PLEASE DO Contact Our Leaders in Sacramento!

NOTICE
ACTION ALERT!!!

Please Do Contact Your State Representatives: Support Ancestral Rights! Do it TODAY!

As part of the BarWest Media Blitzkrieg and All-Out Lobbying Campaign to resurrect the compacts that were long ago pronounced Dead on Arrival, liar-in-chief Tom Shields is asking Barstow residents to contact the legislature. I agree, but for quite the opposite reasons.

The Big Lagoon Tribe has already pulled out of the project in favor of doing a casino project of their own by their reservation in Humboldt. The Governor has already ruled that the Los Coyotes Tribe did not qualify for the project on their own. The City of Barstow’s own lobbyist, Nick Medieros, has blamed the total lack of enthusiasm on the part of the Governor as the principal factor responsible for the failure of the compacts. Even the two authors of the bill have acknowledge that they are dead and that their support was always reluctant and half-hearted.

Of course we know that it was an insider deal that got the Governor stuck with this Reservation Shopping albatross in the first place. We NOW have the benefit of first hand experience about the BarWest style of buying influence. We NOW know about the corrupting nature of the billionaire Detroit developers that make a practice of violating Ancestral Rights while they peddle their Reservation Shopping schemes.

Please DO Contact our leaders in Sacramento!

TELL THEM: That you want them to say no to the Assault on Ancestral Rights.

TELL THEM: That you want to put an end to the climate of corruption that they have created in Barstow.

TELL THEM: That we support Native Americans and their fight for self determination through Indian gaming on their Ancestral Lands

TELL THEM: That they should ignore our sell-out Barstow Council Members who have been bought and paid for by BarWest and are now doing their bidding as paid lobbyist in violation of the Brown Act and in violation of all ethics and laws against conflict of interest.

AND FINALLY: Tell them that BarWest and these corrupt local politicians have stolen our democracy in Barstow and that we desperately need an investigation to restore ethics and the voice of the people in Barstow. Let them know we need their help so that the corrupt corporate influence is stopped now.

We need their help and the future of our city depends on you contacting them to tell them that BarWest does not speak for you and Mayor Dale, and the other two BarWest pawns do not represent your voice or your future.

For your convenience here is the contact information for the Senate President pro Tem Don Perata; Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Nunez; and the list of members of the Senate and Assembly Government Organizational Committees:

Please DO Contact Our Leaders!
Let them know we need their help now!!!

Senate President pro Tem Don Perata
D-East Bay
Senate District 09
Email: Senator.Perata@sen.ca.gov
Web site: http://dist09.casen.govoffice.com
State Capitol Room 205
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4009








Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Nunez
D-Los Angeles
Assembly District 49
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0046
(916) 319-2046

Assemblymember.Nunez@assembly.ca.gov

CA Senate Governmental Organization Committee
[meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 9:30 am in Room 31 91.]

Senate GO Committee
(916)651-1530
1020 N Street
Suite 584
Sacramento, CA 95814

JURISDICTION: Bills relating to state government organization, horseracing public gaming, the National Guard, alcoholic beverages, and management of public safety emergencies and disaster response, and legislation permitting the use of state-controlled lands. Bills that have been considered by other committees having jurisdiction of the appropriate subject, for consideration of any question relating to state government.

Members:

Senator Dean Florez
Chair of the Senate Government Organization Committee
Senate District 16th
Email: Dean.Florez@sen.co.gov
http://dist16.casen.govoffice.com/
State Capitol, Room 5061
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4016




Senator Jim Battin
State Capitol, Room 3060
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4037
Fax: (916) 327-2187
Email: Jim.Battin@sen.ca.gov







Senator Abel Maldonado
State Capitol, Room
4082 Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-651-4015
Fax: 916-445-8081
Email: Abel.Maldonado@sen.ca.gov












Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod
State Capitol, Room 2059
Sacramento, CA 95814
San Bernardino Office
357 West Second Street, Suite 1
San Bernardino, CA 92401
Email: @sen.ca.gov






Senator Edward Vincent D-SD 25
State Capitol, Room 5052
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:(916) 651-4025
Fax:(916) 445-3712
Email: Edward.Vincent@sen.ca.gov






Senator Pat Wiggins SD-2
D- Santa Rosa
State Capitol, Room 4081
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4002
Fax: (916) 323-6958











Senator Mark Wyland SD-38
N. San Diego Co. & S. Orange Co.
State Capitol #4066
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4038
Fax: (916) 446-7382











Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. SD-8
D-San Francisco/San Mateo
State Capitol, Room 4048
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4008

Assembly Government Organization Committee

Committee phone (916) 319-2531

Alberto Torrico - Chair Dem-20
(916) 319-2020
Assemblymember.torrico@assembly.ca.gov

George A. Plescia - Vice Chair Rep-75
(916) 319-2075
Assemblymember.plescia@assembly.ca.gov

Charles M. Calderon Dem-58
(916) 319-2058
Assemblymember.Calderon@assembly.ca.gov

Kevin de Leon Dem-45
(916) 319-2045
Assemblymember.deLeon@assembly.ca.gov

Noreen Evans Dem-7
(916) 319-2007
Assemblymember.Evans@assembly.ca.gov

Bonnie Garcia Rep-80
(916) 319-2080
Assemblywoman.garcia@assembly.ca.gov

Kevin Jeffries Rep-66
(916) 319-2066
Assemblymember.Jeffries@assembly.ca.gov

Lloyd E. Levine Dem-40
(916) 319-2040
Assemblymember.levine@assembly.ca.gov

Tony Mendoza Dem-56
(916) 319-2056
Assemblymember.Mendoza@assembly.ca.gov

Anthony J. Portantino Dem-44
(916) 319-2044
Assemblymember.Portantino@assembly.ca.gov

Curren D. Price Jr. Dem-51
(916) 319-2051
Assemblymember.Price@assembly.ca.gov

Jim Silva Rep-67
(916) 319-2067
Assemblymember.Silva@assembly.ca.gov

Nell Soto Dem-61
(916) 319-2061
Assemblymember.Soto@assembly.ca.gov

Van Tran Rep-68
(916) 319-2068
Assemblymember.tran@assembly.ca.gov

My Commentary on the BarWest Media Blitzkrieg

As the desperate Detroit billionaire BarWest and their partners the Desperate Barstow Politicians Unleash Massive Media Campaign and all out Lobbying Effort

Emails, campaign adds on YouTube, and major lobbying efforts by Mayor Dale, Council Members Hackbarth-McIntire and Silva spreading their distortion, deception, and outright lies in Sacramento. The shameless sell out of our council as the pawns and puppets of BarWest is in full operation.

