Monday, July 2, 2018

Pala Casino Expansion Continues

Here is the link to the article:


http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article/pala-casino-continues-expansion-226323

Excerpt:

“Our full-property remodel and expansion is well underway. The heavy construction is behind us and we are excited to be unveiling these new amenities to our guests ahead of the bustling summer season. We have introduced both new indoor and outdoor bars, lounges and resort spaces that we feel uniquely capitalize on Pala’s beautiful Southern California location,” said Pala Chief Executive Officer Bill Bembenek.

One of the new indoor spaces that Pala believes will be popular is the new smoke-free casino space, which is enclosed with glass from floor-to-ceiling. Pala’s HVAC system has been augmented to ensure that positive air flows out from the smoke-free space into the casino area where smoking is allowed.

“As part of our casino re-model and expansion, we are paying particular attention to our many guests who prefer to enjoy the smoke-free areas within our resort. We have created a beautifully-appointed casino area that will offer over 300 slot and video poker machines, live poker, casino cashier services and several restaurants and bars. Guests are able to enter the smoke-free casino directly through the smoke-free hotel entrance utilizing our complimentary valet service,” Bembenek said.

55 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excuse me Mr.Bembenek where is the Corruption free area?
We can put up with the smoking sometimes but the corruption has to go.

Anonymous said...

If pala cheats there own people they will certainly cheat there customers

Anonymous said...

Is the Hotel Construction still going forward? That was the main sum of the Pala construction loan. I heard it was cancelled? So then what happens to the millions from the loan that was suppose to go towards the new hotel? Does the EC return it or pocket it and and make the tribe pay back the entire loan amount?

Anonymous said...

Why aren't the terms of the loans that are made between the EC and the lending firm ever brought to the General Membership for review.
Why are we always in the dark when it comes to the financial aspects of the Band.
Aren't we the main part of the Tribe.
There is so much that is being hidden from the General Membership by the EC, ask yourself why.
It is because the main two people on the EC don't want to be exposed for what they really are, CROOKS- LIARS - CORRUPT- and no blood of the band.
I truly believe that if you get Theresa Nieto out of office first that Smith will resign soon after.
She controls him like a little puppy and he lets it happen.
I don't know if he is tapping it or not but he is whipped like a little bitch when it comes to Theresa Nieto.
She knows only one way to get what she wants and that is to "LIE".
She is a natural born liar and everyone close to her knows this.
She even lies to the Church and the Priest at the Mission where she is trying to buy her way into the pearly gates.
She is nothing but a cheater and a FRAUD
OH I forgot to say a big SULT when she has a couple of drinks under her panties.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

Pretty funny stuff. Big SULT. Drinks in panties. Controls Chairman Pig. Easy to say when you're anonymous.

Anonymous said...

like your not anonymous right R&R, or is that you real birth name that
your parents gave you ?

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

My name is no secret. I am Paul Johnson, and my Great Great Grandmother is Margarita Britten.

I use Reinstatement_Restitution as nic because it summed up the goal of the disenrollees. The former goal at this point since reinstatement is not possible for those of us who are members of the ACTCI and withdrawn from the association known as PBMI.

Anonymous said...

My Great Great Mother is also Margarita Britten that's why I use
anonymous to post because the back lash from the Pala EC is something that no one wants to put up with.
So that's why when I post I do not and will not use my real name.
So I guess that we are cousins then.
Well I will talk at you later going to celebrate the fourth with a fifth, of Jack Daniels that is.

Anonymous said...

At 11:43. If the ACTCI is not a federally recognized tribe you could still be enrolled in pala

Anonymous said...

Can I ask what is ACTCI?

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

The Agua Caliente Tribe of Cupeno Indians is a federally recognized tribe.

Anonymous said...

For the disenrolled, are we able to enroll in ACTCI?

Anonymous said...

When did the Aqua Caliente Tribe of Cupeno Indians become a federally recognized tribe?

