The Native American Press (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1993-06-11

              Indictment of tribal leaders expected in
Wisconsin Winnebago conflict
By Chris Hardie
La Crosse Tribune
Winnebago tribal leaders could face
federal indictment for allegedly accepting bribes from former casino
manager Glenn Corrie, a federal
presecutor said Thursday.
"I believe that is very likely," said
John W. Vaudreil, assistant United
States attorney, when asked if some
tribal members would be
indicted."The indictments could be
handed down within the next few
months," he said.
Vaudreil said more will be known
after June 16, when Corrie is expected to plead guilty to charges that
he paid off tribal members with cash
and gifts to influence them.
"Part of the agreement with Mr.
Corrie is he pleads guilty and sits
Corrie/See Page 4
Indians Claim to Clouded Land Titles surprise Connecticut Landowners/Page 2
More Dialogue on Chemical Dependency at Hennepin Town Meeting/Page 4
Diversity Job Fair Promote Equal Opportunity/Page 6
White Earth Camp Justice to Host National CALC Conference '93/ Page 6
BIA Determines No June Per Capita Payment for WI Tribe/ Page 8
MCT Opens enrollment to include those with less than 1/4 Chippewa Blood/ P. 8
Mpls politicians denounce "slap on the wrist
of police officers
By Delvin Cree At the recommendation of Deputy
On Friday, June 4th Minneapolis Chief Dobrotka, officers Mike Lardy
Police Chief John Laux announced and Marv Schumer were suspended
that the two officers accused of trans- without pay. Lardy was suspended for
porting two Native American men to 20 days, and Schumer, who has a
detox in the trunk of their squad car record of complaints against him,
would be disciplined. recieved 90 days suspension.
Leech Lake Tribal Gaming Division's activities
are suspect
Both officers made public apologies
on local television stations in the Twin
Cities after the administration hearing
held at City Hall. However, according
to Chief Laux, both officers appealed
Police/See Page 4
The Largest Weekly Native Newspaper In North America
The
IM ati ve
By Mel Rasmussen
Approximately one month ago,
there was a major flurry of activity at
the casinos concerning the blackjack
dealers. The problem issue was between the dealers and floor
supervisor's pay scales. Because of
the supreme omnipotence and superior thought process of management
and some ofthe leading District council members ofthe Leech Lake Tribal
Council they had made a decision to
take all of the tips that the dealers
made so they could be distributed to
the floor walker's and managers so
that their salaries would be higher
than the dealers. Needless to say this
caused a stir amongst the little people
who make the money for the casinos.
In response to this occurrence one
of the dealers took exception to this
action and developed a ten point
memorandum which was left in the
break rooms of the employees at the
Northern Lights Casino. Northern
Lights has been the subject of past
scrutiny by the PRESS because of
some of the management staff and
advisors to this facility have a varied
and lurid track record with the federal
government and other casino operations in the State ofMinnesota.. When
the management ofthe Casinos found I
this memorandum the proverbial stuff
hit the fan.
The PRESS has attempted to deter-
CasinOS/See Page 4
American
We Support: Equal Opportunity For All People
Founded In 1991       Volume 3   Issue 5        June 11, 1993
1
Copyright, The Native American Press, 1993
Supreme Court overturns IHS children's case
By Bunty Anquoe
Today Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — The Supreme
Court on Monday decided that the
Indian Health Service has the admin-
istrative power to terminate a
handicapped children's project and
reallocate those funds without public
notice.
The health service's decision to
discontinue the program was "committed to agency discretion by law"
and therefore not subject to judicial
review, according the unanimous decision written by Justice David Souter.
The case originated in New Mexico
in 1985 as a class action suite on
behalf of over 426 handicapped Indian children. The suite challenged
the health service's abrupt termination of direct clinical services under
the Indian Children's Program in
order to establish a nationwide treatment program. No notice was given
and the IHS did not ask for public
input in its decision to discontinue
the program.
The program, which began in 1978,
provided direct care, evaluation, treatment plans, diagnostic services, direct
physical therapy and monitoring services to handicapped Indian children
in rural areas.
Lawyers argued on behalf of the
children that congressional intent and
the federal trust responsibility to Indians makes IHS decisions subject to
judicial review under the Administrative Procedures Act.
Both the federal district court and
the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
ruled in favor ofthe Indian children.
The appellate court also upheld the
district court's ruling which required
the IHS to reinstate the program,
which was restored in February, 1990.
The government argued that the
termination ofthe project falls completely under agency "discretion"
and, as such, is not reviewable by the
courts. The Supreme Court agreed.
