SACRAMENTO — Public policy analysts on Friday condemned a proposal that Gov. Gray Davis made behind closed doors to give Indian tribes the right to choose two members of the commission that regulates tribal gambling in California.
"It's beyond the perception of impropriety," said Bill Thompson, a professor of public administration at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and author of "Gambling in America: An Encyclopedia." "It's 'You vote for me, you give me money and support; I give you this.' It's wrong. People can do this with smiles and winks and all of this, but to put it in actual words -- incredible! It's an incredible sellout."
Tribal representatives defended the Davis proposal as an effort to give Indians a voice in the state's regulation of Indian casinos. Some tribes have clashed with the five-member Gambling Control Commission over the method of calculating casino revenues and other issues.
"I think it's an excellent idea," said Rob Rosette, a Native American attorney who represents 12 California tribes. "Nobody understands the issues better than the tribes themselves. I understand there's going to be skepticism."
He said he was hopeful that Davis "is doing this for all the right reasons. I believe he is."
Amber Pasricha, the governor's spokeswoman on Indian affairs, said Friday that Davis' offer to select two commissioners from a list submitted by the tribes was unrelated to the recall election he faces.
"The governor recognizes that the tribes are sovereign nations and that the state plays a regulatory role through the rules set up in the compact with tribes," she said. "He has asked the tribes to submit these nominations to make sure these vacant positions on the board are filled by people that are best suited for the job."
Davis made his offer in a Thursday appearance before 150 tribal leaders and members in Sacramento. The Democratic governor and two challengers made separate appearances at the meeting of the California Nations Indian Gaming Assn. to seek support -- and campaign contributions -- from tribes in the Oct. 7 special election.
Indian tribes have spent more than $120 million on state political campaigns since 1998, more than any other single entity or industry in the state.