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

Disenrollees are welcome to enroll in the ACTCI. Contact the owner of Pala Watch for application information. The ACTCI became federally recognized in 1875. It is just taking awhile for the federal government to admit it.

Anonymous said...

Why doesnt the ACTCI work on fixing Pala instead? Pala needs all the help it can get to become the tribe it should be. I know the 10 that had their rights stripped to attend meetings, vote, or run for office for exercising their Constitutional rights are fighters and we need them to have their rights restored. Mainly because by us allowing this we are making it ok for the EC to do this to any of us. I know nowadays many members wouldn’t care as long as they continued to get their check but when you realize there are more important things than money when it comes to your tribe and life itself. I feel sorry for those members because those are the ones Robert cultivates cause he can use you and make you do whatever he wants because your mindless and don’t care what happens you just blindly follow the check and it’s sad. Once I got a job a didn’t depend solely on percap my thinking changed. Ya it’s nice but it’s supposed to be extra a bonus of sorts not a crutch or life line. When you use it as such the person prescribing it becomes your ruler and natives have had enough people controlling them with threats and power and it’s still happening. Everyone is afraid to open their mouth or run against smith or nieto in fear of putting a target on their back by them. What happen to the brave native who stands up to tyranny? Have the majority become lap dogs who obey their master for food and lick his hand when he walks by? Or high school girls that talk sh#t all day behind Smith/nieto back and don’t do anything about it. I’m tired of being disappointed after every meeting and every election. Why don’t I stand up you ask? I would if I knew I had the support of the tribe but I have almost lost faith in our people for allowing Pala to become what it is and for allowing our council to harm our people in different ways why we stay silent until it is our turn. The past is repeating itself again except this time we are doing it to ourselves. The biggest difference is this time we can stop it and we can win if we stand together and demand answers and demand equality,fairness, and change. We demand answers!!

Anonymous said...

I agree with 11:59. I am dissenrolled.but pala is my home. Don't get me wrong I appreciate what the ACTCI is doing. I just think we should be working together to make pala a better place for all. Starting with re enrollment. Then putting a stop to dissenrollment in general. No one should have to live in fear of being dissenrolled.

Anonymous said...

We spent the first 4 years trying to fix it, trying to get the council to give us due process, trying to get the BIA to do what's right, trying to get a judge to listen to us, trying to get the DOI to give us a chance, and trying to get the Pala members to read our proof, and it went on deaf ears. Now we are focusing on what we need to do, we have been so let down by our relatives, it is the saddest thing ever, it still hurts and it still is affecting us. We are here, and we will always fight, If there comes a time where we can jump in and do something, we will, but it will probably be without help or back up again.

Anonymous said...

