tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3828610506403003972024-03-19T06:54:15.022-04:00Middleboro RemembersMiddleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.comBlogger8758125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-6144090214097642362022-02-20T17:46:00.003-05:002022-02-20T17:46:15.483-05:00"Take a Break from Gambling Day"<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">THIS IS A REMINDER....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The first nationwide "Take a Break from Gambling Day" is Thursday, Sept. 29.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">The event has grown out of the work of SPG members <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xekTCyuC01bUSpFWyKRwJC6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>Ronda Hatefi </b></a>and<a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=X8M3sFnNZamUY0StoJMcKi6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b> Oregonians for Problem Gambling Awareness</b></a>. Ronda's brother Bobby Hafemann<a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=f6Ndblx2cGncUvKx2j6mwy6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b> took his life because he became addicted to electronic gambling machines pushed by his own state government.</b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>What "Take a Break from Gambling Day" is:</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 40px;"><b>1) Any store, restaurant or casino operator across the US that sells lottery tickets or offers electronic gambling machines is invited to stop doing it for this one day on Sept. 29th.</b> Turn off the gambling machines just for one day. Stop selling scratch tickets for one day.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 40px;"><b>2) Any citizen who gambles is invited to stop gambling for one day on Sept. 29th. </b>If you have a loved one or a good friend who is an active gambler, urge them to participate and be their sponsor for Sept. 29th. As a sponsor, your role is to help the person stay away from gambling, be supportive and help them pursue other activities.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>"Take a Break from Gambling Day" has two purposes:</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 40px;"><b>- The first is to offer an opportunity for gambling operators to acknowledge they have a duty of care to citizens. </b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 40px;"><b>- The second is to offer family members and friends a way to start a conversation about gambling with the people they love.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">The effort echoes<a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4jKraOhen3%2B%2BZipaSsmrzy6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b> The Great American Smokeout </b></a>by the American Cancer Society which was effective in awakening the public conscience about the severe impact that smoking has on people's lives.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>How you can help:</b> <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=dyG0sJBDQAQ70j7c6GRaoC6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>Share this Facebook post about the day right now with your social network </b></a>and if you have a Twitter account, <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Ufoo9IpK08s%2B1w7uKcR9dS6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>retweet this tweet to your followers.</b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 40px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=bye%2FKKv3BE9vhWc1GA3gCy6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="346" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsalsa3.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F50935%2Fimages%2F2016%2520Take%2520a%2520Break%2520from%2520Gambling.png&t=1645392639&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1c98-5f0317012300&sig=4ekDHmPqlD1AV9L1AdzNlQ--~D" style="text-indent: -9999px;" width="402" /></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">If you believe what we believe in, please support our work <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KKDFyLrLaxY897ERXY8nNC6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>by contributing $10 or more today to help sustain it.</b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Thank you.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Best,</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Les Bernal<br />National Director<br /><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ENjX4dFhr1gQIxYsVkEcZS6Ge61h1m%2Fi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>Stop Predatory Gambling</b></a><br /><br />________________________________</p><p><i style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Improving the lives of the American people, using education and advocacy to free us of the dishonesty, exploitation, addiction and lower standard of living that commercial gambling spreads.</b></i> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-82924257283858313322022-02-20T16:35:00.002-05:002022-02-20T16:35:48.089-05:00Two major wins for opponents of predatory gambling <p><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Members of SPG's network in both Nebraska and Alabama recently defeated massive predatory gambling bills in the face of big money lobbying campaigns by gambling interests. These are major wins for opponents of predatory gambling. </b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Last week a bill proposing to legalize a state lottery in Alabama <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=OCu6UM%2B6%2BCeqIMmNq3zH9Buevoo3G9vH" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">was rejected</a>. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, a key sponsor of the lottery bill, <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=QWYyEECNLDAZFFR%2B%2BaQb0MiIBJjUQInC" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">called the defeat a vote against "children in poverty today,"</a> once again proving the truth that when a practice is dishonest, its promoters speak about it dishonestly. Joe Godfrey, the leader of the Alabama Citizens Action Program and a SPG board member, played a key role along with several others in applying relentless pressure throughout the last four weeks.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>This week the Nebraska Secretary of State <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KAjMGemEMrnS5KhOh2GTRhuevoo3G9vH" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">announced that all three proposed predatory gambling petitions failed</a> to reach the valid signature threshold to appear before state voters on the November ballot. Pat Loontjer, the dynamic and effective leader of Nebraska's predatory gambling opposition group "Gambling with the Good Life, has been educating citizens in her state about the issue for many years, making it challenging for even a paid signature gathering effort by gambling interests to advance. Pat is also a SPG board member.