"To any outsider looking in on California Indian politics, the apparent surge in tribal membership disputes over the last few years seems ugly in the extreme.

Tribes with multimillion- dollar casinos are ejecting members by the score, questioning ties of heritage and blood that hadn't been challenged in three or four generations. Throw in accusations of doctored or nonexistent evidence, hints of bribery and embezzlement and the alleged manipulation of votes, and Indian community affairs start to look like what goes on in the U.S. Congress.

Except that it's almost impossible to persuade an outside mediator, such as a federal or state judge, to review a tribal dispute."

Get the Story:
Fairness Is the Loser in Tribal Identity Crisis (The Los Angeles Times 4/5)
pwlat

Related Stories:
Opinion: Calif. tribes disenrolling more people (4/1)
Pechanga tribal committee disenrolls 130 people (03/22)
Calif. judge waits on Pechanga enrollment dispute (02/18)
Calif. judge delays Pechanga Tribe's disenrollment (02/05)
Judge won't protect 130 from disenrollment (2/3)
Case tests Pechanga Tribe's right to disenroll 130 (02/02)
Adopted man protests exclusion Pechanga Tribe (01/15)
Pechanga tribe threatens to cut off newspaper (03/14)
Pechanga disenrollment campaign to continue (02/25)
Pechanga chairman surprised by his 'racist' statement (2/24)