I am a disenrolled Pala member also and I have never lost hope the right thing will happen and we will be reinstated. Rob and nieto, mainly rob are the only thing keeping some of the Brittain descendants out. When he is gone (dead,jail,hospital) and a new EC actually looks at our enrollment they will do the only thing they honestly,legitimately can and reinstate all of us. Rob won’t give an actual reason why he disenrolled just rumors and sh@t talk. He has no real proof or documents that would hold up against all the other stuff we have and he knows it that’s why he carries out the disenrollments the way he did because if it was done the right way he wouldn’t have been able to disenroll us. Truth is Truth. The first couple years after I was disenrolled I was always so angry and pissed off that he could lie and get away with changing my history. I was so mad all the time I don’t know what I would have done if I had seen smith or nieto somewhere. I got tired of always being disappointed and angry about the situation. If I was legitimately disenrolled I would have been upset for a while but would have gotten over that I didn’t qualify to be enrolled and I couldn’t blame anyone but that’s not the case we all qualify and rob knows it that’s why he set this plan in motion and changed ordinance to get his way and falsely disenroll us with lies and his “I shouldn’t have to show you” comments. Actually you should have to show us if you have a so called reason but he never did show us because he doesn’t have anything. In all honestly there is not one day that goes by where I don’t think about my illegal disenrollment and what a piece of sh@t rob and nieto are for doing this to so many tribal members. I know I can speak for everyone that I will never give up hope because I know the truth and the truth will always win over lies when given a chance so I look forward to the day when we are given a chance to have the disenrollments looked into with everything we have as proof against whatever rob and nieto has and then have an unbiased person go over it and make a decision. I have no fear or problem with letting someone go over everything and make a decision. Rob does that’s why he always stops it, especially at the court level. He always makes his lawyer block discovery because he has nothing to show even if the court demanded him to produce it he couldn’t. We showed everything. Why can’t he just post his proof or show anyone if he is so right about the Brittains?? I hope this never happens to any other tribal members because it is discouraging and makes you feel lost and I gaurentee there will not be one day that goes by that you will not think about the injustice that you have endured and feel like nobody cares enough to do something. I really hope I can get my original roll number back which is lower than most my age since I was enrolled as a child. Although I heard robert wiped our records from the tribal hall as if we were never members. So he probably gave our original roll numbers away to new members or adopted members that support him so they can have a lower roll number and make it seem like they have been enrolled for a long time. Dam this sucks to have your identity taken from you because of a personal grudge and lies.

Anonymous said...

Someone needs to fuck Robert Smith up along with Nieto and Perez. They are all afraid to fight and one on one they will run like little bitches.
That's what really needs to happen to them and they will re-enroll.

Anonymous said...

If the Federal government does not recognize the ACTCI as a federally recognized tribe with a federally recognized land base or a federally recognized enrollment and a federally recognized governing document, how the hell are they Federally recognized? Bad advice to tell people to join a tribe that is NOT FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED, you are messing with there eligibility to be Pala Tribal members in the future.

Anonymous said...

If we join ACTCI will be get any per capita?

Anonymous said...

And there it is...there is more to being a tribal member than getting percap! You don’t deserve to be enrolled anywhere guy. Being enrolled at another tribe only effects enrollment if you have received benefits from that tribe.

Anonymous said...

Yup there are enrolled members at Pala right now that we’re previously enrolled at other tribes then left and enrolled in Pala when the casino was being built and percap was on the horizon.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

Someone asked if disenrollees could join ACTCI. If they aren't currently tribal members then it won't adversely affect them. As far as federal recognition goes it is a fact that the ACTCI has evidence of a government to government relationship and has never been terminated. The BIA wants all tribes not on the List to go through Part 83. It is now up to the court to decide. In the meantime ACTCI is a federally recognized tribe until the court says otherwise. The good news is that the Court doesn't have the authority to terminate a tribe and the Part 83 regulations don't apply to recognized tribes. We will see what happens.

Anonymous said...

There is no per-capita with ACTCI, but we are family, we have strength, unity, identity, kindness, and most of all, we have TRUTH. The ancestors are smiling on us, we are showing the truth that has always been, we are facing a den of demons and their followers with their lies, violence, and threats,but we stand together, we stand strong, and we know we are right.

Anonymous said...

Why go through all this bullshit when all any of you have to do is kill the EC members that disenrolled you.
Problem solved.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

Because the Cupeno tribe has been disenfranchised by the PBMI. Beyond the disenrollments, Robert Smith has made the PBMI a Luiseno tribe. The PBMI has always been an association of mostly Cupenos. The Luiseno was Old Pala, only 53 people in 1903. The Cupeno from Warner's Springs were a much larger group, numbering about 160. That majority continued until 1979 when the BIA listed PBMI as a Luiseno tribe. The membership roll kept by the BIA shows both Old Pala and Warner's Springs Indians as Pala Mission Indians. The Cupeno people have to withdraw to preserve their identity and legacy. Otherwise it all gets turned over to the Luiseno.

Taking out Smith and Nieto does not accomplish these goals.

Anonymous said...

