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\f0\fs24 \cf0 \ >> ON TODAY'S ROUNDTABLE, WE'LL\
\ TALK ABOUT TWO OF THE THREE\
\ THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER TALK:\
\ \
MONEY AND POLITICS.\ \
IN THIS CASE, THEY GO HAND IN\ \
HAND.\ \
WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR HOW MUCH\ \
MONEY SOME SAN DIEGO POLITICIANS\ \
HAVE RAISED FOR THEIR CAMPAIGNS.\ \
AND A STORY ABOUT IDENTITY AND\ \
THE LOSS OF IT.\ \
154 MEMBERS OF THE PALA INDIAN\ \
BAND WERE KICKED OUT OF THEIR\ \
TRIBE.\ \
TURNS OUT THIS STORY IS ABOUT\ \
MONEY, TOO.\ \
MICHAEL SMOLENS, POLITICS EDITOR\ \
U.T.
SAN DIEGO, AND EDWARD\ \
SIFUENTES, EDITOR OF THE NORTH\ \
COUNTY TIMES.\ \
MICHAEL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE\ \
MONEY THAT MAYORAL CANDIDATES\ \
RUNNING HERE IN SAN DIEGO HAVE\ \
RAISED SO FAR.\ \
>> WELL, WE'VE GOT FOUR\ \
HIGH-PROFILE CANDIDATES IN CARL\ \
DEE MYO, BONNIE DUMANIS, NATHAN\ \
FLETCHER, AND BOB FILNER.\ \
THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO RAISE\ \
\ \
\ MONEY.\
\ DeMAIO HAS ALMOST A MILLION\
\ DOLLARS.\
\ ABOUT $400,000 OF THAT IS OUT OF\
\ HIS OWN POCKET.\
\ HE'S WEALTHY.\
\ NATHAN FLETCHER IS ABOUT THREE\
\ QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS,\
\ ALL FROM CONTRIBUTIONS, SO HE\
\ HAS OUTRAISED EVERYBODY IN TERMS\
\ OF CONTRIBUTIONS.\
\ BONNIE DUMANIS HAS A HALF\
\ MILLION DOLLARS.\
\ AND BOB FILNER, THE LONE\
\ DEMOCRAT, HAS RAISED ONLY ABOUT\
\ 200,000+, AND HE HAS ONLY 25,000\
\ IN THE BANK ACCORDING TO THE\
\ LAST REPORTING PERIOD.\
\ THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTION ABOUT\
\ HIS ABILITY TO COMPETE AT THAT\
\ LEVEL.\
\ >> IN TERMS OF THE MONEY THEY'VE\
\ DONATED TO THEIR OWN CAMPAIGN,\
\ IS THERE NOT A LIMIT?\
\ >> NO, THERE ISN'T, AND THEY\
\ HAVE BEEN PRETTY CLEAR THAT\
\ \
PEOPLE CAN SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF\ \
MONEY.\ \
DeMAIO HAS A PRETTY BROAD BASE.\ \
HE HAS RAISED ABOUT A HALF A\ \
MILLION DOLLARS, A LOT OF IT\ \
THROUGH SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS.\ \
HE HAS A STRONG FOLLOWING FOR\ \
HIS CONSERVATISM, HE IS FOCUSED\ \
ON FIXING THE CITY'S PROBLEMS.\ \
YES, HE CAN SPEND AS MUCH AS OR\ \
AS LITTLE AS HE WANTS, AND THE\ \
OTHERS HAVE PUT IN VARYING\ \
DEGREES OF THEIR OWN MONEY.\ \
>> ARE THERE LIMITS ON WHAT\ \
OTHERS CAN CONTRIBUTE?\ \
>> THERE IS A $500 LIMIT FROM\ \
INDIVIDUALS, AND WE HAVEN'T\ \
DISCUSSED THE OUTSIDE ENTITIES\ \
THAT CAN PLAY A ROLE, THAT\ \
POLITICAL PARTIES CAN DO THEIR\ \
OWN CAMPAIGNS, AND INDEPENDENT\ \
OR SO-CALLED INDEPENDENT\ \
COMMITTEE ALL GET INVOLVED, AS\ \
WELL AS WE FOUND OUT ON THE\ \
NATIONAL LEVEL AS WELL.\ \
>> WHEN YOU MENTION IN TERMS OF\ \
\ \
\ POLITICAL PARTIES, THERE WAS A\
\ RECENT SUPERIOR COURT DECISION\
\ WHICH INCREASED CONTRIBUTIONS.\