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>You and I know how tough the fight is against predatory gambling in our communities and in our states. No other issue has such a disparity in political spending. Nor is there another issue that government officials make no effort to remedy even though the facts are clear and unavoidable that government's partnership with gambling has been a spectacular failure.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>We are called upon not to be successful, but to be faithful. Today, we are thankful to be faithful <i>and</i> successful.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>If you believe what we believe in, please support our work <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Spu6ApcLiYettaT2gOi%2FfBuevoo3G9vH" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">by contributing $10 or more today to help sustain it.</a></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Thank you.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Best,</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Les Bernal<br />National Director<br /><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=V3GbWwZGFE9vZpVBzcEdABuevoo3G9vH" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">Stop Predatory Gambling</a><br /><br />________________________________</b></p><p><b><i style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Improving the lives of the American people, using education and advocacy to free us of the dishonesty, exploitation, addiction and inequality that commercial gambling spreads.</i> </b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-69173276996688533102022-02-17T13:18:00.001-05:002022-02-17T13:18:46.869-05:00What you should know about the national headlines our members made last week <p> </p><div style="color: #1d2228; font-family: YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><header aria-label="Message 1 of " class="r_BN D_F W_6D6F p_R P_Zjgzuf ir_0" style="cursor: default; display: flex; outline: 0px; padding: 8px 0px 16px; position: relative; width: 923.09px;"><div class="D_F en_0 M_3gJOe A_6Eb4 C_Z1VRqsb" data-test-id="message-date" style="color: #828a93; display: flex; flex-shrink: 0; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 8px;"><br /></div><div class="D_F ab_CI Y_68F4 en_0 cdPFi_ZpQYvz H_6MGW W_6MGW lv_1IWXzk h_Z13pql2 h4_2d9T5e" style="align-items: flex-start; display: flex; fill: rgb(224, 228, 233); flex-shrink: 0; height: 24px; margin-top: -4px; transform: scale(1); transition: transform 0.1s linear 0s; width: 24px;"><button aria-label="This message is starred" aria-pressed="true" class="c27KHO0_n b_0 M_0 i_0 I_T y_Z2hYGcu A_6EqO r_P C_q cvhIH6_T P_0" data-test-id="icon-btn-star" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; appearance: none; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" tabindex="-1" title="Clear star" type="button"><span class="D_F ab_C gl_C W_6D6F" style="align-items: center; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 23.9931px;"><svg class="D_X W_6MGW H_6MGW cdPFi_ZkhR3R cZW7ROP_n en_0 cvhIH6_T" viewbox="0 0 20 20"><path d="M15.718 8.35a.501.501 0 00-.47-.35h-3.656l-1.13-3.475a.494.494 0 00-.94 0L8.393 8H4.736a.501.501 0 00-.29.902l2.958 2.152-1.13 3.482a.495.495 0 00.76.553l2.958-2.152 2.958 2.152a.493.493 0 00.76-.553l-1.13-3.482 2.959-2.152a.495.495 0 00.18-.553z"></path></svg></span></button></div></header></div><div data-test-id="message-body-container" style="color: #1d2228; font-family: YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div class="I_52qC D_FY W_6D6F" data-test-id="message-view-body" style="background-color: white; display: table; width: 923.09px;"><div class="X_6MGW" style="padding-left: 24px;"></div><div class="msg-body P_wpofO mq_AS" data-test-id="message-view-body-content" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 2px 0px 0px; position: relative; word-break: break-word;"><div class="jb_0 X_6MGW N_6Fd5" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 16px;"><div id="yiv9133923586"><center class="yiv9133923586wrapper" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 883.108px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="yiv9133923586sli-background" style="background-color: #666666; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="word-break: normal;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv9133923586webkit" id="yiv9133923586sli" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 800px; padding: 0em; width: 800px; word-break: normal;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586outer" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 800px; padding: 0px; width: 800px;"><tbody><tr id="yiv9133923586id_0c991e82-dd20-4e14-9776-6baf79fa83fd" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586one-column" style="overflow: auto; word-break: normal;"><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-12 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-1" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 800px; padding: 0px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_90c4536f-4bb9-4238-81da-7d78298f1f8a" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 800px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-image" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td align="center" id="yiv9133923586id_e179979d-fbd3-4c1c-ae15-d8801b0f1a64" style="border-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><img align="center" alt="" id="yiv9133923586id_e179979d-fbd3-4c1c-ae15-d8801b0f1a64_img" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdefault.salsalabs.org%2Fd575a18a-9c22-48e7-b847-43a79de35294%2F149237f6-37c4-4621-bf93-78b48f910048.png&t=1645121700&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1caf-2c01c701ad00&sig=Lvl5uFdAVssXkj5V8YBs7g--~D" style="border: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; text-indent: -9999px; width: 800px;" width="800" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr id="yiv9133923586id_7b54a008-6645-4474-8422-a4f1883b8921" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586one-column" style="overflow: auto; word-break: normal;"><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-12 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-1" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 800px; padding: 0px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_f57703db-ec05-4aa9-b28f-a31ab1289498" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 