The allocation of funds to the IHS is
"lump-sum." This year, Congress
appropriates funds to the health service under health objectives outlined
by the Indian health Care Improvement act and other federal law. The
IHS then administers the money in
programs and services for the two
million tribal members that make up
the nation's native population. The
U.S. has a legal responsibility to provide health care to American InUl^.;,
and Alaskan Natives based on nu-
Court/See Page 5
Women winnowing and parching wild rice. Exhibit currently on display at Minnesota Historical Society.
MCT employee Boswell indicted for allegedly Legal action to be initiated against Minneapolis
embezzling tribal funds
at the MCT where she is alleged to have
embezzled funds totalling over $5,000
American Indian Center
Minneapolis, MN—Maxine Marie
Boswell of Waubun, Minnesota was
indictedyesterdayfor embezzling funds
over a five month period from
November, 1988 to April, 1989.Boswell
heldtheposition ofMinority Counselor
foruse in personal expenditures. Boswell
assisted the Tribe in financial aid
arrangements. If Boswell is convicted
she faces a maximum potential penalty
of ten years in prison and/or a
$250,000 fine. The case is the result B? Gary B,a,r
of an investigation by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and is being
prosecutedbyAssistantUnitedStates this week in the Minneapolis Native  undertake a completeindependentfi-
Attorney Carol A. Needles. American community. Kathleen  -
Messinger, spokesperson for the Na-
There has been another turn of events
tors. In addition, the petition demands
that MAIC's Board of Directors open
the center's books to the public and
Protect the Earth Gathering to meet in Lac dUKS^^a^^d^s^
that the group will circulate a petition
Flambeau
The 8th Annual Protect the Earth
Gathering will be held at the Lac du
Flambeau Reservation on Friday, July
30 to Sunday, August 1. The gathering will be downtown at the Indian
Bowl, next to Flambeau Lake.
Protect the Earth began at the Mole
Lake Reservation. In the past several
years, the gathering has been held on
or near the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation. At the end of last year's
gathering, the Protect the Earth feather
nancial audit ofthe center's financial
condition.
Native American activist, Ira Sailor,
who is sixty-seven years old and a
NACCR member, has plans of his
own to force a review of MAIC's
records. Sailor told the PRESS on
calling for the removal of Frances
Fairbanks, Executive Director, ofthe
staff was passed to Lac du Flambeau  place to share music and imagina- Minneapolis American Indian Center June 8, 1993, that he plans to bring
Reservation leader Tom Maulson,   tion, to inspire and learn from each (MAIC) m^ Mostaffa Zahidi, the atleasttwo lawsuits, one that will force
other, and to recharge batteries for center-s comptroller. an examination of how MAIC man-
the coming year. The petition also calls to discon- ages the funds it receives to provide
The gathering will focus on min- tinue ^ uuijzat;on 0f the executive services to the Native American coming, including the Kennecott/Rio committee of MAIC Board of Direc- munity and the second lawsuit will
Tinto Zinc mine next to the Flambeau _
River near Ladysmkh it will also Politicians two-step with tribes Gaming on
who was soon afterwards elected tribal
chair.
Chairman Maulson has invited the
Midwest Treaty network to organize
the 1993 gathering. At his request,
involve the American Indian Housing
Corporation. Sailor will make the details of that lawsuit public later.
On May 28, 1993, the PRESS attended a meeting between NACCR
spokesperson Kathleen Messinger, Ira
Sailor and Hennepin County Commissioner, Peter Mclaughlin.
Discussions at that meeting focused
around the old Hennepin County Detox
Center abuse issues and the continuing need for similar services controlled
either by Hennepin County and/or the
Native American commuity.
At that same meeting Messinger
MAIC/See Page 3
ing made simpler, and closer to its
original roots.   The gathering is a
the date has been changed to earlier in
the summer, to take advantage of cover the planned Noranda mine on
better weather. The gathering is be-  the Willow River, 30 miles south of AL^       HjinPP flOOf
Gathering/See Page 3      By Bunty Anquoe
m     m *%. * Today Washington Bureau
Grand Met Community Job Training Center „0T0N.AreIndiantribes
■      _        a_    AIAIA getting the runaround in the political
given to aiuiu
By Mel Rasmussen
In a surprise announcement last
week the Grand Metropolitan,
Incorporated, formerly Pillsbury
Company, turned over to the
American Indian Opportunities
Industrialization Center, (AIOIC),
their job training program. AIOIC
will assume complete responsibility
for the administration and
management of this center.