The Barstow City Council Lobbyist
for BarWest Scramble to State Capitol

King Dale, Prince Silva, and Princess Hackbarth of BarWest fantasyland are busy playing the role of pawns and puppets while they embarrass themselves in front of Sacramento Democrats that are wise to BarWest and not about to compromise their values in favor of these Republican Sell Outs!

Fresh after the recent outing of Mayor Lawrence Dale as the total pawn and spokesperson for the corrupt, right-wing BarWest corporate interest, by Councilman Joe Gomez at a ‘Special Meeting‘ of the Barstow City Council, a massive media campaign by billionaire Detroit Developer BarWest has the Mayor running off to Sacramento with fellow pawns and puppets, Julie Hackbarth McIntire and Tim Silva.

BarWest Pawn Mayor Dale

This BarWest project was a nonstarter all along

This was a nonstarter because Reservation Shopping is the worst violation of Ancestral Rights. Those are sacred rights that Native Americans have shed blood and life over a 250 year history. No matter what people think about gaming, Indian gaming has made major progress in lifting Native Americans our of dire poverty and able to empower them to have a seat at the table and bargain from a position of strength. As far as I am concerned we owe them so much more that this is still just a start of how we can restore these people and preserve their culture. This is why I am in this fight and for no other reason. I have fought hard for other issues involving civil rights and this feels no different in any way.

But Democrat leaders in Sacramento are intimately aware of the sacred nature of Ancestral Rights. They are aware of the strong opposition from the vast majority of Native Americans that are opposed to the threat of Reservation Shopping. Democrats know how Native Americans are a vital part of the core of our party’s base. Most importantly they know how Indian gaming as done much to raise the standard of living for Native Americans and empowered them with a voice at the table to protect their Ancestral Rights from greedy developers, governors, and sell out politicians like we have in Barstow.

BarWest Partners

BarWest had to work over time to find anyone willing to author the last compact bill. After speaking with Senator Ashburn’s office, it was disclosed to me by his staff that the Senator doesn’t really support the idea of Indian gaming in Barstow. He has his arm twisted into authoring the bill only because he believes that it should be decided at the local level and he bought the BarWest lie that 81% of the Barstow residents support these compacts. Still even he was convinced that they would fail even as he reluctantly agreed to author the bill.

BarWest was only able to get Senator Pat Wiggins [D- Santa Rosa] to sign on after contributing thousands of dollars to her campaign. She too has been total lacking in her support her signature on the bill. She has done little or nothing to move the bill along and she predicted the bills failure weeks ago. Nonetheless, as a Democrat she should be held accountable for taking BarWest money and then joining the attack against the Ancestral Rights of local legitimate tribes. She should be ashamed and retract her support sooner rather than later.


Governor’s Signature wasn’t ever worth Squat

Before the governor’s signature was yet dry, BarWest, the Los Coyotes, Mayor Dale, his puppets Tim and Julie, along with the entire BarWest Kool-Aid Club of Barstow have constantly parroting the same phrase over and over again like trained monkeys. “It is the ONLY compact that has the signature of the governor.” Ever since the first chanting of that BarWest mantra, I have been pointing out to the Council that the governor’s signature wasn’t worth the wrapper on a stick of gum. I keep trying to educate them on Poli Sci 101 that if the legislature has to ratify these compacts and the legislature is dominated by Democrats then it is NEVER, NEVER going to happen.

Now we find out from the city’s own lobbyist (a solid member of the Kool-Aid club) Nick Medeiros, in a memo dated August 22, 2007 that the blame for the failure is being laid in large part to the total “lack of interest on the part of the governor”.

So the number one argument in why everyone should drink some Kool-Aid and then line up to support these corrupt Detroit billionaire schemes to assault the Ancestral Rights of local legitimate tribes, turns out to be crumbling into the reality that the signature never represented anything more that a total “lack of interest on the part of the governor.” Such a sting of lies, deception, and distortion of the truth should NEVER be rewarded with the ratification of these fatally flawed compacts. I trust in the strong values and experience from Democrats in Sacramento to see through this extreme case of attempted Reservation Shopping.

Sacramento Democrats Protecting Ancestral Rights Against Reservation Shopping from Greedy Developers and Corrupt Barstow Council

And so far, Democrats in Sacramento (except Senator Pat Wiggans) have not disappointed me. They have stood with the sanctity of Ancestral Rights and against the threat of Reservation Shopping. Chairman Wood of the Chemehuevi Tribe was reporting to the Barstow City Council on August 20 regarding a recent trip he had made to the State’s capitol in Sacramento. After meeting with members of the Democratic and Republican Caucuses, the Governor’s office, and members of the two Government Organization Committees, he was told that there was ZERO support for the failed BarWest compacts and that not only was nobody talking seriously about their passage but that it didn’t even qualify as idle chatter in the hallways.

The Government Organization (G. O.) Committees

In the legislative process, the Senate Government Organization Committee and the Assembly Government Organization Committee are the two gate keeper committees that are designed to vet the issues involved in state bills and decide whether they are worthy to be passed on to the legislature at large for ratification.









Senator Florez

Assemblyman Horton

The Chair of the Assembly G.O. Committee, Assemblyman Jerome Horton and Senator Dean Florez, Chair of the Senate G.O. Committee were both brilliant in their handling of these compacts when they came in front of their respective committees. They saw through the hypocrisy of BarWest arguments and exposed the BarWest schemes of Reservation Shopping. In the end, these compacts were killed by the principals of Ancestral Rights that protect Native Americans from the deceit campaigns of the greedy Detroit billionaire developers.
While the compacts were going through these committees, I made a point of making contact with members of the two G.O. Committees and sending them the relevant information about the BarWest corruption and influence peddling in Barstow.

Last October, just before the November elections, I personally met with Assembly Member Gloria Negrete McLeod, who was on the Assembly Government Organization Committee as the BarWest Compacts were being heard. At that time, she had just received a $2100 campaign contribution from BarWest partner Michael Malik. I wanted to make sure that she was aware of the true right-wing nature of this greedy Detroit billionaire developer. She was not personally aware of the contribution but she was emphatic in letting me know that nobody was going to buy her vote. Furthermore, she confided to me that it was all a mute point because in her words: “members of the G.O. Committee were on to BarWest and were not about to be duped by their tactics”. In other words, these compacts were dead back then and that’s the way they were going to stay - dead and buried.