\ >> YES, THEY HAVE CERTAIN LIMITS\
\ ON WHAT THEY COULD CONTRIBUTE\
\ AND SPEND ON CANDIDATES, AND\
\ THAT HAS BEEN BLOWN WIDE OPEN.\
\ WE EXPECT TO SEE THEM BE A LOT\
\ -- PARTICULARLY THE REPUBLICAN\
\ PARTY, WHICH HAS THE ABILITY TO\
\ RAISE MONEY FROM THEIR BASE,\
\ WE'LL SEE THEM A LOT MORE\
\ ACTIVE.\
\ PROBABLY IN THE CITY COUNCIL\
\ RACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.\
\ AS FAR AS THE MAYOR'S RACE, WE\
\ HAVE THREE REPUBLICANS, SO THERE\
\ IS A LOT OF DIVISION AMONG THE\
\ REPUBLICAN SUPPORTERS, AND THE\
\ PARTY WOULD PROBABLY NOT JUMP\
\ RIGHT IN, AT LEAST AT THE\
\ OUTSET, TO BACK ONE OF THE\
\ CANDIDATES.\
\ >> EDWARD, THESE NUMBERS SEEM\
\ HIGH, RIGHT, COMPARED TO 2008?\
\ >> INCREDIBLY HIGH.\
\ \
IT MAKES ME WONDER WHAT'S GOING\ \
ON.\ \
>> WELL, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE,\ \
THERE'S SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THE\ \
RULE, BUT I THINK EVERY CYCLE,\ \
YOU BREAK RECORDS.\ \
THERE'S JUST MORE MONEY, THAT'S\ \
JUST THE WAY POLITICS ARE, AND\ \
ESPECIALLY WITH THE LOOSENING OF\ \
THE LIMITS ON THESE SEPARATE --\ \
I WON'T CALL THEM INDEPENDENT\ \
COMMITTEES, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW\ \
THEY'RE NOT TRULY INDEPENDENT --\ \
THEIR ABILITY TO RAISE AND SPEND\ \
MONEY ARE REMARKABLE.\ \
WE'RE SEEING IT AT THE\ \
PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL.\ \
>> THE 52ND CONGRESSIONAL RACE:\
\ GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF WHO IS\
\ RUNNING THEM AND WHAT THEY'VE\
\ RAISED.\
\ >> THE INCUMBENT IS BRIAN\
\ BILBRAY, OVER $600,000.\
\ HE HAS HAD A HALF MILLION\
\ DOLLARS IN THE BANK, WHICH ISN'T\
\ SURPRISING FOR AN INCUMBENT.\
\ \
HE'S IN A COMPETITIVE DISTRICT\ \
NOW, BECAUSE WE DID HAVE THE\ \
REDISTRICTING.\ \
HIS DISTRICT IS A LITTLE MORE\ \
EVEN, BETWEEN THE REPUBLICAN AND\ \
DEMOCRATIC VOTER REGISTRATION.\ \
REPUBLICANS HAVE THE MARGINAL\ \
ADVANTAGE, BUT DEMOCRATS VIEW IT\ \
AS RIPE FOR THE PLUCKING, AND\ \
HE'S FACING PORT COMMISSIONER\ \
SCOTT PETERS, WHO HAS HIS OWN\ \
PERSONAL WEALTH, AND LORI\ \
SALDANA ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.\ \
THERE ARE UNKNOWN REPUBLICANS\ \
CHALLENGING FILNER FROM THE\ \
RIGHT.\ \
SO HE'S KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE,\ \
BUT HE'S STILL THE ODDS-ON\ \
FAVORITE TO WIN.\ \
THE MONEY HAS BEEN RAISED, AND\ \
WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE OF OUTSIDE\ \
INTEREST IN THIS.\ \
THIS HAS BECOME A PLAYER ON THE\ \
NATIONAL CHESSBOARD.\ \
IT'S A COMPETITIVE RACE, WHERE\ \
BOTH SIDES THINK THEY CAN WIN,\ \
\ \
\ OR REPUBLICANS LOSE.\
\ >> WHEN YOU SAID OUTSIDE\
\ INTERESTS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT\
\ TWO SUPER PACS MIGHT GET\
\ INVOLVED IN THIS?\
\ >> I THINK WE'LL SEE THAT\
\ PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE LIMITS OF\