Mike Bongo, former Executive
Director of AIOIC, and Foundation
and Community Laison Officer for
GrandMet, stated that the decision to
find a suitable cooperative partner to
administer this program had been in
the making since last January Bongo
stated that GrandMet had come to
this decision of selecting after
reviewing all of the organizations
who could possibly be in a position to
administer and run the Job Training
Center.
AIOIC was selected over all ofthe
other possible candidates because of
their proven track record and nation
wide connections with the OIC
movement in the United States.
Raymond R. Krause, Chairman ofthe
Community Job Training Center and
Senior Vice President of Government
and Community Affairs for
GrandMet, Inc. stated in his press
release that the search for the right
non-profit to be a partner with
GrandMet was very thorough and
gratifying to GrandMet. He said, "The
directors of both the center and
American Indian OIC are enthusiastic
about what the future holds for
enhancing training in this community.
GrandMet is very pleased to have
established an important initiative,
and gratified to have found an
exemplary agency, one which will
accelerate the work ofthe center and
make it a formidable training
institution. American Indian OIC also
feels that our partnership with the
private sector is critical."
William Means, AIOIC Executive
Directer, termed the transaction, "one
ofthe most significant developments
in the 14-year history of our agency
war over who controls gambling in
and an equally important event for Indian country?
Native Americans throughout Last week, two key senators on the
Minnesota." Bongo also added in his Senate Indian Affairs Committee told
interview that as far as he knew this is Indian Country Today that several
possibly the first time that a major radical changes to the federal law
corporation has ever givenany Native governing gambling on reservations
American organization a $1 million could be expected by July 4.
dollar investment. This includes a xhe escalating legislative war be-
modern training facility and suppport tween tribes and states has centered
staff to keep it functioning for the on wnat types of games tribes may
entire community. GrandMet is operate under the Indian Gaming
committed to continue funding the Regulatory Act and whether states
Center through fiscal 1994. are DOund t0 the state-tribal negotia-
In 1991, GrandMet established this tions process outlined under the 1988
new training facility at 31 Century jaw
Plaza, 1111 3rd Ave. S., in Sens. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii,
Minneapolis. The purpose of the ^d j0hn McCain, said on separate
training facility was to assess people's occasions that draft legislation amend-
strong supporter of the tribal economic development principles ofthe
gaming act.
The Indian affairs committee has
been meeting separate with tribal leaders, state governors and state attorneys
general in an effort to settle or slow
down the escalating legal and political squabbles that have plagued the
gaming law.
Several tribal leaders expressed
surprise that draft amendments would
be completed by July.
Melanie Benjamin, commissioner
of administration for the Mille Lacs
Band of Ojibwe, said the move was
not expected by the tribes.
"All of a sudden we're on a fast
track when we were led to believe the
discussions were meant to slow down
the process," she said. "We were
told it was meant to educate all sides
and would give us an opportunity to
hear each other's views."
The committee is still conducting
its first round of negotiations which
have been private and closed to the
skills, interests, abilities, and develop jng the gaming law will likely include
customized individual plans of action provisions addressing the controver-
to provide training for the individuals s{ai jSSUes of whether tribes may only
future. Counseling and support in operate the specific games authorized press. Federal officials representing
these employment endeavors will under state law, pot limits on games the Interior Department, the National
continue forthe individual during his and whether state-authorized charity
first year of employment. This is a "casino nights" justify tribal casi-
concept that AIOIC has employed in nos Tnjs js an "about-face" for Sen.
Inouye, who has been a longtime
AlOIC/See Page 5 champion of tribal sovereignty and a
Indian Gaming Commission and the
Justice Department are scheduled to
give their views over the next few
weeks. Attorney General Janet Reno
is scheduled to meet with committee
members June 9.
President Clinton entered the fray
last week when visiting San Diego to
tout his economic plan. He called
gaming a "lousy basis for an economy,
past a certain point... What I'd like to
see is a whole range of different initiatives so we can have real long-term
economic prosperity, because there is
a limit to how much gambling the
country can absorb."
In a telephone interview, Sen.
McCain said several "clarifications"
to the gaming law would likely include a game-specific provision.
"It was never the intent ofthe law
that because a state has lotteries, tribes
could have casinos," he said. He added
that the public is concerned about lax
oversight of tribal gaming enterprises.
"The American people are concerned about corruption," he said.
"But I don't see any infringement in
the right of reservations to have gambling (in changes to the law)." The
senator is vice-chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee."
Contradiction
Committee chairman Inouyne, in a
separate interview, also said that some
"clarifications" should be expected
in amendments to the law addressing
Gaming/SeePage3