Sullivan County a BAD Investment and Ploy For Political Power

By Cynthia Smoke

AKWESASNE-Recent and bygone investigations of the past twenty plus years of corrupt businessmen~ tribal chiefs high ranking casino executives along with judges~ and courts still have not come clear as to what will be decided for the tribe pertaining to off-reservation gaming.

A second referendum will be held at the Tribe this Saturday January 30, 2010. The November referendum was nullified by the tribe’s Election board when a community member made the challenge that the referendum was not widely publicized.

Tribal Chiefs Ransom and Garrow attempted to instill calm in an otherwise unknowing public stating there was nothing wrong with Empire Resorts’ in house fray that the tribe had been brought into. They stated that Empire Resorts may have an internal dispute as SRMT (al) Chiefs James Ransom and Mark Garrow have told the people, but have they revealed all of the facts? One of the major players in the background is Joseph Bernstein the now former CEO of Empire Resorts.

Though Bernstein may not receive recall from hundreds of tribal members lately, he was involved in a US District Court case which vied for Federal recognition between the “People’s Government” whose plaintiffs are Paul O. Thompson, Hilda E. Smoke and Alma Ransom. The opposition in that case were made up of “Constitutional” alliance members; Philip H. Tarbell, Allen White, Glen Hill Sr., Randy Hart, Loren Oakes, Kerney Cole, Cecil Garrow and Lois Thomas. Deceased members of the group which brought litigation were Charlie Terrance, Carol T. Herne, Russell Lazore and Erma White-Moore. That suit has yet to be resolved.

As one of the main witnesses to testify, Bernstein admitted that with enterprise funds from a billion dollar industry millions of dollars were funneled through the Constitutional group. There are canceled checks as evidence.

Bernstein also testified that the only prerequisites for the money was that the group have the Constitution adopted and institute a tribal court. Tribal members voted out the Constitution twice and the tribal court “in place” is on shaky ground, due to facts that those that designed the court system did not do so through a sound democratic practice. The court system is simply flawed in several areas, and has been challenged. Much of the management, partnership, contracts, wining and dining, or sweet heart deals have taken place in the past fifteen years.

Many community members as well as tribal members feel that the tribal council is once again putting the cart before the horse. Multitudes of Akwesasne citizens chastise Chief Ransom for conveying 13.5 million dollars to probably one of the richest families in Akwesasne. Members of the Kanienkehaka Longhouse say that the only holdings the IGA purchase brought to Akwesasne was the furtherance of Ignorance, Genocide and Assimilation. Others stated that the Tribal Chiefs are only continuing the promotion of licking a $700,000,000,000 (seven hundred billion dollar) lollipop that has soured due to economic, demographic and prior feasible expectations.

Native Akwesasronon landowners in the Hogansburg Triangle were left out on a limb with the IGA agreement because taxes were paid to Franklin County on the properties.

At the root of that dilemma spewed illicit actions of a former tribal chief the CEO of Native Trading who contrived the 13.5 million dollar deal for sale of the IGA, for her benefactors and essentially began paving them a road of gold!

Many other persons questioned the unlawful actions of the Tribal Chiefs and asked, “Don’t you remember what happened with the Ohenton ka ri wa tekwa, Thanksgiving Address Raffle?

How could the “people be so blind” a community member asked? The answer was simple thousands were simply not privy to the information.

The fact that Empire Resorts purchased the 29 acres for $10,000,000 (10 million) and will re-sell it for $188,000,000 (one hundred eighty-eight) has also not been brought to the forefront of the discussion. Members of the Kanienkehaka Longhouse say that land belongs to us, and we already own it why should we even pay for it?

When Chief Garrow was asked if he knew any of the Sullivan Monticello Town of Thompson landowners he adamantly retorted “no.” Would anyone be surprised if they were some of “our” enrolled tribal members? Three community meetings held on the issue have been sparsely attended.

The 7 -year proposed management agreement with a pay back of 40% is also a far cry from any 7-10% bank loan.

Many people believe there will already be and has been corruption in many areas of Mohawk Gaming. A large percentage of people at the January 23rd meeting felt the Tribal Chiefs should concentrate their positive gaming efforts at Gaming establishments we have here at home. The only two major contributors to the tribal general fund are the Mohawk Bingo Palace and the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino.

Crime in Akwesasne has reached new levels in the past twenty years, but a higher tech “eye in the sky” has made it harder and much less possible for Akwesasne residents to smuggle aliens, drugs, liquor or tobacco. Racial profiling, harassment, indignation and other travesties occur daily for those of us we attempt to travel our land freely. There are problems in our community that will never cease. We do not want and are not a lawless land or people. Although our ancient ways do not and will not ever mesh with either government, Natives still

live!

In retrospect it’s apparent your government has been working heartlessly with theirs.

A past member of the tribe’s gaming commission is all for Monticello for economic reasons and says she can’t wait for her linage to work there. Her husband on the other hand explains a draft of what the management agreement would consist of. Though he theorizes the opening will cost the tribe upwards of $300,000,000 (three hundred million) what in actual terms of time, money or lobbying, has it cost us in fifteen years?

Many say we’ll see the day and the economic boom gaming has brought to our community.

Tribal fliers say we’ll possibly see per capita payments. Organizers of the Tribal State Compact promised lower electric or free electric, they also promised per capita payments back then. But was it all worth two Mohawk lives? Lives that have never been vindicated.

Others rave about the economic boom our community will see. Others say that a mass of construction and gaming jobs will be available to our people.

On the “up” side the tribal chiefs say they are giving the people the right to decide and this referendum will be honored. On the “down” side the people say the chiefs have already made that decision when they spent “fifty-million” on expansion without our consent! They asked, “Why do they get to spend our money so freely?”

I, on the other hand would advise people to get more involved and analyze all of the facts before they mark that ballot. It’s not only your future its the future of our lands, our resources and our people.

Cynthia Smoke