Tribes gain traction in the political process

EUREKA -- For the first time in their recent history, two local tribes are exercising considerable political influence in Humboldt County by wielding their suddenly flush checkbooks.

The Blue Lake Rancheria and the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria were among the biggest money players in the 2006 Humboldt County election.

In the race for 4th District supervisor, the Blue Lake Rancheria donated $10,000 to the campaign of Bonnie Neely.

In the race for Humboldt County district attorney, the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria donated $10,000 to District Attorney Paul Gallegos.

To be fair, this money pales in comparison to the gobs of cash spent in the recall campaign against Gallegos, for instance, which totaled more than $700,000, but it is a significant uptick from the tribes' past giving -- that is, zilch.

Supporting these candidates was a decision made by the respective tribal councils, and it parallels a national trend where tribal political giving has gone through the roof in recent years.

According to the website www.politicalmoneyline.com, tribes nationwide have given $25 million over the past five years alone.

Nationally, pundits claim that the giving stems from Indian gaming and the economic development that has spurred.

In Humboldt County, that is true for the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria.

”This is the first time we've been able to give -- the casino has helped us out in that particular area, to have the money to give,” said Chairman Leonard Bowman.

But for the Blue Lake Rancheria, a tribe that is a little further along in its casino enterprise, political spending actually comes from other business ventures that were started independently of the tribe's casino earnings. The gaming money goes exclusively to service debt and into community investments, said Chairwoman Arla Ramsey.

”The funds that we put out do not come from the casino,” said Ramsey. “The only money that we spend from the casino goes into tribal government programs and paying off our debt.”

The tribe has several other businesses, including a personnel company, that were started without casino earnings. Several of those businesses have taken off, and that money is what's directed to politics and candidates. Now that they've stepped into the arena, there's no going back.

”This will be something that we'll continue to do in the future,” she said.

The two candidates who were supported by the tribes, Gallegos and 4th District Supervisor Bonnie Neely, said the donations represent a positive step for American Indians, one that will almost certainly lead to brighter days for a group of people that has borne a series of historic hardships, often at the hands of the nation's political leadership.

”The history of our interaction with the Native American people has gone from abuse to neglect,” said Gallegos. “Soon, neglect will not be an option. We need to understand how fortunate we are to have such a rich source of Native American people and cultures here in Humboldt County.”

Neely said she approached the Blue Lake Rancheria for an endorsement and ultimately received that and more.

Their giving, Neely said, is another part of the tribe's stepping up in the community -- they've become one of the biggest employers in the area, she said, and this is another facet of that.

”They are emerging as an economic force in our community now, so it is not surprising that they are also becoming players in the political arena,” she said.

Nationally, the American Indian political donations phenomenon has led to some controversy, when some high-profile lobbyists -- like the notorious Jack Abramoff -- have thrown their money around. Whether these products of Washington really have American Indian interests in mind is debatable.

Even North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, had a run-in with money that came through a tribe represented by Abramoff -- the Agua Caliente Band of the Cuahilla Indians.

Thompson received the $1,500 from the tribe in 2000 and 2002, and at that time had not heard of Abramoff, who recently pleaded guilty to offering money and other treats for political favors. He later donated that money because he didn't want to have any association with anything to with Abramoff.

Thompson said that while the amount of American Indian political donations has increased, it has not necessarily raised the amount of attention the tribes receive in Washington, D.C.

”I don't think that the tribes get an appropriate level of discussion even after all this giving,” he said.

Bowman said that he hopes the giving raises the profile and influence of local and non-local tribes, but added that with influence comes responsibility.

”I would hope Native Americans would always watch what they're doing with their power,” he said. “I think they would because they've seen how power was used against us.”