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Bustamante accepts new tribal check after bid to defuse issue

September 09, 2003

SACRAMENTO – A few hours after a powerful rally where he tried to calm public criticism over the massive flow of Indian money into his campaign, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante gathered Sunday with tribal leaders and collected another $500,000 check.

The contribution came from the Santa Rosa Tachi band, which operates a thriving casino in Lemoore. It pushes the amount of Indian gambling money Bustamante has received in recent weeks to $3.2 million.

Most of it has arrived in six-and seven-figure checks in defiance of new state contribution limits.

Santa Rosa's attorney said the tribe's entire 600-member general council approved the donation in a show of support for Bustamante, the Democratic front-runner in the Oct. 7 recall.

But another influential voice among California's gambling tribes sounded an alarm yesterday about the conspicuous amounts of money tribes are pouring into Bustamante's campaign.

Attorney Howard Dickstein also said embattled Gov. Gray Davis, the subject of the recall election, deserves tribal support and will soon receive some from tribes he represents.

"These entirely disproportional contributions that a few tribes are making . . . create a perception and an image about tribes across the state that is completely inaccurate," Dickstein said.

The large contributions are "dangerous and short-sighted" and "will ultimately turn off the constituencies tribes depend on for the political support necessary to maintain their unique position," Dickstein warned.

He alluded to a deep reservoir of public support that carried Indian gaming initiatives to lopsided victories in 1998 and again in 2000.

The Sacramento attorney represents four of the state's most successful gambling tribes, including the Pala band of north San Diego County. A moderate but controversial figure among other tribes, he has enjoyed a close relationship with the Davis administration.

Dickstein said tribal interests were not served by a news conference held last week by the Viejas band to announce a $2 million commitment to Bustamante. Viejas has a casino in east San Diego County.

The lieutenant governor has funneled the large Indian contributions, plus $1.1 million more from organized labor, through an old campaign committee to skirt the new limits of $21,200 per donation.

To quiet the ensuing controversy, Bustamante announced on Sunday that he would "spend every dollar" he raises above the contribution limits to defeat Proposition 54. The initiative, also on the Oct. 7 ballot, would prohibit governments from collecting some racial data. Bustamante is expected to be featured in television ads opposing the measure.

Nikki Symington, a spokeswoman for Viejas, said the tribe has no qualms with Bustamante's decision to use money it gave him to oppose Proposition 54. She declined to comment on Dickstein's remarks.

Richie Ross, Bustamante's political strategist and a consultant to Viejas, was not so reticent.

"I don't think all of us who aren't tribal members ought to be telling them what's good for them," Ross said. "That's a little too close to Father Junipero Serra for my comfort zone.

"Tribal leaders are capable of making their own judgments. They disagree with one another from time to time. That is healthy."