800px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-divider-element" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_8375a1c0-4507-4ad7-914b-8249540bcdae" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 18px; padding: 1em 0em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><div class="yiv9133923586sli-divider" style="background: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(8, 87, 152); font-size: 1px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; width: 800px;"> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-text" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_44525895-650c-4d89-a25b-0c107abe3bf8" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #4c4c4c; float: none; font-size: 18px; height: auto; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 1em 1em 0.25em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Hi, our members were featured in a massive amount of major national news stories in recent days. The stories below literally are just a sampling. If you're passionate about the serious problem of predatory gambling in America but question whether anything can be changed, it's time to rethink. Share these stories with your email and social media networks and help us educate more people about these dangerous and deceptive practices. Make the effort to follow us<strong> <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T2382dc5a-433d-4a00-bbe1-71ba12dd4e1e/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </strong>and <strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T41872774-1e70-428e-9db0-91bf04f5a854/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Twitter</a></strong> for more. The train for reform is moving, thanks to the work and sacrifices of all our members. Keep pushing. Best, Les</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><em><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Not sure how to navigate Facebook and Twitter? <strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T946519bb-c35e-4226-971a-9d1c71891e55/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Download this guide</a> </strong>to learn the basics and help us reveal the truth to more people.</span></em></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-divider-element" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_aead3767-5c46-4951-ac09-b36cbb701336" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #4c4c4c; float: none; font-size: 18px; height: auto; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><div class="yiv9133923586sli-divider" style="background: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(8, 87, 152); font-size: 1px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; width: 800px;"> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr id="yiv9133923586id_232d10f8-4619-4189-b214-94b469f243be" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586two-column" style="overflow: auto; text-align: center; width: 800px; word-break: normal;"><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-6 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-1" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 400px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_af168d77-1191-455a-9509-d234ea3851f0" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 400px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-image" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td align="center" id="yiv9133923586id_a3f1da06-bdcf-4a5e-bfc2-317d0d4b5001" style="border-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><img align="center" alt="" id="yiv9133923586id_a3f1da06-bdcf-4a5e-bfc2-317d0d4b5001_img" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdefault.salsalabs.org%2Fd575a18a-9c22-48e7-b847-43a79de35294%2F66f61c1b-d2ae-4212-a71e-528fc0ccb359.png&t=1645121700&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1caf-2c01c701ad00&sig=EBHcGx5xXXG5R5tRg8lWeg--~D" style="border: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; text-indent: -9999px; width: 291.997px;" width="292" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-6 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-2" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 400px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_a2ac9ad9-1c2b-4c60-9f04-0d2e3f57ef26" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 400px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-text" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_684a303f-1d2e-4c91-bfb5-6a2de7379c55" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 18px; padding: 1em 1em 0.5em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><em>NBC National News, Hallie Jackson Show</em></strong></span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"Online betting spikes ahead of Super Bowl" featuring Stop Predatory Gambling's Director of Education Harry Levant <strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T08c998ee-ef41-4bd4-997f-7f5237e476f2/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Watch Video</a></strong></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr id="yiv9133923586id_1458854d-12df-4de1-884b-7d7aa7792904" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586one-column" style="overflow: auto; word-break: normal;"><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-12 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-1" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 800px; padding: 0px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_21227d75-a67b-4959-aae4-73fe28ebfeb1" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 800px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-spacer" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1px !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_6271d783-28cf-48f0-9de7-61040034d5ce" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 1px !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 30px; overflow: hidden !important; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr id="yiv9133923586id_e9e51687-05b8-4877-9675-6065a7bdaf5a" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586two-column" style="overflow: auto; text-align: center; width: 800px; word-break: normal;"><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-6 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-1" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 400px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_01597c40-f47a-487f-a928-f177d907b4b0" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 400px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-image" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td align="center" id="yiv9133923586id_b65bf07b-1696-405d-a49c-544dac94ce8b" style="border-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T07c0c5fc-0647-479e-ad36-ae914da0980a/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img