In The Hoop: Pombopalooza at the Republican National Convention

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URL: http://www.indianz.com//InTheHoop/archive/004044.asp

September 01, 2004

Pombopalooza at the Republican National Convention

Forget the Republican National Convention and their 17 percent minorities yet no idea of how many Native Americans are there. The real news is taking place at parties throughout the Big Apple.

Like the one held last night for Rep. Richard Pombo (R-California), chairman of the House Resources Committee. In the second Indian Country Today article actually worth reading, we learned these important tidbits:

Ernie Stevens and John Harte of the National Indian Gaming Association and Marc Macarro of the Pechanga Band were forced to wait in line before being "whisked" into Crobar. Wow, it's Studio 54 all over again! We just hope nobody got disenrolled, beat up or threatened.
Ernie Stevens hearts .38 Special. "It’s one of my favorite bands," he said. We also like groups whose membership resembles nothing like the original lineup. But that's an internal decision that should be left to the band themselves without NIGC err ... fans ... intruding.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation gives out floor passes to its annual Schemitzun pow-wow. That reminds us of the first time we went to Schemitzun! We tried to get into the tent [this is when it was held next to the casino in what is now a parking garage] but the ushers refused us entry. "This is like an opera! If you aren't seated when it starts, you have to wait!" Needless to say we got our money back. Luckily, the moved the pow-wow to the corn fields the next year.
Ernie Stevens doesn't care much for the Charlie Daniels Band. Neither do we.
Wilson Pipestem, the lobbyist/lawyer who has most benefited from the Jack Abramoff scandal, "sampled the spicy and delicious sun-dried tomatoes" at the affair. What appetizer won't he turn down?
Committee staff "perhaps inappropriately wore fashions inspired by the HBO drama "Deadwood", celebrating the frontier sociopaths, thieves and murders who expropriated the Black Hills from the Lakota." You think?