Backlash from Indian Tribe

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is funding the Republicans in the November election. The group has donated more than $450,000 to the local Republican Party, and is spending hundreds of thousands more on political ads attacking the Democratic candidate. 

Many thought that when the governor decided to start signing slot machine compacts with many of the Indian tribes in the state that it might be to keep their money out of the Democrats pockets. If that is the case, it seems to have worked out well for them. Bonnie Garcia, the Assemblywoman running, was one of the supporters of the slot machine expansion for the tribe. A spokesperson for the tribe said that the Agua Caliente is “not partisan” but that the “compact not pass[ing]” will be a factor for the Indians. She said it “would have brought economic increases to the valley and these local elected officials who understand that were representing their constituents and not the tribes.” 

A complaint has been filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission, as “it appear[s] that campaign laws were violated and illegal contributions were made.” 

The tribe’s donation was the largest so far received by the Riverside GOP for the last filing period. The next largest was for $6,000. The tribe’s Chairman Richard Milanovich indicated that they weren’t done yet. They would be judging how to get involved in each of the campaigns of those that opposed their slot machine increase compact. He said, “The tribes have lists of who was there (for them) and who wasn't.''

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