DNC May Return Tribes’ Donations
The Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday that it is offering to return $107,000 in contributions to impoverished Oklahoma Indian tribes that made the donations in hopes of getting the federal government to return native lands.
DNC Chairmen Roy Romer and Steve Grossman said in a written statement that Cheyenne-Arapaho tribal Chairman Charles Surveyor will discuss the issue with the tribal council, and if the tribes do not officially ask for a return of their contributions, the party will earmark the funds for Native American voter outreach.
White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry said Tuesday that the president was “troubled” by the solicitation of the 11,000-member Cheyenne-Arapaho tribes, which face unemployment rates of about 80%.
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), a native American, said that at his request the Senate committee investigating campaign-financing abuses will look into the pressure on the tribes to contribute to the party and to hire well-connected consultants to plead their case with the Clinton administration.
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
