Artist's rendering of the proposed West Valley Resort. Image from Tohono O'odham Nation
For its "America’s Worst Politicians" feature, The Missoula Independent singles out Rep. Trent Franks (R-Arizona) for pushing H.R.1410, a bill that prevents the Tohono O'odham Nation from opening an off-reservation casino:
Franks not only wields ineffective power in defense of women’s privates, but he also introduced a narrow piece of legislation simply to prevent one Arizona Indian tribe from building a casino west of Phoenix. It didn’t matter that an act of Congress had granted the Tohono O’odham Nation the right to build its resort-style gaming center because the feds inadvertently destroyed a huge swath of the tribe’s reservation long ago. Family values were what mattered to Franks. Think about the horror of children seeing a casino near their neighborhood! The truth was that another tribe already had a casino in the area and didn’t want competition, which is why it sought Franks’ help and contributed to his campaign coffers.Get the Story:
Blowhards: U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, Arizona [See first item] (The Missoula Independent 7/3)
America’s Worst Politicians (The Missoula Independent 7/3) Related Stories:
City eases tensions with Tohono O'odham Nation in casino flap (06/10)
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