articles october 15

The Bush-DeLay-Indian Casinos  Campaign Money Laundering Operation

(Wampum ‘til they’re dead)

 by Laurence A. Toenjes

 OpEdNews.com
 
Congressman Tom DeLay , a.k.a. “The Hammer”, has been at the center of two investigations recently by the House Ethics Committee.  In each case, and within the span of approximately one week, a letter of reprimand was sent to Mr. DeLay. These actions resulted from unanimous decisions by the 10 member committee, which is made up of equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.  In addition, three close associates of DeLay were recently indicted in Texas for activities related to improper use of corporate funds in state elections and in laundering corporate money for use by Republican candidates for the Texas House of Representatives. To top it off, two of Mr. DeLay’s closest personal and political associates, Jack Abramoff and Mike Scanlon, are at the center of a federal investigation into the possible improper acquisition of some $66 million from several Indian tribes that operate gambling casinos. This investigation was undertaken at the behest of Senator John McCain.
 
The purpose of this paper is to connect the above dots, revealing a pattern of associations and payments that begins with Congressman Tom DeLay and ends up on the very doorstep of President Bush’s re-election campaign. full articles

Kildee claims bill amendment 'breaks promise'

Posted: October 15, 2004
by: James May / Indian Country Today
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The United States House of Representatives approved a Republican-sponsored amendment that would waive the laws protecting American Indian sacred sites in the construction of a security barrier just south of San Diego on the U.S./Mexico border.

The amendment passed the House of Representatives by a 256 to 160 vote and seeks to waive several federal laws governing construction along the last three miles of the proposed 14-mile security barrier including the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the National Historic Preservation Act. In all 215 of 221 Republicans in the House voted for the amendment.

''By enacting federal laws and implementing federal mandates, we promised Native Americans that we would protect and preserve their places of worship, resting places for the deceased and religious freedom. This amendment breaks that promise by not providing any mechanism for notice or consultation upon finding any cultural, ceremonial or historical sites,'' said Rep. Dale Kildee, one of the most vocal critics of the amendment. full article

American Indians Worry About Mercury

ASHLEY H. GRANT
Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. - American Indians are adding their voices to the controversy over mercury in the nation's waters, saying they are among the biggest consumers of fish and therefore more at risk from contamination.

"It is a real issue," said Bob Shimek, a member of the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota who says he fishes to put food on the table. "It's not something abstract."

A report Friday by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, which analyzed 2003 data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency, showed that 44 states including Minnesota had active mercury consumption advisories last year. full article

Cause for Celebration?

By Craig Henry

NORMAN, Okla.—Ah, Columbus Day.

It’s a day of celebration. A day to celebrate … well, what are we supposed to celebrate?

On the 4th of July, we celebrate America’s independence from England. On Memorial Day, we celebrate all the people who died in war. On Labor Day, well … that’s another one I don’t really know about, but I get out of school and work, so I celebrate it.

I was always told that Columbus Day was the day to celebrate when Columbus discovered the New World. But that never made much sense to me. If you go to a place where another civilization is thriving, how can you justify saying you discovered it? full article