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JULY 20, 2000

In response to criticism and press over a resolution passed by the Washington State Republican Party, its chairman Don Benton and Executive Board issued a second resolution seeking to clarify their position on tribal sovereignty.

Incidentally, the second resolution came on July 17, one month after the first was passed.

WHEREAS, the so-called "Indian Resolution" passed by the delegates at the 2000 WSRP Convention in Spokane did not call for an end to Native American sovereignty;

WHEREAS, the resolution did not call for the termination of any treaty signed by the U.S. Government with any recognized Indian Tribe;

WHEREAS, the resolution did not, in any way, denigrate any Native American or Indian Tribe;

WHEREAS, the Republican Party and elected Republican officials in Washington State hav entered a positive relationship with and continue to work with Native Americans [sic] tribes to improve and continue to work together to achieve positive outcomes on issues of mutual concern.

WHEREAS, the media has misquoted and misrepresented the content of the resolution while printing inflammatory comments from individuals with NO authority to speak for the Republican Party.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:

The WSRP is extremely disappointed in the lack of accuracy on the part of the media in reporting the content of the resolution, that the WSRP truly regrets any anxiety or discomfort caused by this resolution and that we, as a Party, recognize and reaffirm our continuing and ongoing support for Native American sovereignty as well as their ability and right to self-govern as determined by legal treaties signed with the United States of America.

Related Stories:
Has the GOP blown it? (The Talking Circle 7/20)
National GOP repudiates resolution (The Talking Circle 7/19)
Party chairman defends resolution (The Talking Circle 7/18)
The original Republican resolution (The Talking Circle 7/18)
Author advocates termination (Tribal Law 7/17)
Support for tribes pours in (The Talking Circle 7/14)
EDITORIAL: GOP 'embarrasing' (The Talking Circle 7/14)
Gorton responds to resolution (The Talking Circle 7/12)
Californians take aim at GOP (The Talking Circle 7/10)
EDITORIAL: Tribal sovereignty (The Talking Circle 7/7)
EDITORIAL: Crow leaders important to state, Republicans smelly (The Talking Circle 7/7)
Slade stiffs seniors (The Talking Circle 7/7)
Candidate challenging Gorton (The Talking Circle 7/6)
Republicans resolve against tribes (The Talking Circle 7/5)
Miccosukee: The Republican Tribe (The Talking Circle 7/3)
Candidate pokes fun at Gorton (The Talking Circle 06/14)
Gorton opposes dam breaching (The Medicine Wheel 04/18)
Native Americans Challenge Gorton (The Talking Circle 04/03)

Relevant Links:
Sign a petition against the resolution - www.PetitionOnline.com/sca12/petition.html
The Native American Caucus of the California Democratic Party - www.nacaucus.com
The California Democratic Party - www.ca-dem.org/dems/cadems.nsf/index
The Nebraska Democratic Party - www.nebraskademocrats.org
The Democratic National Committee - www.democrats.org/index.html
The Washington State Republican Party - www.wsrp.org
The Republican National Committee - www.rnc.org