Indian Gaming > California tribal compacts an election issue

November 06, 2006

California tribal compacts an election issue

Six California tribes have made gaming compacts an issue in the election, spending millions on casino-friendly candidates.

The six tribes donated $9.26 million to Team 2006, their new political action committee. The committee has spent almost three million to support several state lawmakers, mostly Republicans, and the Republican candidate for state controller.

Of the six tribes, four of them -- the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation -- signed compacts with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R). The deals would have allowed them to break the 2,000-slot machine limit in exchange for sharing revenues with the state.

The compacts, however, were killed due to opposition from Democratic lawmakers and labor unions. That led the tribes to form Team 2006 and back candidates whom they believe will support the agreements.

Get the Story:
Fight over gambling compacts spills into controller's race (AP 11/6)
Indian tribes put big funds into election (Copley News Service 11/4)
Tribal coalition spends another $42,636 to help Garcia (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 11/3)