Bullshit they are the wall between what is right and what is wrong.
Once they are gone things will change for the good.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

Not bullshit. PBMI is now a Luiseno tribe thanks to Robert Smith. The BIA won't interfere with internal tribal affairs. You can't sue the EC because they have immunity. Everything is set up to feed Smith's corruption. So you take them out. Then what happens? PBMI is stocked with EC supporters that benefit from the corruption. They aren't suddenly going to become honest members that want reform. They will fight against change especially because a lot of them are fraudulently enrolled. Whatever. The ACTCI is going forward like it or not. And lots of luck finding anyone in Pala willing to take out the EC.

Anonymous said...

At R&R ,There are still cupeno people enrolled at pala. I appreciate what you are doing for ACTCI. But don't try to discourage us that want to continue our fight here in pala. There is corruption everywhere. I believe Robert had a personal vendetta against king which is what caused the dissenrollments. When Robert is out of office the new chairman " even if corrupt" won't have the same vendetta. And all someone has to do is re enroll the brittians and they would be guaranteed the brittian vote.

Anonymous said...

To whom it may concern.
With all of the evidence against the current EC that has been documented by everyone even the BIA and the Courts of NO HELP
people are feed up and so I believe that a new EC will be the best thing to happen to the Pala Reservation in over 30 years.
All of this evidence will be used as a learning tool for the new EC and it will help the members in their decision making.
It will help the people look for things that can destroy the Tribe as Robert Smith has done.
You can not play GOD with peoples lives because in the end it will come back and bite you in your dumb ASS.

Anonymous said...

This is the last paragraph of the B.I.A , Dept of Interior recommendation letter on the Brittains disenrollment by Smith and Nieto that was sent to the disenrolled and the Pala EC. After receiving this letter you would think the EC wouldn’t go through with the disenrollments since there was obviously NO REASON or EVIDENCE to support it. What reason did smith/nieto use that they wouldn’t provide to the BIA of the tribal members???? Also when Smith was asked by Christy Fajardo during the news report on Pala disenrollments his answer when asked “why not show those documents” his response “again we shouldn’t have to show anyone” what about the tribe they want to know why?? Remeber many Brittains are still enrolled members. **Section 8 of the enrollment ordinance, however, permits the Regional Director to provid informal recommendations on the executive committee’s actions. Based on our review of the documents provided by the individuals requesting review and the records in our office, it is our recommendation that these individuals remain enrolled with the Band AS THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT THE DISENROLLMENT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. Therefore, our recommendation to the Band is to continue to recognize the membership status of the individuals affected by the February 3, 2012 executive committee action.

Anonymous said...

This is the last paragraph of the B.I.A , Dept of Interior recommendation letter on the Brittains disenrollment by Smith and Nieto that was sent to the disenrolled and the Pala EC. After receiving this letter you would think the EC wouldn’t go through with the disenrollments since there was obviously NO REASON or EVIDENCE to support it. What reason did smith/nieto use that they wouldn’t provide to the BIA of the tribal members???? Also when Smith was asked by Christy Fajardo during the news report on Pala disenrollments his answer when asked “why not show those documents” his response “again we shouldn’t have to show anyone” what about the tribe they want to know why?? Remeber many Brittains are still enrolled members. **Section 8 of the enrollment ordinance, however, permits the Regional Director to provid informal recommendations on the executive committee’s actions. Based on our review of the documents provided by the individuals requesting review and the records in our office, it is our recommendation that these individuals remain enrolled with the Band AS THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT THE DISENROLLMENT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. Therefore, our recommendation to the Band is to continue to recognize the membership status of the individuals affected by the February 3, 2012 executive committee action.

Anonymous said...