align="center" alt="" id="yiv9133923586id_b65bf07b-1696-405d-a49c-544dac94ce8b_img" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdefault.salsalabs.org%2Fd575a18a-9c22-48e7-b847-43a79de35294%2F03f79df7-e23d-4b6d-8a58-32c69ad91a40.png&t=1645121700&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1caf-2c01c701ad00&sig=G_K9uVqEJsBxTFw5ntCFJA--~D" style="border: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; text-indent: -9999px; width: 295.99px;" width="296" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-6 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-2" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 400px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_4db73d06-689b-420d-be87-6ea5c6cdbdaa" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 400px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-text" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_4b50669c-2ce8-4bf5-8c1b-ab76cc345f50" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #4c4c4c; float: none; font-size: 18px; height: auto; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 0em 1em 0.5em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><em>Fox National News</em></strong></span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"31 million Americans will reportedly bet on Super Bowl LVI: Fox News reports on the growing sports betting industry ahead of Super Bowl 2022" including an interview with Stop Predatory Gambling member Drew Camard of California <strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T4258f35a-af66-4a45-8dcc-9bbaad500237/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Watch Video</a></strong></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr id="yiv9133923586id_46047fcb-5526-4636-b35c-bcc1ca8c883f" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586one-column" style="overflow: auto; word-break: normal;"><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-12 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-1" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 800px; padding: 0px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_e6756f55-4dbc-4d6f-aa3b-e3b599678860" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 800px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-text" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_9534b6d2-f34e-49b3-b402-0e4f85b95981" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 18px; padding: 1em 1em 0.5em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><em>The Wall Street Journal</em></strong></span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Te1ae2d3f-73ce-444c-85e2-00da2ab6b228/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">“Sports Leagues and TV Networks Like the Gambling Odds: Once you had to go to Nevada to wager legally on the big game. Now most can do it from the couch.”</a> </strong>(Harry Levant)</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"> </p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><em>Associated Press</em></strong></span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Td5e18fa3-84ec-480d-af19-07634c179707/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">"31M Americans to bet on Super Bowl, gambling group estimates"</a> </strong>(Harry Levant)</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"> </p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><em>Christianity Today</em></strong></span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Te5bc61d9-25d3-42e4-b0e0-82b31673cf4f/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">"Super Bowl Betting Is a $7.6 Billion Problem Fewer Evangelicals Care About: As society doubles down on online sports gambling, older activists see a chance to renew the Christian conscience around the practice.”</a></strong> (Tom Grey)</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"> </p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><em>Wisconsin NPR</em></strong></span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Tc6bf542c-ea97-4bb0-b1bb-e1004aee3e2c/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">“The rise of sports gambling: Wisconsin Public Radio”</a> </strong>(Les Bernal)</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"> </p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><em>Newark Star-Ledger (NJ)</em></strong></span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T0d42c690-4acc-47f2-b520-eed7e8ca620c/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">“The hidden addiction: N.J. sports betting is raising millions in tax revenue. But it comes at a steep cost for some gamblers.”</a> </strong>(Harry Levant)</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"> </p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><em><strong>Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission National Newsletter</strong></em></span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T312075bd-ed21-4a6d-a153-736ddce7e784/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">“How sports betting has increased predatory gambling across the U.S.: The high cost to poorer communities”</a> </strong>(Southern Baptist Convention)</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr id="yiv9133923586id_05df76cc-7045-4a7f-b1b6-378c804c5d1a" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586two-column" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: red; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; text-align: center; width: 800px; word-break: normal;"><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-8 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-1" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 533px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_a655f27b-6630-4a6b-ac53-467a8b9425e2" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 532.986px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-text" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_8320b40e-f529-4062-b8a0-fee85aa2c973" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 18px; padding: 1em 1em 0.5em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: white; line-height: 27px;">CALL TO ACTION</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: white; line-height: 27px;">Sign our petition to encourage Congress to act to restrict gambling advertising, marketing, and sponsorships, especially in sports. </span><strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T5652c665-cb59-4ae0-aa6c-2528482b161f/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><span style="color: white; line-height: 27px;">Learn More & Sign</span></a></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586column yiv9133923586sli-medium-4 yiv9133923586sli-small-12 yiv9133923586sli-col-2" style="border-width: 0px; max-width: 266px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="yiv9133923586inner" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_aa889b27-940d-4e55-8998-94e74c650096" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 