Opinion

Tim Steller: Money motivates Tohono O'odham Nation casino spat

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Tohono O'odham Nation leaders opened the doors to the new Desert Diamond Casino - West Valley in Glendale, Arizona, on December 20, 2015. Photo from Facebook

Why does Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) continue to fight the Tohono O'odham Nation and its new casino? Columnist Tim Steller believes campaign contributions from two rival tribes -- the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community -- are motivating state politicians:

The Gila River Indian Community and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community operate the other Phoenix-area casinos and are fighting the Tohono O’odham Nation with everything they’ve got. And what they’ve got is millions upon millions of dollars from their existing casinos.
The Gila River community spent $3.65 million on lobbying Congress in 2014 and $2.91 million in 2015, the Center for Responsive Politics reports. This year, the Gila River community is on pace to spend $2.76 million. In 2014 and 2015, the Tohono O’odham Nation spent $1.6 million and $2.6 million on lobbying.
What the Gila River lobbying money has bought is a bill to prohibit the Tohono O’odham Nation from conducting gaming at the site until 2027. What the Tohono O’odham have garnered is just enough opposition for the bill to fail to reach the 2/3 of votes needed for passage in the House in November.
Behind that spending is a partisan split: The Gila River has largely spent on Republican candidates like Gov. Doug Ducey, whose administration is bringing the current suit against the nation. The Gila River community and Salt River Pima-Maricopa community each gave $2,000 to Ducey’s 2014 campaign.
The Tohono O’odham Nation, on the other hand, has mostly supported Democrats and put $4,000 toward the campaign of Ducey’s opponent, Democrat Fred Duval, in 2014.
Now is it starting to make sense? The state administration elected with the help of Phoenix-area tribes is defending its interests against a Tucson-area tribe that opposed this administration’s election.

Get the Story:
Tim Steller: Against odds, state of Arizona keeps fighting O'odham casino (The Arizona Daily Star 6/8)