Letter dated/received July 13, 2011 Robert Smith received a letter from Dept of Interior per his** requesting information for enrollment applications for the following individuals on 1928. Agency receipt of this letter was June 27,2011.
The individuals for this request were named as follows:
1. Vivian Trujillo Banks
2. Esperanza Brittain Trujillo
3. Fildeo and Defredia Trujillo Magee
Enclosed are copies of the 1928 applications from the 1928 California roll of Indians. Please be advised these applications do not denote tribal membership of enrollment. “That’s because Pala cannot use the 1928 California Indian rolls for enrollment purposes and the dept of Interior reminded smith of this. He requested these June 2011 and had the first disenrollment July 2011.
There is also a ducument between Stan Mcgarr “Pala Secretary at the time” and Barbara Gonzales-Lyons Vice-Chair of Cahuilla where Barbara was requesting Margarita Brittain and her children’s blood degree for enrollment of their members that have Brittain blood.
**The Pala Allotment Roll (PAR) approved by the secretary of Interior November 3, 1913 and the Pala census (PC) for the year 1919, show Margarita Britten to be of the following:
1. Female, (PAR), (PC)
2. Village, Kupa (PC)
3. 4/4 Degree Indian Blood (PAR)
4. All children to be 1/2 Degree Indian Blood (PAR)
The (PAR) and (PC) are acknowledged by the Pala Band of Mission Indian Tribe to be true and the tribe agrees with the degree of Indian blood in these records.

Anonymous said...

Ok its time to send a letter to the BIA and request the blood line of Robert H. Smith, Theresa J. Nieto, and Dion Perez and see how far the request will go.
Yep as far as Amy Douchbag in Sacramento and then she will pass it on to the trash can.
Neither of these 3 mentioned E/C members should be sitting on the EC.
Because neither of them have the blood of the Band to be enrolled in Pala.
Robert Smiths Grandfather was a citizen Indian, and his mothers birth
certificate list her father as "UNKOWN", which in Smiths own words makes her 1/2 white.
And Nieto and Perez claim their blood from the Lugo side wish is a no brainer because the Lugo blood that they are claiming is from Morongo, Sulfer Springs where he was born and an enrolled member of Morongo.
Also on Smith side the Blood stops with his great grandfather because he gave up his Indian rights to become a citizen Indian so he could become a land owner so his degree of blood can not be passed down and used by his kids in which one was Smiths Mother.
So they are total frauds as far as the truth goes.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

The BIA does not have authority over PBMI membership. Tribes have the right to determine their own membership.

Anonymous said...

Even if you have the BLOOD and the RIGHT to be enrolled if they want you out your out.
It's kind of funny but everyone says that the Tribe has the right to
determine there own membership.
However its the EC's that are doing the "who belongs and who doesn't belong" and not the TRIBE as a whole.
So is the EC right or should that decision be up to the entire General Membership.

Anonymous said...

@ R&R
Even if we are still under the Articles of Association.

Anonymous said...

When the federal law, or in this case Santa Clara Pueblo vs. Martinez, states that "tribes have the authority to determine their own membership"the law means that the authority is invested in the tribal governing documents. In this case it would be the original enrollment ordinances created and voted on by the General Council, and then amended by the new Constitution. Crying over spilled milk is not a solution, these things were being crafted and put into place long before the Casino was even a thought. I remember elders saying that the meetings were not being run right, that decisions were being made in 15 minutes, rather than being discussed all night, or even wait on a decision. I was also told, when their were probably only 30 people at a meeting, that the EC was trying to re-interpret the original tribal laws and change a lot of things to gain power that they did not have before. Well, they did it. All everybody had to do was go to tribal meetings and vote, now that it has changed, and everybody wants to claim to be an Indian now because of per capita, they want to complain about how the tribal government is operating. Its is too late to complain, now you have to re-gain the power that was lost, the only way to do that is to do research and understand the original governing documents, how people use to interpret those documents, and try to amend the new documents so that they reflect the old ways that the old people would say, when deciding on issues. Just my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Or just kill the worthless fuckers.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

Tribes have the right to determine their own membership, membership is defined by tribal law, tribal leaders interpret tribal law, tribal leaders interpretation of tribal is accorded a high level of deference.