\ HOW MUCH THEY CAN RAISE FROM\
\ CORPORATIONS OR THE DEMOCRATIC\
\ SIDE UNIONS HAS BEEN THROWN AWAY\
\ BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.\
\ WE'RE SEEING THAT PLAY OUT AT\
\ THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL WHERE THE\
\ SUPER PACS CAN COME IN AND\
\ REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE\
\ RACE.\
\ WE KNOW THERE WILL BE THOSE PACS\
\ INVOLVED IN THE RACES.\
\ TO THE DEGREE THEY'LL BE\
\ INVOLVED IN THIS RACE, WE'LL\
\ HAVE TO SEE.\
\ IF IT STAYS ON THE NATIONAL\
\ CHESSBOARD, WE'LL SEE THAT.\
\ WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE DEMOCRATS\
\ DO RADIO ADS AGAINST BRIAN\
\ BILBRAY.\
\ \
>> THE PALA INDIAN BAND HAS\ \
EXPELLED 154 PEOPLE FROM ITS\ \
TRIBE.\ \
THEY STAND TO LOSE $150,000 IN\ \
ANNUAL PAYMENTS FROM THE TRIBE'S\ \
CASINO.\ \
IS THIS LOSS LINEAGE OR POLITICS\ \
BEHIND THIS?\ \
EDWARD, THIS IS YOUR STORY NOW\ \
THIS WEEK.\ \
TELL US FIRST ABOUT THIS MONEY\ \
THAT'S AT STAKE.\ \
WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?\ \
>> IT COMES FROM THE TRIBE'S BIG\ \
CASINO, THE PALA TRIBE IS ONE OF\ \
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GAMBLING\ \
TRIBES IN THE COUNTY.\ \
AND SO PART OF THE WHOLE\ \
IMPETTUS FOR CREATING THE CASINO\ \
WAS TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES,\ \
AND PART OF THE WAY THEY'VE DONE\ \
THAT IS BY DISTRIBUTING SOME OF\ \
THE REVENUE FROM THE CASINOS TO\ \
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS.\ \
THIS IS NORMAL FOR MOST TRIBES\ \
THAT HAVE CASINOS, IN PARTICULAR\ \
\ \
\ IN THIS ONE, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN\
\ SO SUCCESSFUL.\
\ AND THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY AT\
\ STAKE.\
\ >> THERE IS SOMETHING LIKE 900,\
\ 1,000 PEOPLE IN THIS TRIBE.\
\ 154 KICKED OUT.\
\ SO WHAT'S THE BAND SAY WHY THEY\
\ REMOVED THEM?\
\ >> UNFORTUNATELY, NOT VERY MUCH.\
\ WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF\
\ INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM THE\
\ TRIBE ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY\
\ PROMPTED THIS LATEST ROUND OF\
\ REMOVALS FROM THE TRIBE, BUT WE\
\ DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS FROM SOME\
\ OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN\
\ EXPELLED, AND IT IS MOSTLY A\
\ PROBLEM WITH THEIR LINEAGE, AT\
\ LEAST ACCORDING TO THE TRIBE.\
\ >> ARE WE SEEING MORE OF THESE\
\ DISENROLLMENTS, I GUESS IT'S\
\ CALLED, WITH THE ADVENT OF\
\ CASINOS AND CASINO MONEY, OR WAS\
\ THIS HAPPENING MUCH BEFORE?\
\ >> WELL, THIS PARTICULAR\
\ \
INCIDENT IN PALA DATES BACK TO\ \
THE 1980s, AND THAT IS WHAT THE\ \
TRIBAL OFFICIALS WILL SAY,\ \
THEY'LL REMIND YOU THAT THESE\ \
KINDS OF FEUDS HAVE BEEN GOING\ \
ON, AND THIS PARTICULAR ONE\ \
TRACES BACK TO THE 1980s.\ \
BEFORE THERE WERE CASINOS.\ \