265.99px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-image" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td align="center" id="yiv9133923586id_133762d6-c9ac-4bc7-9781-e4836c58708f" style="border-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><img align="center" alt="" id="yiv9133923586id_133762d6-c9ac-4bc7-9781-e4836c58708f_img" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdefault.salsalabs.org%2Fd575a18a-9c22-48e7-b847-43a79de35294%2F8eeecb7a-b453-41a7-b26c-800e8852892f.png&t=1645121700&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1caf-2c01c701ad00&sig=USAUO2PLZ30fYOr2PjJwig--~D" style="border: 0px; 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padding: 0px; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv9133923586contents" id="yiv9133923586id_c2756324-a782-40ee-8a99-08fbbb08dbe4" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 800px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-text yiv9133923586sli-orgInfo" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv9133923586id_28bcbc67-c04e-4dad-8adc-08798d56a5c3" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 18px; padding: 1em 1em 0em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><strong>Stop Predatory Gambling Foundation</strong><br />100 Maryland Avenue NE, Room 310 | Washington, District of Columbia 20002<br />(202) 567-6996 | les@stoppredatorygambling.org</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="yiv9133923586sli-email-element yiv9133923586sli-social-icons-element" style="border-width: 0px; 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color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 30px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Stop-Predatory-Gambling-70783911004" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img id="yiv9133923586id_FACEBOOK_img" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstoppredatorygambling.salsalabs.org%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ficons%2Fmedium-auto_facebook2.png&t=1645121700&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1caf-2c01c701ad00&sig=L.fssdyvDTrp455Kr6fFmw--~D" style="border: 0px; display: block; max-width: none; min-width: 0px !important; text-indent: -9999px;" /></a></td><td class="yiv9133923586sli-social-icons-item" style="border: 0px none; color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 30px; padding: 0px 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/follow?screen_name=SPGambling" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img id="yiv9133923586id_TWITTER_img" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstoppredatorygambling.salsalabs.org%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ficons%2Fmedium-auto_twitter2.png&t=1645121700&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1caf-2c01c701ad00&sig=6pJuarkT4dAOzLpOxL9iZg--~D" style="border: 0px; display: block; max-width: none; min-width: 0px !important; text-indent: -9999px;" /></a></td><td class="yiv9133923586sli-social-icons-item" style="border: 0px none; color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 30px; padding: 0px 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/SPGAmerica?sub_confirmation=1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img id="yiv9133923586id_YOUTUBE_img" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstoppredatorygambling.salsalabs.org%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ficons%2Fmedium-auto_youtube3.png&t=1645121700&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1caf-2c01c701ad00&sig=5hXogeKCtzO648nbiXir9Q--~D" style="border: 0px; display: block; max-width: none; min-width: 0px !important; text-indent: -9999px;" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></center></div></div></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-91984776513758014442022-02-12T12:15:00.002-05:002022-02-12T12:15:33.202-05:00Your state is attempting to pass the biggest expansion of gambling in its history <p><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>While much of the public attention has been focused on the presidential campaigns, there is a stealth, powerful lobbying campaign underway by commercial gambling operators in more than 20 states where legislatures are currently in session. </b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=hefm9%2Bfo5u9XWsc0%2BWuVbi8GB1KIbX6D" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Their purpose is to legalize online gambling, including a bid to turn every American child’s video game console like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii into a Las Vegas casino.</span></b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>At least 15 states are facing bills with almost the exact same language (AL, GA, IL, IN, MD, MN, MO, MS, NE, NM, OK, SC, VA, WV, WI.) So far, the bill has advanced the furthest in Virginia.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>If your state is not mentioned above, you can be almost certain that a pro-online gambling lobbying campaign has been launched or is being planned A gambling industry news site has provided <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=h3jO1EpzEywbeoIdDuWVCgnsBs7ws0zh" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">a useful legislative bill tracking link </a>to tell you the status of online gambling bills in your state.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The implications of these bills are enormous and merit far more public scrutiny and legislative consideration than they have currently received.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>We sent a letter today to the Virginia Legislature regarding their bill. <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=zXpbscyAzQLBb%2Fits%2Fieyi8GB1KIbX6D" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">Below is a press release</a> about <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=dexoODVexU2DWZ%2FYCJF8yi8GB1KIbX6D" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">our letter.</a> I urge you <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Nv7ClQ%2Frj1R14%2Fmnsu06tORGnAJCeyaC" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">to read the letter itself </a>so you can better understand what is happening and why it is essential for you to participate in your state.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also urge you to modify the letter and the media release to fit your state and put it out there. If you want us to work with you (and any like-minded organizations in your state) to send a similar letter, let us know.</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Thanks.