Federally recognized tribes have a government to government relationship with the U.S. Elected tribal officers represent a tribe in that relationship. The US conducts it's relationship with tribal officers, mostly the highest official and considers that official to be the tribe for all intents and purposes.

As far as the US is concerned Robert Smith is Pala, what he says about tribal law is accepted by the US as accurate, that he operates in the best interests of the tribe, and is accorded sovereign status.

The is where it stands and the only way to make change is from within the Band.

Anonymous said...

Nobody is disputing a tribes sovereign right to determine its own membership which means a tribe can set the criteria for enrollment and then every member must qualify based on the enrollment criteria. In Pala that’s not what’s happening and the BIA should be able to step in and not trample on Pala’s right to determine its own membership. You see Soboba, Cahuilla, Morongo, and Pala all enroll Margarita Brittain descendants but only Pala enrolls with MB listed as 1/2 Cupeno and the other 3 tribes enroll with her as 4/4 Cupeno the way it has always been. So even tho a tribe can determine the qualifications for enrollment who determines natives blood degree?? Isn’t the BIA suppose to be the record keepers of all natives and have a central data base where each original allotee and every native has their blood degree on file? This should be the final say on natives blood degree and then each tribe can enroll members using whatever qualifications they like but all have to use the same data base for Native Americans blood degree. Pala has enrollment qualifications which are a direct descendant of an original allotee in the 1895 or 1913 rolls and at least 1/16 Cupeno. In order to make the disenrolled not meet these qualifications they lowered Margaritas blood degree and never gave the tribe or BIA a reason why??? So the BIA is not interfering with Pala’s enrollment by demanding they list MB as FULLBLOOD like the BIA,Dept of Interior records state. They are not telling Pala to change their enrollment criteria just that they have to be correct and accurate when using natives blood degree and lineage. A birth certificate and census is not something you can just change it is fact and every tribe should have to use the correct data. Imagine your state Governor made a law that only Mexicans can live in California. That is California setting the rules for who can live in their state (like a tribes membership). Your mom is Mexican and your dad is white so you could live in California but then the Governor says no your not Mexican your only white you need to leave the state. Even tho you have documents and census records stating your race over the years the Governor doesn’t have to accept it or even look at it. Or he does look at it and says this is incorrect you are only white not Mexican so you need to leave California. Same thing that is happening in Pala. If the Federal government said its California’s choice to decide who can live there and they can’t interfere. The Federal government isn’t really interfering in California’s law by looking at your records and telling California you are half Mexican and it is a fact so they need to list you as such. Now then if California has to except the truth that you are Mexican and can stay in the state then it is also their right to change the law so that only Irish can live in the state and the Fed’s can’t intervene that is California’s right. As long as they use the correct census for every person and not change them to suite their needs like in Pala.

Anonymous said...

Everyone keeps saying that the Tribe has the right to determine there own membership, but it is not the Tribe that is doing this shit its the EC and Robert Smith, not the Tribe.
So just ignore his ass and take it to the General Membership for a vote.
HA ha ha ha .

Anonymous said...

I wonder when our per cap is going to increase now that they just installed 599 plus machines in the new area at the Casino.
According to some of the employees at the Casino it is really doing good and is almost always packed with customers.

Anonymous said...

@ 3:28 AM
The only thing that that means is that Smiths Daughters will probably get 3 new Telsa's delivered soon.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if the EC lowered the per cap at the meeting?
Someone told me that they lowered by almost $1000.00 dollars.

Anonymous said...

If it is true that Smith and Nieto took some of the Per Capita again this will probably end their EC stint.
It will be a chance to see that they do as they please and a chance to not vote for them again this coming election in a couple of months.
Don't be afraid any longer this is the right time for a change and it can be the gift that we have been waiting for.
VOTE NO FOR SMITH REELECTION
VOTE NO FOR NEITO REELECTION.
VOTE NO FOR PEREZ REELECTION.
Follow this and the changes at Pala will be done.
And then watch your per capita grow to what it should be.
At the very least $20,000 per month and reinstate the bonuses.
Its up to you.