Assembly Member
Gloria McLeod


Tom Shields, the ‘Carl Rove’ of the BarWest Nightmare in Barstow

The new campaign, which has been secretly in the planning stages for the past several months, was unfurled in a media blitz and all out lobbying effort on the part of these sell-out politicians that have been bought and paid for by BarWest. The comprehensive strategy operation is the work of the chief spin doctor Tom Shields who serves as the ‘Carl Rovian’ mastermind behind BarWest campaigns across the country.

The Liar-in Chief for BarWest is also the bullshit artist behind the anti “Measure H Hurts Barstow” campaign, the distorted, deceptive campaign election of Council Members Julie and Tim and the fantasy campaign of ‘Keep Hope Alive’ that these long dead compacts ever stood a snow ball’s chance in hell of ever being passed.

BarWest Spin Doctor
'Shady Shields'

More recently, ‘Shady Shields’ is the liar who is also master minding the attack against me with a smear campaign to silence me. He said that I tied to extort him into giving me a bunch of money to keep me from going to “the other side”. In a lifetime of fighting for social justice, I am used to dealing with slime like him. What saddens me and makes me angry is that he has played on human greed to bring dishonor upon the Los Coyotes.



Conflict of Interest not a problem for Barstow Politicians -
They live in BarWest fantasy land

The extensive Conflict of interest involved in these shameless politicians, having had their campaigns run by Tom Shields and financed largely by BarWest has NEVER given them a restless night nor dampened their assault on the sacred Ancestral Rights of local legitimate tribes, especially the Chemehuevi. While these Barstow politicians are behind the false allegations of me being a being a paid hack for “the other side”, they make it obvious that there is something in it for them that goes way beyond being given a seat on the council. Their zealous attitude in dropping all other business to run up to Sacramento at the smallest snap of the fingers from BarWest has made them totally transparent that their blind loyalty is light years above any possible real concern for the citizens of Barstow.

BarWest Stooge
Council Member Silva

It begs the question of how much it cost to get a politicians to violate those sacred Ancestral Right of local tribes such as the Chemehuevi. The Native American Heritage Commission is now calling for Attorney General Jerry Brown to get involved. It is way past time for and investigation by his office along with the U. S. Attorney’s Office and the Public Integrity office of the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office. And yet these guys are blatantly demonstrating that they have no shame and that their greed will get them running at a moments notice.












BarWest Stooge
Council Member McIntire

This thing is going to DIE a fitting DEATH big time and now these guys are up in Sacramento lobbying as if they were high paid pawns on the BarWest payroll. And they wonder why this town has a history of being economically depressed or why we are the laughing stock of everyone in the real world. Tim and Julie have ZERO qualifications or background that would ever equip them to serve as effective leaders of the people, much less to live up to the promise that BarWest sold them in their campaign literature as “The Turn Around Team”.

Larry Dale, Julie (Del Taco) Hackbarth-McIntire, and Silva have some explaining to do about the details of what’s in it for them. Nobody is so stupid as to believe that you would make yourself vulnerable for indictment, recall, or other prosecution just because you think it is ok to commit gross violations of Ancestral Rights with the most extreme example of the evil of Reservation Shopping to ever be proposed anywhere. Larry, Julie, and Tim, you need to know that everyone in Sacramento is laughing at you playing the role of puppet and pawn for BarWest.

It is time for the truth to come out!
It is Time for Investigations,
Recalls and Indictments!

Operation Desperate BarWest Media Blitz

HOT OFF THE WIRE
DIRECT FROM
THE PRESS ROOM:

Desperate BarWest, Desperate Politicians Unleash Massive Media Campaign and all out Lobbying Effort

Emails, campaign adds on YouTube, and major lobbying efforts by Mayor Dale, Council Members Hackbarth-McIntire and Silva spreading their distortion, deception, and outright lies in Sacramento. The shameless sell out of our council as the pawns and puppets of BarWest is in full operation.

Here is the Media Coverage of the BarWest’s “Operation Media Blitz and All Out Last Minute Lobbying Campaign”:

INDEX

BarWest/ Los Coyotes ad on YouTube, and select TV markets
The YouTube Video version of the television advertisement

The Desert Dispatch story of 9.5,7
Casino Backers Try Last Minute Effort to Pass Compacts

Business Wire Press Release of 9.5.07
PRESS RELEASE Tribes Fronting for Detroit Billionaires Launch Media Campaign to Urge Passage of Barstow Compacts

TheVerifiableTruth.com Editorial of 9.5.07 and 9.6.07
Who's behind the political ads launched by Detroit-based BarWest in California this week and what's their true motivation?

Billionaire Detroit Casino Syndicators with ties to Las Vegas have launched CA Ad Campaign against Established Gaming Tribes

The Times Standard
Time is Running Out for Barstow Compact by Jessie Faulkner

The San Bernardino Sun
Tribes launch TV campaign for Barstow casinos

BarWest/ Los Coyotes Commercial
on YouTube, and select TV markets

The Desert Dispatch story of 9.5,7

Casino backers try last minute effort to pass compacts

By JASON SMITH, staff writer With about a week left in the 2007 legislative session, supporters of one proposed off-reservation Indian casino in Barstow are trying one final push to get the state legislature’s approval before the agreements expire.

State senators, Mayor Lawrence Dale, and representatives of the Big Lagoon Rancheria and Los Coyotes Indian tribes met in Sacramento on Wednesday to announce a renewed effort to lobby legislators to pass the compacts with the tribes to build a casino in Barstow. The compacts, signed by the governor on Sept. 9, 2005, will expire if not passed by Sept. 17.

The supporters have created a 30-second television commercial that will air in the districts of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, D-Los Angeles, and state Senate President Don Perata, D-Oakland, and in Sacramento. The commercial features Francine Kupsch of the Los Coyotes tribe, who originally starred in a 1998 ad used to support Proposition 5, which expanded Indian gaming in California. The ad blames “rich tribes who own casinos” for the stalling the compacts in the legislature and urges viewers to call the offices of Nuñez and Perata.

“We’ll be taking the issue directly to the public,” said Tom Shields, spokesman for the casino’s developer, BarWest LLC. The tribes and BarWest will pay for the commercial, which will be broadcast during the next week. “It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this,” he said.

Alicia Tross, spokeswoman for Senator Perata’s office, said she doesn’t think the efforts will be successful. “There is just no time left in this session to move the compact,” she said. She said that the senate has a rule that compacts must sit at the senate desk before being taken up for a vote.

Steven Maziglio, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez’s office, said that the speaker has not decided whether or not to support the compact because the compacts have not reached the Assembly floor.

