Ray Cook: St. Regis Mohawk Tribe is target of New York shakedown

Thursday, November 4, 2010  

"The press reported that the Mohawk tribe had ceased sending New York state their 22 percent share of our gaming (slot machine) revenue because the state had knowingly and willingly failed to uphold the "exclusivity clause" outlined in our compact. That money now sits in escrow while the compact process for this type of allegation gets ironed out.

When you think about the exclusivity clause and how it was broken, you soon realize the state has been perpetrating a fraud. Since 2005, the state accepted over $51 million of our slot machine earnings. In exchange, the state guaranteed the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino will be the only gaming operation in a seven-county area.

It turns out, though, the state has known since 2007, and possibly longer, that there have been slot machines operating in Clinton County. The state then pockets the money, and we all go about our business. This shakedown makes the mob protection racket look like petty larceny."

Get the Story:
Ray Cook: A N.Y. state shakedown of Mohawk tribe (The Watertown Daily Times 11/4)

Related Stories:
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe seeks return of revenue shared with state (11/3)
Mohawk community in New York reportedly offers slot machines (10/29)
New York governor accuses another tribe of breaking compact (10/27)
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe holds back revenues in compact dispute (10/20)