Anonymous said...

What about the millions that the Tribe borrowed for the Casino remake,
where is that money?
So now Smith and Nieto take the shortage from the Member per capita.
What kind of leadership do we really have.
They are proven corrupt assholes, that's what they are.
What about all the other investments that we supposedly have that are supposed to come into play for this kind of shit.
I don't think that we have any other investments for the good of the Tribe as a whole, only for the Chairman and his fairytale partner Nieto.
It's time for a change on the EC and get rid of Smith and Nieto once and for all.
It doesn't matter who runs against them this election vote for the change because no matter who gets in it will be better than what we have now.
Find someone that's willing to accept the challenge and vote them in.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

There is definitely more to this recent sequence of events than meets the eye. Think about it. Take a 175 million loan for Casino and hotel expansion. Then announce it is on hold. Go with a different plan than the original announcement but don't tell anyone why. Now tell the GC per capita is reduced in order to pay for the expansion.

From my perspective it looks like triple dipping. Get a big loan but do a smaller expansion and keep the extra money. Put in more slots and keep all the proceeds, and pretend that it will take some time to realize the profit from expansion. Reduce per capita and tell the GC the Band needs to pay for the expansion. So money from the loan, the extra slots, the per capita all funneled to Robert Smith.

It almost sounds like a last ditch effort to get as much cash as possible before bailing and leaving everyone else.holding the bag.

Anonymous said...

Not to worry, Smith doesn't realize that by their making the decision to lower the Members per capita brought a lot of heat on the EC by the Investigators that are watching them with both eyes wide open.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

The investigation is a never ending story. There are many criminal acts that have been brought before the investigators. Stealing the minors trust funds, embezzling the 10 million investment in Lytton Casino, arranging a 125 million loan for the 100 million casino remodel, all the years of unaccounted for missing economic development funds, Pala Interactive, etc. Yet no indictments.

It seems that the investigation will continue as long as the criminal activity continues. Meanwhile Smith benefits from the inaction, and members keep getting hurt. It is a miscarriage of justice to allow him to continue embezzling from the Band, but it has been years now that he has been free to do as he pleases.

Anonymous said...

That's okay because it just makes him braver and less careful about his corruption and dealings, which makes our job a lot easier to
Investigate him.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

But the investigation has to have a conclusion. What evidence is missing? Why are there no indictments? It appears to be a fools game and a waste of resources.

Anonymous said...

Because they don’t care...Smith/nieto are only stealing from the tribe and their own people. The way they see it is if the people don’t care enough to do anything about it why should they. As long as he is paying taxes on all this money, imbezzeled or misappropriated they aren’t hurting the U.S. government. They see us as a bunch of whinny lucky percap, welfare natives that don’t care enough to stop or at least try to stop smith/nieto so why should they?? Maybe if we stepped up and did something they would step up also.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

I'm not so sure about that. There have been more than a few members that have made statements and brought forth evidence of wrongdoing. It seems as though the US Attorney's Office simply doesn't want to follow up on the evidence and prosecute the biggest thief in California.

Is it because the investigation has revealed complicity with the San Diego District Attorney, the San Diego County Sheriff's Dept., the BIA So-Cal Agency, the BIA Pacific Region, the NIGC, the State Attorney General, or pretty much any local, state, or federal entity that actually end the crime and corruption?

It's pretty hard to believe that Smith can freely commit crimes over the last 8 years while he was being investigated without there being compelling evidence enough to bring charges.

I can't really think of any other reason for a delay, and of course the investigation is confidential in order to prevent violations of civil rights. The FBI won't disclose any details, or provide a time line.

I vote no confidence in the federal investigation. The investigators are either inept, corrupt, or serving special interests. Or maybe all three.