwritten control over many tribal members. It is called drug addiction.

There isn’t anything a drug addict won't do. They will steal from family. They will sell anything including their bodies. They are the most creative liars you will ever meet. Worst of all they will sell their vote.

For Robert Smith it is simply called get out the vote. So many people are coerced into voting and voting how Robert Smith wants them to vote in exchange for drugs. It is how he controls events at Pala. It is how he has been able to hold office for 25 years. The drug addicted tribal members are at his beck and call to do whatever and whenever he wants. This includes all forms of harassment.

It is truly sad because there is so much talk about per capita and how it benefits tribal members. The true benefactors of per capita on many reservations are the drug dealers. So who controls the flow of drugs on Pala? If you have to guess then you are really living in the dark. Distribution occurs at the casino at the moment per capita is disbursed. They don’t even try to hide it.



It is even most sad because the drug addicts are acting in total disregard for the sufferings of our ancestors. Do you really think our elders and ancestors fought for the day when their heirs could surrender everything for a “high”! I don’t think so. If you think so then you surrendered your Indian to drugs a long time ago.

It is a tragedy beyond description. It is a tragedy that has allowed Robert Smith to bring his necessary elements together to gain total political power over Pala. Did I hear “The Honorable Robert Smith”? How naïve the politicians and BIA officials are. If only they knew the truth.

The drug addict’s rights are protected due to the sanctity of per capita. There is no effort to curb drug abuse on many of the Reservations. Per capita distribution requires that each and every individual receive equal and equitable sharing in the casino revenues of the tribe. If you bar an individual from receiving their per capita it is no longer per capita.

I do believe that it would be possible to amend Tribal Revenue Allocation Plans to include drug testing. If a tribal member tests positive for illegal drugs then their per capita should go into a special management account to make sure that their needs and/or the needs of their respective families are met. The residual moneys would then be transferred to a special account to pay the expense of drug rehabilitation. After a drug addict test negative for six consecutive months then they would be eligible to receive their per capita directly again.

The sad thing is that so many of the drug addicts are already suffering ill effects to their brains and could be considered or declared incompetent. The Tribal Revenue Allocation Plan should include a plan for immediate family members to seek special relief for the benefit of a drug addict. This could include a determination by a Court that the individual is no longer competent and unable to manage their affairs.

These people who have chosen to degrade their bodies and their minds will truly be a future problem for many tribes. The medical expenses will weigh heavy on the Tribe’s Health Insurance programs. There will be a greater burden placed on Indian Health Service. It is no longer just a concern about diabetes but diabetics may have to take a back seat to the drug addicts because the drug addicts will be using up all of the health benefits. Drug addicts can suffer long term consequences from heart disease, stroke, mental illness and other conditions.

The unfortunate side is that the drug addicts vote has been cast and the power of the tribe has been transferred and consolidated in one person. That one person acts upon his hatred for individuals and families. That person, Robert Smith, is the illegitimate chair of Pala. There has not been an honest election since Robert Smith has taken the helm at Pala, yet he is still sanctioned by the BIA.

One person reported that he voted for Robert in exchange for drugs. After the election was over that same person went to Robert’s house seeking more drugs. When Robert answered the door he laughed and said, “I don’t need you anymore,” and slammed the door in the person’s face. Other addicts who threaten to expose Robert Smith often meet a tragic end through drug overdose.

It won’t be long before Robert Smith won’t even need a tribe. He is preparing to slam the door in the face of the tribe. He has been laughing in the tribe’s face for a long time now. He will truly be the first tribal chairman without a tribe and sanctioned by the BIA.

Members of the Britten family have to suffer some of the guilt here as well. As with all families, there are drug addicts within our midst. It is almost unavoidable but truly the problems are magnified due to illegal drugs. Control of the tribe has always been by slim margins but those margins evaporated in exchange for drugs. Even members of the Britten family were voting against their best interests in exchange for drugs. Their votes have to be counted in the votes surrendering control of the Reservation to Robert Smith. It is by their vote that Robert Smith acquired the (illegal) power to disenroll.

I have known families that have tried in desperation to force a family member into drug rehab. One family experiencing success finally had to yield to the power of Robert Smith. Smith would just send his cronies over to the home of the rehabilitated drug addict with free drugs. The complete work and tremendous effort of a loving and caring family becomes for naught in a few snorts.

There is nothing, and I mean nothing honorable about Robert Smith. If people think he is honorable because he donates money to certain causes those people need to wake up and realize that it is our money and not Robert Smith’s money. We, the tribe, are the honorable ones, not Robert Smith. If the politicians think Robert Smith is honorable then they too need to open their eyes and do some real vetting. It is our money. It is the tribe’s money. It is our honor.

Robert Smith is not done yet. He is not satisfied. He has not stolen enough money from the tribe. He does not own enough vehicles. He does not have enough houses. He does not have enough power. He does not have enough control over the tribe. He does not have enough jets. He does not have enough toys.

Disenrolling the Brittens has accelerated Robert Smith’s ascent to complete and total power. What he failed to recognize is that we will not sit quiet and we will not go quietly into the night. If the nation needs to learn the truth about Robert Smith, then so be it. The truth it will be.