Tribes’ Political, Charitable Causes Get Casino Funds

Leaders of California Indian tribes that run lucrative gambling operations are spreading some of that wealth on and off the reservation to an ever-widening cast of recipients.

Charities, cultural endeavors in need of a cash fix, rural hamlets near the reservations all have benefited from a helping hand financed by Indian casino profits.

The Barona band of Mission Indians, a gaming tribe near San Diego, in fact, donated $200,000 last year to underwrite the summer pops series of San Diego’s symphony orchestra.

Like many a savvy institution seeking to make its presence felt, the California tribes almost overnight became big spenders in the political arena, at first with contributions made only to Democrats but recently branching out to Republicans as well.

Both in civic affairs and politics, “the tribes want to work within the system, the same as everyone else does,” said Daniel Tucker, a leader of the Sycuan Indians in San Diego County and head of an association representing California’s 22 gaming tribes. “We want to play by the rules.”

In moving to support both Democratic and Republican candidates, he said, “we realize now there are two sides” to work with. “We have come to a new sophistication in the political arena.”

Tribes now understand, he said, that not all Republicans should be seen as opponents even though Republican Gov. Pete Wilson and GOP Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren oppose slot machine gambling, believed to be the tribal casinos’ biggest money maker.

Tribal contributions, made solely to Democrats, went from a mere $33,000 in 1992-93 to more than $2.4 million in 1994-95, according to state reports.

The tribes contributed $741,000 in 1994 to one single campaign--former Assemblyman Tom Umberg’s unsuccessful bid to oust Lungren, who has called on the federal government to shut down slot machine gaming on tribal lands.

But as of last year and continuing into this year, Indians have begun courting others in the GOP.

In legislative races, the tribes went from contributing virtually nothing in 1994 to modest donations to two Republican Assembly incumbents in 1995--almost $9,000 to Jim Battin of Palm Desert and $2,000 to Jan Goldsmith of Poway. Both represent districts containing Indian casinos.

So far this year--although Democrats were still receiving by far the most tribal contributions--Indian gaming interests gave amounts ranging from $4,000 to $1,000 to six Republican candidates in the March 26 primary.

Battin stands out as the foremost example of a new Republican friend among the gambling tribes.

He is the author of a bill that, despite Wilson’s opposition, would declare “electronic gaming devices”--Battin’s term for certain slot machines--to be legal on reservations, pending settlement of a tribal compact with the governor.

With that bill, and a companion measure introduced in the state Senate by Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), Battin “really stepped up to the plate” for Indian gaming, said Tucker.

Battin said he spent much of 1995 explaining to tribal leaders that Republicans, more than Democrats, were their natural allies.

“They discovered we have some common beliefs,” Battin said. Both Republicans and Indian casino operators want “government off our backs, freed of unnecessary and burdensome regulations.” The tribes, like Republicans, hold property rights sacred, seek self-reliance and want people to get off welfare, he said.

“I would imagine most Indians are Republicans whether they know it or not,” Battin said.

Not all gambling tribes are thriving, Indian leaders have said. But among those that are doing well, “sharing” has been generous.

Besides the Baronas’ gift to the San Diego symphony, the Rumsey band of Wintun Indians two months ago gave $100,000 to the cash-poor Sacramento Symphony.

The Viejas tribe near San Diego recently came to the rescue of a small group of regional banks in need of new capital, taking a controlling interest with a major investment.

The Sycuans, who operate one of oldest and largest Indian casinos in the state, have established a health clinic, child-care center, library and fire station on their reservation east of San Diego. In addition, said Waltona Manion, a public relations consultant for the tribes, the Sycuans provide fire, paramedic and ambulance services for the surrounding rural area and last year responded to 700 to 800 emergency calls off the reservation.

In the desert of northern Riverside County, the last of the some 1,000 members of the Morongo band of Mission Indians left the welfare roles a year ago, the tribe announced. Its casino provides hundreds of jobs to non-Indian residents of nearby Banning, leading the city’s Chamber of Commerce executive director, Bill Landon, to conclude: “We view Indian gaming as a viable economic tool.”

Overall, tribal leaders estimate, Indian gaming pours $450 million into the California economy every year.

But the fact remains, says Atty. Gen. Lungren, that Indian casinos offering slot machine action are operating outside the law and the illegal devices should be removed. The federal government has the authority, but lacks the will to do so, he says.

A pending case before the California Supreme Court could finally force the federal government to remove the machines, according to Lungren’s office.

Lungren has called Battin’s bill “ill-advised” in proposing to grant legal standing for the tribes’ slot machines, worked out in cooperation with the governor. The measure also would make clear that the Legislature acknowledges the governor’s authority to negotiate gambling compacts with the tribes.

But Wilson’s office has shown the same coolness as Lungren to the Battin proposal. Sean Walsh, Wilson’s press secretary, said the governor “has not reviewed this individual bill, but from an initial glance, it appears similar to other proposals the governor has rejected in the past.”

Wilson has said he will not negotiate with the tribes as long as they operate the slots in reservation casinos.

Mike Gotch, a former Democratic Assemblyman from San Diego and head of the pro-gaming Tribal Alliance of Northern California, said that because of their economic success, the tribes are gaining “more friends and more recognition than ever,” and it will be politically costly for Wilson, and the federal government, if agents swoop in to take out reservation slot machines.

A Lungren spokesman, however, said the attorney general is confident the job can be done without confrontation.