BUT OBVIOUSLY NOW WE ARE\ \
BEGINNING TO SEE A LOT OF THESE\ \
ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS COUNTY,\ \
AND ACROSS THE NATION.\ \
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO\ \
ARE BEING EXPELLED FROM THE\ \
TRIBES.\ \
>> SO HOW IS IT DETERMINED, IN\ \
TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE A\ \
TRIBE MEMBER OR NOT?\ \
>> WELL, IT'S SORT OF LIKE -- WE\ \
HAVE TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT\ \
THESE ARE, IN EFFECT, SOVEREIGN\ \
NATIONS, AND THIS IS A LITTLE\ \
BIT OF THEIR PROCESS OF\ \
CITIZENSHIP, MUCH THE WAY A\ \
COUNTRY DECIDES ITS CITIZENSHIP.\ \
THEY GET TO DECIDE THEIR\ \
\ \
\ MEMBERSHIP.\
\ AND THEIRS IS A FACTOR OF BEING\
\ A DESCEND ISN'T OF A MEMBER OF\
\ THE TRIBE.\
\ BACK IN THE 1930s, IT BECAME\
\ VERY POPULAR TO USE BLOOD\
\ QUANTUM, SO-CALLED, TO DETERMINE\
\ MEMBERSHIP IN THE TRIBE, BUT AS\
\ THE GENERATIONS GO, YOU LOSE\
\ DEGREES THROUGH MARRIAGE WITH\
\ OUTSIDE MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE AND\
\ SO FORTH, AND THIS PARTICULAR\
\ GROUP HAS, ACCORDING TO THE\
\ TRIBAL OFFICIALS, NOT MET THAT\
\ REQUIREMENT.\
\ >> IS THAT AN EASY THING TO\
\ TRACK, OR WHAT ARE THE RECORDS\
\ LIKE, OR WHO GETS TO --\
\ >> THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL\
\ PROBLEM, IS THAT THESE -- THESE\
\ CASES GO BACK, AGAIN, A HUNDRED,\
\ 200 YEARS, AND BACK THEN, NOBODY\
\ KEPT REALLY THAT CAREFUL OF\
\ RECORDS.\
\ AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS\
\ TIME, YOU MAY FIND ONE\
\ \
INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS LISTED AS\ \
FULL-BLOODED PALA BUT THEN LATER\ \
ON THAT PERSON IS ONLY ONE\ \
QUARTER, ONE HALF, ONE THIRD,\ \
AND SO DEPENDING ON WHICH\ \
DOCUMENTS YOU LOOK AT, YOU MAY\ \
FIND THAT YOU NO LONGER QUALIFY\ \
TO BE A MEMBER.\ \
>> IS THERE AN APPEAL PROCESS\ \
FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN\ \
REMOVED OR --\ \
>> WELL, THE OVERALL RULE IS --\ \
AND THIS HAS COME DOWN FROM THE\ \
U.S. SUPREME COURT -- THE TRIBES\ \
THEMSELVES ARE THE FINAL\ \
ARBITERS OF WHO BELONGS IN THE\ \
TRIBES, BUT THE DIFFERENT TRIBES\ \
HAVE DIFFERENT PROCESSES, THEY\ \
HAVE THEIR INDIVIDUAL\ \
CONSTITUTIONS, AND SOME GIVE\ \
SOME AUTHORITY TO THE BUREAU OF\ \
INDIAN AFFAIRS TO BE AN ARBITER\ \
IN THESE DISPUTES.\ \
THE PALA IN PARTICULAR, THEY CAN\ \
APPEAL TO THE BUREAU OF INDIAN\ \
AFFAIRS, BUT THE BUREAU OF\ \
\ \
\ INDIAN AFFAIRS CAN ONLY MAKE A\
\ RECOMMENDATION THAT THE TRIBAL\
\ COUNCIL THEN GETS TO EITHER TAKE\
\ OR NOT TAKE.\
\ >> SO IN OTHER WORDS, THAT\
\ APPEAL LIKELY IS GOING NOWHERE\
\ IF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL HAS\
\ ALREADY DECIDED.\
\ >> RIGHT.\
\ IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO\
\ APPEAL.\
\ >> WE'LL HAVE TO END IT THERE.\
\ TIME IS UP.\
\ THANKS FOR BEING HERE.\
}