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JW Investigates Influence Peddling at Bureau of Indian Affairs "If we don’t ante up and play the game, we'll get left in the dust," said Ivan Makil, president of the Salt River tribe, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. The game to which Mr. Makil refers is not one that takes place in one of the many Indian "gaming" establishments, but rather on the political playing field. Multiple news reports have recently detailed how political lobbyists, fundraisers and politicians are now targeting those involved in the Indian gaming industry. The rules of the game are as old as they are simple: line the pockets of the right politicians and receive favors in return when it comes to licensing matters. According to the April 22 edition of Time magazine, this scheme has been orchestrated by individuals at the highest levels of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). For example, Time reports that Linda Amelia of the Chinook Indian tribe exchanged business cards with Wayne Smith, the No. 2 man at the BIA. Two weeks later she reportedly was offered a quid pro quo from one of Smith's business partners‹favorable decisions at the BIA in exchange for a "fee." So blatant was this offer, that Ms. Amelia reportedly thought it was an FBI sting operation. Furthermore, Interior Secretary Gale Norton reportedly met with four tribes last fall at a private home in Washington, DC, all of whom have agreed to contribute as much as $1 million to Republican 2002 campaigns according to the Wall Street Journal. Clinton’s Interior Secretary, Bruce Babbitt was almost prosecuted for his role in a similar scandal involving Indian tribes. "This is one gamble, if proven true, that will not pay off," said JW Chairman Larry Klayman. "Judicial Watch will probe possible political influence to ensure that campaign contributions are not unduly influencing the policy making process. If this is the case, strong legal action will follow."
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