Shields said that although the deadline will be tight, there is still hope to pass the compacts this year. He said last year at this time the compacts for the TASIN tribes, the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations tribes, passed in one afternoon at the end of the legislative session.

“In Sacramento, where there’s a will there’s a way,” he said.

Nick Medeiros, a lobbyist hired by the city of Barstow, recently wrote a letter to the city of Barstow calling passage of the compacts “doubtful this year. In order for the Barstow casino development to proceed the compacts would have to be approved by Sept. 17 and land for the project would have to be put into federal trust, a lengthy process that is still underway.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or jason_smith@link.freedom.com

Business Wire Press Release of 9.5.07

PRESS RELEASE Tribes Fronting for Detroit Billionaires Launch Media Campaign to Urge Passage of Barstow Compacts

Legislators, Environmental & Tribal Leaders Appeal to Legislative Leadership

DETROIT, Michigan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tribal leaders from the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians and Big Lagoon Rancheria today unveiled a media campaign, funded by Detroit billionaires, urging legislative leaders to ratify the Barstow compacts. (Note: the television advertisement unveiled to the news media may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvipfS9MVPo)
Last Fall, the California Fair Political Practices Commission fined the promoters behind this advertising campaign for two counts of violating California's Political Reform Laws when they failed to report a $26,6000 contribution they made to the San Joaquin County GOP Committee in 2004. While compacts for the richest California tribes have been passed by the State Assembly and Senate, there have been no hearings or any consideration of the Barstow compacts. With compacts set to expire on September 17th and only days remaining in the legislative session, the Tribes were left with no option but to make their case directly to Californians.

"My family was used as the face of Indian poverty in the campaign to pass Proposition 5," said Francine Kupsch, Los Coyotes tribal member. "But a decade later, the wealthy tribes are using their gambling dollars to keep poor tribes like the Los Coyotes from having the same opportunity to succeed." [Prop 5 did not approve of off-reservation casinos like those promoted by Detroit billioaire Marian Ilitch].

Opposition from the state’s richest gaming tribes has been a roadblock to the legislature’s timely consideration of the Barstow compacts, preventing even an informational hearing on this issue from occurring. Given the upcoming deadlines, direct action is needed from Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata.

"Now is the time for our state’s legislative leadership to stand up and fight for all Indian tribes," said Virgil Moorehead, Chairman of Big Lagoon Rancheria. "The future of our people is truly in the hands of Speaker Nuñez and President Pro Tem Perata. Without your leadership, the environment at Big Lagoon will be jeopardized."

Big Lagoon Rancheria’s homeland is located along the environmentally sensitive Big Lagoon and is one of two remaining naturally functioning coastal lagoons left in California. The lagoon has long been recognized as an important natural habitat area, and the State of California has asserted it has a legitimate interest in protecting it. It was the State of California who asked the Tribe to consider moving its proposed gaming facility elsewhere. As part of the compact agreement, Big Lagoon Rancheria agreed to forgo commercial development at the lagoon.

"This is the last opportunity we have to avoid development on an environmentally sensitive habitat in Humboldt County," said Senator Wiggins." If the legislature doesn’t ratify these compacts, the Big Lagoon Rancheria will have the sovereign right to negotiate for gaming rights on their tribal land."

Signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in September 2005, the Barstow compacts are a model for tribal-state gaming agreements in California. The agreements include: significant revenue sharing for the State of California; provisions for labor unions to organize and bargain collectively; mechanisms for independent audits of casino revenues; and systems to enforcement payments of child support. These provisions have been hailed by legislators, labor unions and good government advocates as positive benefits for the State of California.

The City of Barstow has approved Municipal Services Agreements with both tribes that are expected to generate millions of dollars of revenue for the desert community. The compacts will also generate hundreds of good-paying permanent jobs.

"The compacts represent a tremendous partnership that meets the needs of the Tribes, the community of Barstow and the State of California and we hope legislative leaders will do the right thing to pass the compacts immediately," said Barstow Mayor Lawrence Dale.

The Los Coyotes and Big Lagoon have submitted land-into-trust applications to the federal government and the Bureau of Indian Affairs is currently preparing a draft environmental impact statement to identify potential environmental impacts of the project. California lawmakers must pass legislation to approve the compacts, the final state step in proceeding with jointly developing the casino resort.

(Note to news media: High Definition versions of the commercial are available. Please contact Toby Allen at 517-372-4400 or tobya@mrgmi.com to request a copy.)
Last Fall, the California Fair Political Practices Commission fined the promoters behind this advertising campaign for two counts of violating California's Political Reform Laws when they failed to report a $26,6000 contribution they made to the San Joaquin County GOP Committee in 2004.
The Barstow Casinos and Resort are designed to capture some of the market of an estimated 60 million cars that travel through the community on their way to and from Las Vegas each year. The projects will support approximately 900 construction jobs and 1,700 full time positions at the casinos. It is expected that the Los Coyotes and Big Lagoon tribes will contribute to the local community government yearly and generate millions of dollars in new revenue for the Barstow economy. The Barstow community has lagged behind the state in economic development with more than 35 percent of the residents on public assistance. More than 2,000 local residents signed postcards addressed to the Governor asking him to negotiate the compacts. More information is available at www.barstowcasinosandresort.com.
Posted by Verifiable at 4:37 PM
Labels: Barstow, Barwest, Big Lagoon, California, Compacts Rejected, Lawrence Dale, Los Coyotes, Marian Ilitch

TheVerifiableTruth.com Editorial of 9.5.07

Who's behind the political ads launched by Detroit-based Barwest in California this week and what's their true motivation?

Given the lobbyist representing both the Big Lagoon Rancheria and the City of Barstow reported the last week of August that the Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes gaming compacts were officially dead, it begs the question, who's funding the advertising campaign that was launched on Wednesday seemingly to push for approvals of the two gaming compacts and what's their real motivation.

Is this purely a way for Detroit gambling interests and their Las Vegas partners to help lay the ground work for signature gathering by Labor Unions and Race Track owners to referenda the four gaming compacts that were approved by the legislature this year without having to report the expense as a campaign contribution?

The Detroit Gambling syndicators (Mrs. Marian Ilitch and Michael J. Malik, Sr.) behind the Barstow gaming compacts were fined on two counts in 2006 for earlier violations of California's political reform laws when they failed to report a $26,600 contribution they made late in the 2004 Presidential Election to then Congressman Richard Pombo's County GOP Committee. It is rumored that the same individuals are under investigation yet again by the FPPC for similar charges.

Billionaire Detroit Casino Syndicators with ties to Las Vegas have launched California ad campaign against established gaming tribes


This advertisement is funded by Billionaire Detroit Casino Syndicators who are exploiting Native American interests and trying to get a foot in the lucrative California gaming market.

