Tribes give nearly $200,000 to California Attorney General; more on way

Steve Lawrence

Thursday, March 16, 2000 | 9:20 a.m.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Indian tribes have given at least $191,500 to the campaign of Attorney General Bill Lockyer - the official responsible for enforcing their casino compacts with the state - and more money could be on the way.

One tribe is holding a golf tournament next month that could generate up to $25,000 a contributor for California's top law enforcement official.

The April 3 event at the Del Mar Country Club offers those who give $5,000 to $25,000 a chance to play with San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver J.J. Stokes, former Oakland A's pitcher Vida Blue or other "special guests."

The event is sponsored by the Barona Band of Mission Indians, one of about 10 tribes that are major donors to state candidates.

Since 1998, the tribes have given more than $100 million to candidates and ballot measures, including a successful March 7 proposition that could result in a major increase in casino gambling in California.

Lockyer has received $191,500 from a total of eight tribes since the start of 1998, when he was running for attorney general. The contributions included $30,000 from the Barona tribe.

He received $30,000 from Inland Entertainment Corp., which has a contract with the Barona tribe to help run and market its San Diego area casino.

The attorney general, the state's top law enforcement officer, is responsible for making sure that tribes with casinos abide by gambling compacts Gov. Gray Davis signed with tribal leaders last year.

Among other things, the office's Division of Gambling Control is charged with reviewing casino plans, including the suitability of casino investors and key employees.

If the division finds problems with employees or investors - for example, allegations of financial wrongdoing - it can recommend that the tribe refrain from doing business with them.

If the tribe disregards the recommendations, the attorney general can take the dispute to a federal arbitrator, and either party can challenge the arbitrator's finding in federal court, Lockyer spokesman Nathan Barankin said Wednesday.

The attorney general's office also inspects casinos to make sure they are not operating an illegal number of slot machines, allowing minors in areas where alcoholic beverages are served or maintaining inadequate security.

Jim Knox, executive director of California Common Cause, called the donations "troubling" and said they point out the need for limits on campaign donations. There are no state limits now, except in races to fill midterm vacancies in the Legislature.

Voters rejected a donation-limit measure, Proposition 25, on the March 7 ballot.

"When you remove the possibility of those gigantic contributions I think you successfully reduce the potential corrupting impact of those contributions," Knox said.

Barankin said there was nothing wrong with Lockyer accepting campaign contributions from the tribes, that it made up a small percentage of the $6.9 million he has raised since the start of 1998 and that Lockyer takes his enforcement duties seriously.

"You're not talking about a guy who is opposed to meaningful and fair campaign finance reform," Barankin said. "You're also not talking about someone who's interested in unilateral disarmament so California can only be governed by wealthy candidates like Michael Huffington, Al Checchi and Darryl Issa."

The Barona tribe's office said no one was available Wednesday to discuss why the tribe was holding the golf tournament, but spokesman David Baron said earlier that he doubted that the contributions would affect Lockyer's actions.

"We haven't always seen eye to eye with Mr. Lockyer but we've always considered him a straight shooter," he said.

Rod Wilson, a spokesman for another major campaign contributor, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, said he expects the tribes to continue to be significant campaign donors.

"For any major business owner in California to be successful it's difficult not to be active in Sacramento," he said. "When you look at most big businesses in California they are very active."

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