<br /><br />Les</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Les Bernal<br />February 25, 2015 (202) 567-6996<br /><br />Virginia Legislature Misled Into Passing the Biggest Expansion of Gambling in State History<br /><i>Bill allows gambling operators to turn every Virginia child’s video game console into a Las Vegas casino</i><br /><br />(RICHMOND, VA) – In a letter to Virginia legislators today, a national government reform group declared that legislators were “misled” when they recently passed a bill legalizing online gambling in the state.<br /><br />“This bill represents the biggest expansion of gambling in Virginia history and legislators were misled into supporting it,” said Les Bernal, the National Director of Stop Predatory Gambling (SPG) which sent the letter. “If it becomes law, gambling operators will be able to turn every Virginia child’s video game console like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii into a Las Vegas casino. The issue deserves far more public scrutiny and legislative consideration than it’s received.”<br /><br />In its letter, SPG’s letter points to several examples of the misinformation campaign around the legislation:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>1) The bill allows far more forms of internet gambling than constituents, legislators and state media have been led to believe, relying on cookie cutter language found in proposed DFS bills in 14 other states.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>2) The bill legalizes “eSports,” allowing gambling operators to turn every Virginia child’s video game console like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii in the State of Virginia into a Las Vegas casino. Users will be allowed to wager on the results of video games;</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>3) As written, the bill allows wagering on non-sports fantasy contests like awards shows, political debates, and even spelling bees;</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>4) Despite cloaking the bill’s intent as “consumer protection,” there are virtually no new consumer protections for Virginians</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>5) Lobbying campaigns have presented these online gambling operators as vibrant, sound businesses but recent media reports have spotlighted how they are on shaky financial ground;</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; margin-left: 40px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>6) To give the appearance that more support for online gambling exists than there really is, proponents are deliberately blurring the amount of participants in “daily fantasy sports” with traditional season-long games already played by Virginians.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br />“We strongly urge the members of the Virginia Legislature and the Governor to take immediate action to halt the lobbying effort to legalize online gambling in the state,” Bernal said.<br /><br />To read SPG’s letter, <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4lGNyfrgDIPkmSuXgHk78y8GB1KIbX6D" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">please download it here</a> or by visiting the link: <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=rPKmzuGK4ZstC5resYim7C8GB1KIbX6D" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">http://stoppredatorygambling.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016-VA-Legislature-letter-on-DFS-bill.pdf</a><br /><br />-30-</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>____________</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Les Bernal</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>National Director</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xug%2BtUeBoNVmUPxcZOpEBi8GB1KIbX6D" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Stop Predatory Gambling</span></b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><b>Build a more humane and just society: end government-sponsored gambling because it is dishonest, financially damaging to citizens and contributes to rising inequality of opportunity.</b></i><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=U9UsXqzyiDjRmBQ08gVgHS8GB1KIbX6D" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b></b></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228;">If you support our mission and work, </span><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=3QHtgEXwp9uDUAfllRpTfS8GB1KIbX6D" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">please become a member by contributing $10 or more today to help sustain it.</a> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-87670387534474336652022-02-12T12:06:00.005-05:002022-02-12T12:06:51.122-05:00New plan to open a casino inside every Massachusetts home <p> </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In Massachusetts many citizens got involved in the movement to stop casinos because they opposed a casino where they lived.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Today there is a lobbying effort underway for state government to sponsor online gambling </b><b>which</b> <b>will ultimately open a casino and lottery retailer<i> right inside</i> <i>your home</i> and <i>on</i> <i>your</i> <i>smart phone,</i></b> <b>as well as for everyone else in your community.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Attorney General Maura Healey's office has proposed an initiative legalizing online gambling by regulations, a political strategy that contrasts the actions of the <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RUiauemoPgwABjkjZpzUHRB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>New York</b></a> and<a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=WuxEJyv7xDgl5vejyQYcShB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"> </a><b><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1%2BS38oJn13faaKXViYD%2BOnB8%2BsYJ%2FOII" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">Illinois</a> </b>Attorney Generals who have acted to shut down online gambling operations in their states.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>The Attorney General's proposed regulations represent the biggest expansion of gambling in Massachusetts history. </b>While it has been presented to the public as a bid to regulate online fantasy sports gambling, the end game for gambling interests is to offer more extreme forms of gambling to citizens through the internet.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Casino companies like MGM and Caesars<a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=eKzNxXDsHsNHRw8btiAIDRB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b> have unsuccessfully lobbied for internet gambling to be legalized at the federal level. </b></a> Authorizing DFS would provide gambling interests like these and others a back door way to bring in internet casino gambling.