Vox

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Some Indians Are More Equal Than Others

Posted on | August 25, 2012 | No Comments

There is little question that Jonathan Paton is the right choice in Arizona’s 1st Congressional district. However, there is also little question that this campaign email is the wrong tactic. It certainly does not strengthen my belief in his small government, Conservative bonafides.

I have written a bit about this casino issue in the past. Since then, Republican Trent Franks has introduced a bill in D.C. that will, at the federal level, block one tribe from building a casino – without mentioning that he is attempting to protect the monopoly enjoyed by other tribes in Arizona.


But here, in one campaign email, Paton’s office illustrates the cronyism that is at work.

Ann Kirkpatrick refuses to protect gaming for CD1 tribes

Kirkpatrick lost her 2010 House race after running away from a group of seniors seeking answers on how she would vote on Obamacare.

Now, she is refusing to support a bill recently passed by the House to stop the Tohono O’odham Nation from opening a casino in an urban area of Glendale.

The bill, H.R. 2938, was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Trent Franks and passed the House. The Gila River Indian Community and other Arizona tribes believe the Glendale plans violates the Arizona gaming compacts and want to stop the casino. After meeting with Gila River leaders, Jonathan Paton has come out in strong support of that bill.

Kirkpatrick, however, refuses to support that bipartisan legislation.

When pressed by the reporter for a direct answer, her spokeswoman would not say. “They wouldn’t answer yes or no as to whether Kirkpatrick supports the bill,” the Star reports.

Kirkpatrick has received at least $8,000 in campaign donations from the Tohono O’odham Nation, including a $1,000 contribution in March. The Nation is not in Congressional District 1.

“Ann has a history of ducking the tough questions,” Paton said. “I stand with the Gila River Indian Community and many other tribes in protecting their rights. Kirkpatrick refuses to support them because she’s more concerned with her next election than the Arizonans she seeks to represent.”

“I am a strong supporter of Indian Gaming,” Paton continued. “It provides jobs and economic opportunity for thousands of Arizonans. Because of that, I support Congressman Trent Franks’ legislation, H.R. 2938, the Gila Bend Indian Reservation Lands Replacement Clarification Act.”

Did you catch that: “I am a strong supporter of Indian Gaming,” Paton continued. “It provides jobs and economic opportunity for thousands of Arizonans.”

Except, he follows that sentence up with: “I support Congressman Trent Franks’ legislation, H.R. 2938, the Gila Bend Indian Reservation Lands Replacement Clarification Act.”

Or, more clearly: He supports the positive economic impact of Indian Gaming – except when he doesn’t because…a different tribe doesn’t want him to.

What makes it even worse is the claim that his opponent doesn’t support the bill because of donations she received from the Tohono O’odham Nation. Perhaps he should disclose the donations the bill’s author received from the competing tribes looking to prevent any competition.

Perhaps Paton should disclose any donations he himself has gotten from those tribes, who are paying out in campaign contributions in an attempt to protect their revenue stream.

To further muddy the waters, it appears that Paton may misunderstand the bill completely, thinking that allowing the Tohono O’odham project would open gambling to anyone wanting to build a casino.

The free market has never failed when it has been truly free. We face problems when favored businesses get support from a government that should remain neutral. Conservatives don’t like it when The State chooses winners and losers; Conservatives don’t like it when campaign donors are rewarded with “most favored” status – we should sure as heck raise a stink when our guys make such a monstrous misstep.



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Category: AZ, Law, politics

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