Schwarzenegger goes after gaming tribes again

Wednesday, September 21, 2005  

Facing re-election, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) lashed out against tribes again on Tuesday, blaming them for derailing some of his controversial gaming compacts.

Schwarzenegger accused wealthy casino-owning tribes of trying to block competition from other tribes. "What has happened is that every time we come to agreement on a compact, we have the big tribes lobby up here and they control the legislators," he said, The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported. Some tribes recently lobbied to block two compacts that Schwarzenegger signed. The tribes said the agreements weren't in the best interests of Indian Country.

Schwarzenegger previously targeted tribes during his successful recall campaign in 2003. He accused them of not paying their "fair share" and vowed to renegotiate gaming compacts and obtain billions for the state. The compacts he signed have produced far, far less than what he promised.

Get the Story:
Wealthy tribes 'control' lawmakers, governor says (The Riverside Press-Enterprise 9/21)
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