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=L84jxFsGL68HaPBe20uN1xB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>Legislation was recently filed </b></a>in the Massachusetts Legislature to do just that. It's also why when the Mass Gambling Commission released its review of so-called "Daily Fantasy Sports" this week, <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=d9k8KUxV2elt6qbE0EVvxBB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>it also looked at other forms of online gambling.</b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>I urge you to please share your comments about this issue with Attorney General Healey and her staff by Friday, January 22.</b> <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=w4iYdMzQgnyc17BkSdn1exB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>Here is the info about her proposal to introduce internet gambling.</b></a> <b>Comments can be emailed to </b><a href="mailto:DFSRegs@state.ma.us" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4; overflow: hidden; widows: 1;" target="_blank" ymailto="mailto:DFSRegs@state.ma.us"><b>DFSRegs@state.ma.us</b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A few items to help you learn more about the topic:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1) Read <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Ztmmc1QwPd%2B8aUGDp0UB2BB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>our national report.</b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">2) Here is a colorful, recently published <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=AycVgOQNwZ7eUc0ggCmZIhB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b><em>New York Times Magazine</em></b> <i><b>story</b></i></a> titled <b>“How the Daily Fantasy Sports Industry Turns Fans Into Suckers.”</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">3) <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=a0VCMZKaRwkdq8XTMwT%2BgBB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>Our testimony presented at the AG's hearing</b></a> this past Tuesday.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">4) National political comedian John Oliver's review of online fantasy sports gambling on his HBO show <i>Last Week Tonight</i>. <b><i>(If the image below doesn't show in your email, </i></b><b><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=YS2zuo9%2BV5bjTSQtowVX9hB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><i>watch the segment here.</i></a><i>)</i></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=YTmGR5nKSPhpTt%2FMIhzy3hB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="263" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsalsa3.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F50935%2Fimages%2FScreenshot%25202015-11-16%252014.08.10.png&t=1644685459&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1ce1-db0177010000&sig=doXdf0SLEjshyd1sfVLAnw--~D" style="text-indent: -9999px;" width="350" /></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We believe Attorney General Healey, her staff and others who propose to introduce internet gambling into Massachusetts are better leaders than this initiative demonstrates.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Best,</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Les</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">____________</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Les Bernal</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">National Director</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1QTvcx6oRIJb%2Bz2dmXWoBBB8wsP7cvDd" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>Stop Predatory Gambling</b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><b>Build a more humane and just society: end government-sponsored gambling because it is dishonest, financially damaging to citizens and contributes to rising inequality of opportunity.</b></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-28530702805860619282022-02-12T12:03:00.002-05:002022-02-12T12:03:29.725-05:00This is the amount of wealth that Americans will lose to commercialized gambling in 2018 <p> </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Americans are expected<b> </b><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=gouaL54CUdPxwg7sCljvq54btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>to lose $118 billion of their personal wealth</b></a><b> </b>to commercialized gambling in 2018. Many of these citizens, some of whom are your family, neighbors and co-workers, suffered life-changing financial losses.<br /><br />When you look at the bigger picture,<b> the American people are on a collision course to lose more than $1 trillion of wealth to government-sanctioned gambling over the next eight years.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This is happening at the same time that around<b> <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=WXOa1D3Jo92x2VbTr2zJUJ4btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">50 percent of the US population has zero or negative net wealth</a>, </b>meaning their debts equal or exceed their assets.<br /><br />This was the message we delivered in our testimony before Congress last month. <b>You can </b><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MDbTNs5cjJQj7Qu8JoPdtp4btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>watch our brief testimony here</b></a><b> or by clicking the video image below.</b> <b>You can also <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BXTE3Mwvn%2F845gFXFWsC854btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">read our longer, more detailed written testimony here.</a></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Vpr7OweVRGJ%2Bpm0kwjiSbZ4btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="227" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsalsa3.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F50935%2Fimages%2F2018%2520Congressional%2520testimony.png&t=1644685006&ymreqid=ce20d81c-da90-a934-1ce1-db0169010000&sig=j4jqHwYiDWRkRMqEqhlMow--~D" style="text-indent: -9999px;" width="300" /></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Our national network is made up almost entirely of volunteers who take action because of what we believe:</p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><li>We believe everyone in America should have a fair opportunity to get ahead and improve their future.</li><li>We believe every person’s life has worth and that no one is expendable.</li><li>We believe that a good society depends on the values of honesty, concern for others, mutual trust, self-discipline, sacrifice, and a work ethic that connects effort and reward.</li><li>We believe no agency or entity of government should depend on predatory gambling to fund its activities.