Last Fall, the California Fair Political Practices Commission fined the promoters behind this advertising campaign for two counts of violating California's Political Reform Laws when they failed to report a $26,6000 contribution they made to the San Joaquin County GOP Committee in 2004.

Mrs. Marian Ilitch (founder of Little Caesars Pizza; family also owns Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings) has previously partnered with Mandalay Resort Group and MGM Mirage. Her casino syndicate partner Michael Malik has partnered with Harrah's. The Michigan Gaming Control Board refused to grant her partner Michael Malik a gaming license in Michigan so now they're trying to break into the California market.


Together they're trying to push an unorthodox proposal to relocate two tribes from opposite ends of the state to a location in Barstow where they plan to develop and manage side-by-side off-reservation Indian Casinos for tribes that have no ancestral ties to the Barstow area.

Ilitch, Malik and their Las Vegas friends have spent millions trying to convince the California legislature to approve their Barstow scheme. They failed the last two years to win any legisaltive support so now they're joining with Labor Unions and Horse Racing Tracks in an attempt to beat up California's homegrown gaming tribes.
Several weeks ago their own lobbyist has already reported that their plans for Barstow casinos are dead in this year's legislature (the second year in a row Ilitch's team has failed to win support).

Time is running out for Barstow compact
Jessie Faulkner/The Times-Standard

Patience and extensive lobbying have not moved the Big Lagoon Rancheria's gaming compact any closer to ratification.

On Wednesday, Rancheria Chairman Virgil Moorehead, representatives from the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians, state Sen. Patricia Wiggins, city of Barstow officials and others gathered in Sacramento to launch a media campaign designed to get the attention of legislative leaders.

Under the gaming compact, signed by the governor on Sept. 9, 2005, both the Big Lagoon Rancheria and Los Coyotes would be allowed to open casinos in Barstow. The arrangement, the first to allow construction of an Indian casino away from tribal lands, would prevent construction of a casino along the shores of Big Lagoon.

Both tribal entities have applications before the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to bring the Barstow land into trust.

The gaming compact is the settlement agreement of Big Lagoon's bad-faith negotiating lawsuit against the state. If the gaming compact is not ratified by Sept. 17, Big Lagoon's chairman has pledged to go back to court.

The campaign will begin today with television ads airing on cable television in Sacramento, Oakland and Los Angeles, according to Big Lagoon spokesman Jason Barnett.

Organizers are hoping the campaign will prompt residents to urge Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata to bring the gaming compact -- Wiggins' Senate Bill 157 -- to the legislative floor for action.

"This is a legislative leadership issue," Barnett said. "If (they) wanted it on floor, they could make it happen."

To date, the bill has not made it out of the rules committee.

"This is the last opportunity we have to avoid development on an environmentally sensitive habitat in Humboldt County,” said Wiggins, who represents the North Coast, in a release. “If the Legislature doesn't ratify these compacts, the Big Lagoon Rancheria will have the sovereign right to negotiate for gaming rights on their tribal land."

During the 2006 legislative session, a bill to ratify the gaming compact -- then sponsored by former state Sen. Wesley Chesbro -- was voted down in the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization, but with the proviso that the item could be brought back.

The primary stumbling block both during both legislative sessions has been opposition from other gaming tribes opposed to the compact's more liberal labor language and the higher-percentage of casino revenues earmarked for the state.

"We're running out of time,” Barnett said, “we're running out of options."

If the gaming compact is not ratified, Moorehead has pledged to build a casino on the tribal land at Big Lagoon. The first step in that process may be alleging that the state negotiated in bad faith.

Jessie Faulkner can be reached at 441-0517 or jfaulkner@times-standard.com.

Tribes Launch TV Campaign for Barstow Casinos

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer San Bernardino County Sun

Two California Indian tribes launched an 11th-hour media campaign Wednesday with a televised ad they hope will prompt state Legislators to ratify their gaming compacts so they could build casinos in Barstow.

Big Lagoon Rancheria of Humboldt County and the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians in San Diego County negotiated gaming compacts with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in September 2005, but the compacts have remained in limbo ever since.

No hearings on the compacts have been scheduled in Sacramento.

"My family was used as the face of Indian poverty in the campaign to pass Proposition 5," said Los Coyotes tribal member Francine Kupsch, referring to a 1998 televised ad that featured her and her children sitting in their trailer on the reservation, reading a book by oil lamp light. "But a decade later, the wealthy tribes are using their gambling dollars to keep poor tribes like Los Coyotes from having the same opportunity to succeed."

With only a week to go before the 2007 Legislative session ends, the clock is ticking.

Both tribes are hoping a public rallying cry will draw attention to their cause.

If not, the tribes are likely to go their separate ways, with Big Lagoon considering a casino or hotel somewhere on their 20-acre reservation off the Pacific Coast and Los Coyotes continuing its push for a Barstow casino.

Both tribes want to open a joint casino - the Barstow Casinos and Resort - that could pull an estimated 60 million cars traveling to and from Las Vegas to the casino, a venture that could mean millions of dollars in new revenue to Barstow and about 1,700 full-time jobs.

An ad posted on YouTube on Wednesday and expected to run on cable television in the next several days in Sacramento, the Bay Area and in Los Angeles shows a snippet of the 1998 televised ad featuring Kupsch and the message for California voters to "Stand up to the greedy tribes" and to "Call your legislative leaders" to support the tribal fairness bill.

Some gaming tribes including the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians are fighting the move by Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes to build casinos in Barstow, calling it an encroachment on Serrano ancestral lands.

But Los Coyotes and Big Lagoon believe San Manuel and other gaming tribes are more concerned about competition.

San Manuel spokesman Jacob Coin said that while he had not yet seen the YouTube ad or was aware of the news conference the tribes held at the state Capitol, San Manuel's position was still status quo.

Moving so they can have a better market location is just not what we promised the voters would happen," Coin said, referring to Big Lagoon Rancheria, whose reservation lies more than 700 miles northwest of Barstow.

San Manuel also hit a roadblock getting its amended compact ratified this year when the tribe refused to sign a side agreement that would make the compact more palatable to some Assemblymembers.

The compact would allow the tribe to add 7,500 more slot machines to its casino near Highland and would generate $45 million a year in state revenue to start.

Big Lagoon spokesman Jason Barnett said the lack of progress Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes have made in Sacramento in the last two years is an "unfortunate commentary on how much power the big tribes have in Sacramento."

"We've been locked out of the game for months. We can't even get an informational hearing, let alone an up or down vote," Barnett said.

