"Widespread speculation among Capitol Hill insiders is that Sen. Daniel Akaka, (D-Hawaii), is hoping to use draft Internet legislation as leverage to get Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) to engineer a congressional fix to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Carcieri v Salazar.

Akaka, chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, also is pressing to get Congress to officially recognize native Hawaiians. Akaka is half Hawaiian.

“Loretta Tuell [staff director to the committee] has made it clear the committee’s priorities are a Carcieri fix and Native Hawaiian recognition,” said a Washington lobbyist who requested anonymity. “Nothing happens until those issues are taken care of.

“It is my belief this whole Internet gaming bill is meant to be a negotiating tool with Harry Reid to try to get Carcieri done.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that,” said a second tribal lobbyist who also requested anonymity. “That’s common knowledge.”"

Get the Story:
Dave Palermo: AKAKA FIX: Mixing the Internet with a Carcieri fix can be tricky (Pechanga.net 8/27)

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