Schwarzenegger Got Tribal, Union Funds for Prop. 49

LA Times ^ | 9/6/03 | Dan Morain

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO — In his campaign for governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has labeled unions and Indian tribes that operate casinos as "special interests" and rejected their campaign money.

But last year, as Schwarzenegger was raising money for a ballot initiative he was promoting, he accepted $530,000 from the California Teachers Assn., one of the most powerful public employees unions in the state. And he hosted a fund-raising brunch for Indian tribes in San Diego, three of which gave a combined $62,000.

The donations helped Schwarzenegger's effort to finance the successful campaign for Proposition 49, which aimed to expand before- and after-school programs. That campaign was an opportunity to show he had public policy views and to burnish his image for a future gubernatorial run. At the time, he was widely seen as a likely candidate for the 2006 election.

[NormsRevenge]

Consistency.. 8-?

[VOA]

Schwarzenegger Got Tribal, Union Funds for Prop. 49

Looks like this is the real reason to vote for McClintock and assure
the election of the governor from MEChA.

(please no flames...I respect McClintock, but in the current race, he is
sadly Bustamante's best hope...)

[Steven W.]

I concur ... and to see the liberals today foaming about how Arnold must answer the question of whether participating in any orgy is, in fact, rape, when the libs had no such concerns about the known serial rapist Sick Willy.

[ambrose]

It seems that any and all news which could reflect negatively on Arnold isn't even discussed or considered by his supporters on here. Not even an attempt to refute the charges. It is simply shrugged off.

[Consort]

Good for Arnold. I thought only Bustamenet was tapping that source.

[Bobibutu]

"Consistency.. 8-? "

A fine line?

One was for promoting an initative.

The other is for "HIS" campaign for office.

Personally I see a difference and have no problem with it.

[EllaMinnow]

McClintock's been trying to tap it.




Candidates Dance To The Tune Of The Gaming Tribes
September 3,2003


It didn't take long for the gubernatorial hopefuls to make their pilgrimage to Indian Country, hats in hand and money bags open.

Wealthy gambling tribes have become the biggest campaign contributors to political campaigns in the state. As such, they command attention, respect and fear from those seeking office.



No one knows that better than the candidates who attended the California Nations Indian Gaming Association meeting in Sacramento on Friday. The trade association has been aggressive in defending the sovereign rights of tribes vis-a-vis local government.



According to reports from those at CNIGA's closed-door meetings, Republican Sen. Tom McClintock and Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante drew standing ovations when they made it clear that they favor speeding new gambling compacts and increasing the number of slot machines that tribes can have.



Gov. Davis, who negotiated the original tribe-friendly agreements, got a lukewarm reception. He has been under fire for daring to ask tribes to share more of their gambling revenues, estimated to be $5 billion annually, to help the state weather its current budget crisis.



A chastened Davis indicated he's prepared to do tribal bidding in the future, even promising the tribes a role in picking members of the state gambling regulatory commission. The commission is a toothless regulator whose authority has already been undermined by a Legislature awash in tribal campaign contributions. The governor now appears prepared to turn the commission into a virtual lapdog for Indian gambling interests.



Alone among leading candidates, Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to appear at the gathering and says he won't take tribal money. He says it's wrong to take money from groups with which, as governor, he would have to negotiate deals.



Schwarzenegger angered some Indian leaders when he referred to tribes as "special interests." But he's right about that. Tribes alone operate casinos in California. They have a strong special interest in expanding and protecting their lucrative monopoly.



As sovereign nations, free to ignore local and state laws -- even, some tribes contend, the law that requires them to report campaign contributions to candidates for governor -- they are a particularly powerful special interest. The spectacle of politicians grovelling for their money shows just how powerful and potentially corrupting that interest can be.


http://pokermag.com/managearticle.asp?C=150&A=5718

[kattracks]

Consistency.. 8-?

Integrity.

He was not running for elected office last year. As it is now, he will refuse any such contributions so as not to "owe" any favors to special interest groups.

[truth_seeker]

McClintock has taken money from Tribes. So why do McClintock supporters attack others for taking money from Tribes?

Inconsistency? Yes.

Not particularly a surprise that McClintock's supporters would see the LA Times as part of their tool kit, to discredit another front-running Republican--don' they have the same agenda?

I wonder if McClintock will ever be a strong enough candidate, to attack and run against the OTHER party?

No evidence of that, so far.

[Bobibutu]

"Consistency.. 8-?"

---

"Integrity." ...


Well said. And the benefactors are ... we here in CA. and the nation when business and the economy get rolling - here - again.

Kind of remindes me of when Clint was elected Mayor of Carmel ..... funny ... no one could pressure him. Another one of those "actors".

[NormsRevenge]

Ahh, Clint.. a Davi$ backer, who now serves on a state parks commission as a Davi$ appointee, if my memory serves me.

[NormsRevenge]

But last year, as Schwarzenegger was raising money for a ballot initiative he was promoting, he accepted $530,000 from the California Teachers Assn., one of the most powerful public employees unions in the state. And he hosted a fund-raising brunch for Indian tribes in San Diego, three of which gave a combined $62,000.

Last year.. not this year.. last year,,, when he was trying to feather his bed and prepare for a future gub run at the expense of the state's taxpayers by supporting a babysitting program in a state run by liebrals and socialists.

It still doesn't quite sit right with me,, but Im funny that way, I guess.

I just hate those diehard "conservatives', don't you?

[NormsRevenge]

Do me a favor. How about posting some dollar figures of how much Tom has accepted from Indian tribes his entire political career?

All these "rebuttals" could be lent a lot more credence with some actual facts included. Im serious, enlighten me, Im not trying to be mean or anything.

It would be doing the Indians a great service as well in showing that kind of info is out there. Thanks in advance.

[kattracks]

Last year.. not this year.. last year,,, when he was trying to feather his bed and prepare for a future gub run ...

It's your speculation that he was "trying to feather his bed and prepare for a future gub run". IIRC it was reported once before that he might try for governor and he didn't.

The fact remains, he was not running for elected office last year, when no one knew there would be a recall election.

[NormsRevenge]

No one expected a Recall in 2003 .. Agreed.

I think the state and all would have been better served if he had stuck to his 2006 schedule .. We didn't need a newbie injected into what is now one of the most historic races in California history. Just my opinion.

He sure has soured me on any actors running in the future, what with all the grandstanding and lack of preparedness and hype.

Id rather have James Woods or Bruce Willis anyway.

[DoctorZIn]

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[VOA]

But last year, as Schwarzenegger was raising money for a ballot initiative
he was promoting, he accepted $530,000 from the California Teachers Assn.,
one of the most powerful public employees unions in the state. And he hosted a
fund-raising brunch for Indian tribes in San Diego, three of which gave a
combined $62,000.

Ahnold managed to successfully extract money from a union and a Native-American group
for an initiative measure that won't even kick in until the California state budget
returns to a more positive balance (if it ever does).

The headline should actually be: Ahnold convinces a union and a casino group
to give him $592,000 that they'd probably have given to Gray Davis or other
Democratic party hacks.

In his campaign for governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has labeled unions and Indian
tribes that operate casinos as "special interests" and rejected their campaign money.

So when Ahnold is pushing an initiative, the union and the Indian groups
ARE special interest groups that Ahnold didn't mind having as contributors;
conversely, when he's running for Governor, he doesn't want to take their money
so that he'd owe them.

If Ahnold is elected governor, he'll have a grin (and me too) seeing how he
used a union and casino groups money to pass the initiative that helped
put him in the governor's mansion. And he's not in their pocket.