Contact staff writer Joe Nelson at (909) 386-3874 or via e-mail at joe.nelson@sbsun.com

Mayor Dale and Tom Shields (still NOT) the Final Authority of Ancestral Rights

Not so fast (self appointed) "Professors" Dale and Shields, there is a couple of things you just may have over looked! Next time do some (ANY) Research!

It is incredible to think that in the past 250 years since we slaughtered Native American in the worst case of genocide in world history and forced them on to God forsaken reservations, that Native Americans could have ever survived at all without BarWest, Tom Shields, and Mayor Dale to explain their Ancestral Rights to them.

In his letter to the Department of the Interior, (no doubt written by Shields) Mayor Dale clearly establishes himself as the final authority on local Ancestral Rights with his vicious attack on the Chemehuevi. Who died and left you ‘THE Decider’ of matters relating to Ancestral Lands anyway Dale? Here is some of those pesky little facts that you had to overlook in the process:

Never mind the role of the U. S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs.

What do they know anyway? Well, this is what their website says:

There “are 561 federal recognized tribal governments in the United States. Developing forestlands, leasing assets on these lands, directing agricultural programs, protecting water and land rights, developing and maintaining infrastructure and economic development are all part of the agency's responsibility.”

Office of Indian Gaming Management
“The Office of Indian Gaming Management, under the supervision of the Deputy Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs for Economic Development and Policy, is responsible for implementing those gaming-related activities assigned to the Bureau of Indian Affairs by the Indian Gaming regulatory Act of 1988 and other Federal laws. The office develops policies and procedures for review and approval of: tribal/state compacts; per capita distributions of gaming revenues; and requests to take land into trust for purpose of conducting gaming. Work is coordinated with the National Indian Gaming Commission and with the state, local and tribal governments that may be impacted by gaming proposals.”

Never mind the role of the role of the National Indian Gaming Association

Mission and Responsibilities
"The Commission's primary mission is to regulate gaming activities on Indian lands for the purpose of shielding Indian tribes from organized crime and other corrupting influences; to ensure that Indian tribes are the primary beneficiaries of gaming revenue; and to assure that gaming is conducted fairly and honestly by both operators and players.
To achieve these goals, the Commission is authorized to conduct investigations; undertake enforcement actions, including the issuance of notices of violation, assessment of civil fines, and/or issuance of closure orders; conduct background investigations; conduct audits; and review and approve Tribal gaming ordinances.

Never mind The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

“The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) rquires that any project that causes a substantial adverse change in the significance of an historical resource, that includes archeological resources, is a ‘significant effect’ requiring the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The lead agency should include “all appropriate native American groups culturally-affiliated to the project site. Certainly from the NAHC date, that would include persons and tribes of Chemehuevi, Mojave, Kawaiisu, Vanyume and Serrano decent.”

Never mind California Senate Bill 18

SB 18 places the responsibility of initiating consultation on local governments. The purpose of SB 18 is to provide time for tribal input early in the planning process. Besides city staff and tribal representatives, the process may also include applicants and consultants. The local government should contact the tribe first to determine the appropriate level of private landowner involvement, because there may be occasions where the tribe prefers to maintain strict confidentiality without the inclusion of a private, third-party landowner.

The bill requires that, prior to the adoption or amendment of a city or county’s general plan, the city or county conduct consultations with California Native American tribes for the purpose of preserving specified places, features, and objects that are located within the city or county’s jurisdiction.

Never mind the CA Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC)

In a letter dated, 8-13-07 the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), a California government agency, the Commission stated that they “are concerned that state law may have been violated if the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe was not given full and reasonable opportunity to comment on and express concerns on either a project planned under the California Environmental Quality Acti (CEQA) or Government Code Senate Bill 18. If consultation was not provided, under either of these two acts of the California legislature, by the City of Barstow or it’s agent, then the tribe in our opinion, has a right to file a complaint with the California Attorney General and the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). The City ….must offer the tribe the opportunity to make it’s case regarding a project that it feels may have an adverse effect on the Native American cultural resources in the Barstow/Mojave Desert areas.”

Never mind Barstow’s own General Plan that has already complied with SB 18 and CA Native American Heritage Commission

Barstow General Plan/Technical Report
IV.2 Cultural Resources Management Plan
Preface – Native American Concerns
(pages IV.2.6 – IV.2.7)

"Therefore, any project must involve consultation with and involvement from local and regional Native American cultural entities as listed by the Native American Heritage Commission. The local Barstow office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maintains a listing of representatives of Native American groups who claim an association with the Barstow area; specifically the Serrano, Kaaiisu, Fort Mojave, and Chemehuevi."

Never mind the Fort Irwin Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

Prepared by Professor David Earl, and commissioned by the military this EIR is hailed as the definitive work on the Ancestral documentation of the presence of the Chemehuevi Tribe. Ft. Irwin sits on a rich archeological site with a history of artifacts that have been unearthed and documented as from the Chemehuevi Tribe. The EIR report and other research on the subject is archived by the Ft. Irwin Base Archeologist, Ms. Lewes Ramirez who can be reached at (760) 380-4865 for confirmation of those findings.

Never mind the Ancestral Rights claims of the Chemehuevi Tribe

Local tribes have historically been carrying the burden of establishing and preserving those Ancestral Claims. Furthermore, under SB 18 and the CA Native American Heritage Commission has empowered tribes as the ultimate authority on these matters. Chairman Wood, of the Chemehuevi tribe, has given the following documentation regarding the history of Chemehuevi presence in the greater Barstow area:

“…the Chemehuevi have used the Newberry Springs, Calico, Daggett, Yermo, Barstow, Silver Lakes, Victorville, Stoddard Valley, Apple Valley, Lucerne Valley, Adelanto and Hesperia areas for thousands of years. Most of these cities are built on the ancient village sites and cemeteries of native peoples. There are ‘sleeping circles’, village sites, individual burials, cemeteries, petroglyphs, and very possibly intaglios throughout the areas. These intaglios are often identifiable from the air and would correspond to those found on the Ft. Irwin Military Reservation just a few miles to the north.

There is the large and ancient village site and cemetery found at ‘Lane’s Crossing’ on the Old Spanish Trail, present day Oro Grande. The “last Indian Battle” in southern California history is said to have occurred at Chimney Rock involving a reported 150 to 200 Chemehuevi, there battles in the Rodman Mountains and the famous Camp Cady military campaign. There is the grave of Maria Chapula who was born in 1856 and lived in a Chemehuevi village now known as Victorville and died at the age of 104, but remembers having lived a short while in a Chemehuevi village in Barstow during her life.

