The supervisor for Santa Barbara County, California, rejected calls for her to resign in response to published remarks in which she labeled the Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians "not real sophisticated" and "uneducated."
Supervisor Gail Marshall instead blamed tribal leaders for choosing "to inject race into this matter," The Los Angeles Times reported. Dozens of tribal members and others turned out for a meeting last night. Most of the speakers condemned Marshall, The Times reported.
Marshall, however, said she will step down from a committee that determines how to distribute money from the tribe's casino.
Marshall, whose term ends later this year, does not dispute comments published in a book about tribes and Indian gaming. She said Chumash leaders "are not only uneducated to the actions and reactions to the actions, but they don't want to be educated. You know, they've all got brand new trucks and lots of money; they don't have to be. They're thumbing their nose at everybody."
She went on to say: "Because when you get $300,000 a year for sitting on the couch watching a Lakers game, not working, you model that lifestyle to the next generations. I'm not sure what it's going to be like. They'll have the money but I wonder what else."
Get the Story:Marshall digs in; refuses to resign (The Lompoc Record 3/10)
Chumash Call for Santa Barbara County Supervisor's Resignation (The Los Angeles Times 3/10)
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Marshall refuses to resign (The Santa Maria Times 3/10)Relevant Links:
Gail Marshall - http://www.gailmarshall.orgRelated Stories:
Elected official called Calif. tribe unsophisticated (3/5)