There is the burial site in the Ord Mountains and the Chemehuevi Cemetery near Zyzxx at Soda Lake. There were three cowboys killed in 1856 by 20 to 30 Chemehuevi at the Old Duncan Ranch, which was known as the ancient village of Guapiabit, now knkown as the historic Las Floras Ranch in Summit Valley. According to the US Federal Census, there were 44 Indians living in Hesperia through 1900 to 1910. Further research has shown that 37 were Chemehuevi and the remaining 7 were Kawaiisu. Given all these facts, you can be assured that Chemehuevi lived in and around the present day city of Barstow.”

Finally, Never mind the research BarWest commissioned on the question of local Ancestral Rights

In the hopes of debunking any notion of Ancestral Rights for the Chemehuevi, Barwest commissioned a highly respected local historian to conduct extensive research to try and establish even the most remote connection with either Big Lagoon or Los Coyotes. After thorough studies into the matter, the results of that research revealed the exact opposite findings. Not only was there not a shred of evidence connecting the BarWest tribes to this entire region but in fact the study added even more documentation to the ancestral claims already established by the Chemehuevi Tribe.

But Professors Dale and Shields say: Screw all the facts, laws, Federal, State agencies, and 250 years of history. They are writting their own book on local Ancestral Rights. Just don't confuse them with the facts!

Index of Smoking Gun Letters

Index of Letters Distributed by Councilman Gomez at 8/28/07 Special Meeting of the Barstow City Council


As of this post, I am still working on an easy way to post Mayor Dale’s letter to the Department of the Interior attacking the Chemehuevi and their previously established Ancestral Rights. This smoking gun reveals Dale as the real pawn of BarWest, the role he has been playing since this Detroit developer first showed up and started buying influence here in Barstow.

In the meantime, if you would like copies of Dale’s letter or any of the letters that Gomez was distributing to the public that night, you can send me an email with your FAX number and I will be happy to send them to you.

You may wish to view the video on Councilman Gomez chastising Mayor Dale. It is posted on YouTube.com, TVT, and here on my blogs under the post entitled: “Red Faced Mayor Exposed as BarWest Pawn”. To see the entire council meeting including the Mayor’s response it is available on the City’s website, see my post entitled: Barstow Citizen Oversight on the Internet.

Here is the Index of the letters that Councilman Gomez released to the public in chronological order:

-TASIAN letter to Barstow City Council
Dated 8/29/05
RE: Opposition to BarWest Compacts

-Analytical Environmental Services letter to Chairman Wood
Dated 7/29/07
RE: “Barstow Scoping Report”

-Chairman Wood letter to Analytical Environmental Services
Dated 8/8/07
RE: “Barstow Scoping Report for BarWest LLC,
the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians
and the Big Lagoon Rancheria of Smith River Indians”

-Mayor Dale letter to BIA, US Dept of Interior
Dated 8/21/07
RE: “The Chemehuevi Tribe’s Recent Assault on Barstow”

-Barstow City Lobbyist, Nick Medeiros Memo to City of Barstow
Dated 8/22/07
RE: The BarWest Compact appear dead


For more Information on this subject see the following post:

The BarWest Scam in Barstow
Why BarWest is on the Attack
The True Story of my Involvement with Indian Gaming
TheVerifiableTruth.Com Exposes the Tom Shields Blame Game

Red Faced Mayor Exposed as Pawn of BarWest

Be careful of what you do in the dark,
as it WILL be revealed in the light!

Mayor Dale held a hastily called 'Special Meeting' on Tuesday, August 28 at 3pm. The word went out through the community that Dale was going to use the power of his three vote coalition to shit-can City Manager Hector Rodriguez. Dale never liked him and voted against his confirmation. He has been working overtime to undermine him ever since. More on this in another post but leave it to say here that the Council Chambers were packed with Rodriguez supporter representing a wide spectrum of the community. Included in the audience was former Council Members Gloria Darling, Helen Runyon, and Gil Gurule. After blasting the Mayor for trying to get rid of our much beloved City Manager the audience went to the lobby to await the outcome of the closed session.

When the Council resumed the open session, it was announced that the matter of the City Manager’s job status would be continued. The Mayor then skipped ahead to another highly contentious issue, the MicroMedia contract which was the real story behind his attempted firing of the City Manager. Between the two of these agenda items the Mayor was well on his way to having the worst meeting of his life if not the worst day of his life.

But then came the big bomb shell of the night during Council Reports. (see 51:45 in the "Following Closed Session" video). Joe Gomez took the mayor to task on his unauthorized letter of August 21 that he unilaterally sent to the U. S. Dept of the Interior. The letter written on City stationary, was referenced as "Re: The Chemehuevi Tribe's Recent Assault on Barstow" The three page letter is a vicious attack on the Chemehuevi and their claims of Ancestral Rights in the Barstow area.



Councilman Gomez reported that he had confronted the Mayor on August 20 when the Mayor had showed him the letter and before it was mailed. He had put the Mayor on notice that he could not send a letter out like that on his own and that he must get approval from the Council at large. This goes way beyond a breach of ethics and may well be a violation of government codes.

Joe continued to chastise the mayor for sending the letter on city stationary for over five minutes. He told him that he had warned him not to send it and that the mayor was getting in the way of Barstow ever getting a casino. Since the BarWest Compacts are DEAD by ALL accounts except within the BarWest Kool-Aid Club, the Chemehuevi casino project is the only hope left for Barstow to ever see a resort casino project in this city. Furthermore, Joe told the mayor that he was inviting a lawsuit from the Chemehuevi. Joe had copies of the letter along with a memo from the Nick Mederios (the city's lobbyist), a letter from Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN), and a letter from Chairman Wood, which he made available for circulation.

A red-faced, pissed off Dale sat and listened while Councilman Gomez leveled charges that could well be the death blow to Dale’s sorry, and in my opinion, corrupt career. At the conclusion of this explosive revelation, Dale asks: “Are you done with your comments? I intend to respond, I just want to make sure you are done with your comments.” Dale then turns to Councilman Curran for him to give his comments under Council Reports. While Steve had yet had a chance to read the letter, he chimed in that as the head of ethics for the council, he had issues with the mayor sending out the letter and agreed with everything that Gomez had said about it.

When the mayor finally responded (see 1:1:35 in the "Following Closed Session" video).He stood by his decision to send the letter and during the comments he was looking straight at me. I was on the front row and I started laughing at the ridiculous hypocrisy of his comments. The mayor noticed and remarked about my laughing and I can be heard to shout hypocrite at him. He said it wasn't hypocritical and said that he does not regret sending the letter.

The audience was in shock by this whole revelation and everyone sat with their jaw dropped. I believe that this was the beginning of the end for this mayor. It was easily his worse night ever. It was a beautiful thing to witness. There is consensus that it is a total impossibility that the mayor wrote this letter. I have been told that Dale only has a sixth grade education, He simply doesn't have the talent that Tom shields does and the letter reflects Tom's style. If you listen to the mayor, he sounds like a damn hillbilly as he totally slaughters the English languages with poor verb use and sentence structure like: "he done gone and..…”

Led by Shields and his accusations of me extorting him and the tribe, the BarWest Kool-Aid Club has been on a all out attack of me with allegations that I am a paid hack for “the other side” which he also refers to as “those wealthy greedy tribes.” But from the beginning, Dale has been working overtime to violate the Ancestral Rights of the rightful legitimate local tribes. BarWest has been flying him around in a Lear Jet on lobbying junkets. He has totally transformed the Council into a public relations firm for the truly greedy outside Detroit developer that specializes in the vile practice of Reservation Shopping that is the curse of all tribes that respect the concept of Indian Sovereignty.

In the process, Mayor Dale has been complicit with Shields in helping BarWest to buy influence, corrupt local leaders and compromise the institutions they represent. The good people of Barstow have been lied to and deceived at every turn as the mayor has divided the town and put at risk the chances that we may ever have a casino project in this town. As I told Larry that afternoon, he should not be lulled into a false sense of security. Even as we speak, plans are underway to file complaints with the District Attorney, the Grand Jury, the U. S. Attorney, and with the Attorney General of both CA and the U.S. I have ever reason to believe that this will all end with indictments, recalls, or both.

Open Letter to Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce

Clifford Brock
President
Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. BOX 698
Barstow, CA 92312-0698


Dear President Brock:

I am contacting you for a policy statement regarding the Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce. I would like to clarify what the Chamber’s current position is in regard to it’s support for BarWest and the compacts they represent on behalf of Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes.

I am the past Vice President of the Grand Terrace Area Chamber of Commerce where I also served as their Treasure. I also sought and received funding from the City of Grand Terrace to launch a twelve page newsletter that was distributed to every house in the city. In that capacity, I was the publisher, editor, writer, advertising director and distribution agent. During my tenure on the Board of Directors, we took the chamber from a do-nothing ‘good ole boys club’ and transformed it into a vital organization for promoting the city’s image and well being.

During that same period, I was also a member and interacted with the chambers of commerce for Colton, San Bernardino, Loma Linda, Redlands, and Riverside. I mention this background as way of saying that I am not unfamiliar with the role and purpose of any chamber of commerce in promoting the business community and the image of the city that they represent.

In my opinion, Barwest is a corrupt developer from Detroit that is attempting the impossible and violating the Ancestral Rights of local tribes with established aboriginal lands in the Barstow region. In my opinion as a Political Scientist, the BarWest never stood a chance at success because of these factors.

In pursuit of a lucrative market, BarWest brought their pattern and practice of buying influence to Barstow. I believe that they understood all along that they had a slim chance and the only way that they could succeed is getting as many local leaders on board as they could.

I found it deeply disturbing that they were able to turn the Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce into a public relations firm for BarWest. At the time that the former President, Tim Silva, fell pawn to their efforts, I confronted Tim on that issue. I told him that the purpose of any chamber of commerce is to promote the business community as a whole and not one business against another competing interest.

At the time that the Barstow Area was allowed to become compromised, I suspected that President Silva had made a ‘deal’ for some personal gain in the process. Those suspicions were confirmed when it was widely rumored that BarWest had offered him a position on the Council in exchange for his support. I had numerous people involved with the Chamber who told me how furious and disappointed they were at Mr. Silva for “selling out the chamber.” Those same individuals refused to endorse the BarWest candidates because of that history.

What followed was Tim as President of the Chamber, making appearances at City Council meetings to ratify the Chamber’s exclusive support for BarWest. It was at one such occasion that I told Tim of my complete disagreement with the Chamber taking such a position. It is especially offensive when the Chamber is funded with $50k of tax payer’s money and cheap rent. I told Tim that if I were the Chemehuevi or any other business interest that was harmed in the process, I would be inclined to take legal action to sue the Chamber and the City in order to stop this practice.

What also followed was all of the various lobbying efforts on the part of the Chamber’s President up in Sacramento and locally here in Barstow. Last November, BarWest fulfilled it’s promise to get Tim and Julie elected to the City Council. We all know that Tom Shields masterminded that campaign and helped bank roll it through their PAC, Barstow Citizens for Real Economic Development (BCRED). We also know that now that they are on the Council, they continue to ratify the City’s support for BarWest and continue to disrespect and violate the Ancestral Rights of local tribes.

In pains me to say this but I was disheartened to see your involvement in the BarWest campaign to elect Tim and Julie. You strike me as a person who is professional in everything you do and maintains a high sense of values and ethics in the process. I believe a lot of good people got innocently caught up in the frenzy of enthusiasm for the BarWest projects. It is my hope that if and when they come to some of these realizations, they will retract their prior support in favor of a neutral position or one that favors legitimate Native American Ancestral Rights.

The nature of my inquiry herein, is to inquire as to the current position of the Chamber in regard to it‘s exclusive support for BarWest. As of this writing, the BarWest website, still caries the following post with a quote from Tim Silva as the “Chamber’s President”:

[ see http://www.barstowcasinosandresort.com/chamber.html ]

From the Barstow Chamber of Commerce

“I think that everyone will tell you that Barstow is struggling economically. The Barstow business community has overwhelmingly supported the Big Lagoon/Los Coyotes casino resort as the economic catalyst necessary for business growth and development. Mere anticipation of the casinos and resort has already generated opportunities and positive developments. The spin-off benefits of this project for Barstow are nearly limitless.”

Tim Silva,
President, Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau


Since you are not listed as the current President with your own quote, it begs the question as to what the Chamber’s current position is now. Has the position of the Chamber changed or does it remain the same as under the previous President? If the position has change, please explain how? If the Chamber’s position has NOT changed, is there any plans to consider that change? Whether there is a change or not, is this by a vote of the Board?

I can tell you for certain, that these issues are foremost in my decision not to get involved in the Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce. As a life long businessman, I have always valued the role of any chamber of commerce in networking and promoting the image of the city it represents.

I am open to discussing these issues in person or on the phone but I would really appreciate a response to my questions ‘for the record’ in writing. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

With respect,

Larry D. Halstead