</li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Today, we're taking part in a national day of philanthropy which has become known as Giving Tuesday. We're a 501c3 public charity.</b> <b>If you believe what we believe, please include our mission </b><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=OPtgQ1s1cCJhWdu0p3g9Z54btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>as one of the recipients of your charitable giving today. </b></a> <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=LVCfSJ16wGgqJW5CletXh54btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b></b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Please give safely and securely by contributing </b><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=sFPZNo0zdjuoIxjnp4uqU54btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>at our website's donations page. </b></a>Thank you!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Best,</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Les Bernal<br />National Director<br /><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=47eo2i7il7BSRpd4AJdmaZ4btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b>Stop Predatory Gambling</b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">________________________________</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=n3%2FU67KpB40o18vgQC7%2BnZ4btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Stop Predatory Gambling</span></b></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Who We Are —<br /></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- A 501c3 non-profit based in Washington, DC, we are a national government reform network of individuals and organizations from across the U.S.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- We believe in improving the lives of the American people with compassion and fairness, freeing us from the lower standard of living, exploitation, and fraud that commercialized gambling spreads.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- We are one of the most diverse organizations in the United States, one in which conservatives and progressives work side-by-side with with a common national purpose.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>What We Stand For —<br /></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- We believe everyone should have a fair opportunity to get ahead and improve their economic standing.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- We believe every person’s life has worth and that no one is expendable.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- We believe that a good society depends on the values of honesty, concern for others, mutual trust, self-discipline, sacrifice, and a work ethic that connects effort and reward.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- We believe no government body should depend on predatory gambling to fund its activities.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>If you share our beliefs</b>, <b>please help sustain our work</b><b> by<a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=hspQItkP6PDaJnIDfUwysp4btgqa9Q0l" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"> making a tax-deductible, financial gift today of $10 or more.</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-20833617534666925422022-02-12T12:00:00.001-05:002022-02-12T12:00:50.776-05:00Your help with a story about the tactics used by casino "hosts" to lure citizens to gamble <p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv2003561577contents" id="yiv2003561577id_59b7953b-57f0-4faf-805b-10d8825bc7ba" style="background-color: #cccccc; border-width: 0px; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding: 0px; width: 800px;"><tbody><tr class="yiv2003561577sli-email-element yiv2003561577sli-text" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv2003561577id_42475000-4405-41cf-b4fd-a7d3056ecc9b" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #4c4c4c; float: none; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%; padding: 1em 1em 0.5em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">I’m writing to ask for your help with a story by a high-profile news media outlet investigating the types of business practices used by casino "hosts" to encourage citizens to gamble at casinos. Also called "player development representatives," the casino employees are assigned to citizens with the explicit purpose to extract as much money as possible, using an almost limitless variety of tactics to do so. It's important to note that state governments are complicit with these tactics. The reporter is looking to speak to people with specific knowledge and experience with these "hosts."</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">If you or anyone you know is willing to share their knowledge and experience to spotlight this serious issue, please send me their contact info and I'll connect them with the journalist. Thanks for your help.</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">Best,</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">Les Bernal<br />National Director<br />Stop Predatory Gambling</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;">________________________________</p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><strong><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">Who We Are —</span></strong></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">- A 501c3 non-profit based in Washington, DC, we are a national social reform network of citizens and organizations from across the U.S.</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">- We are one of the most diverse organizations in the United States, one in which conservatives and progressives work side-by-side with a common national purpose.</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><strong><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">What We Stand For —</span></strong></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe in improving the lives of the American people with compassion and fairness, freeing us from the lower standard of living, exploitation, and fraud that commercialized gambling spreads.</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe everyone should have a fair opportunity to get ahead and improve their economic standing.</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe every person’s life has worth and that no one is expendable.</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe that a good society depends on the values of honesty, concern for others, mutual trust, self-discipline, sacrifice, and a work ethic that connects effort and reward.</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe no government body should depend on predatory gambling to fund its activities.</span></p><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 27px;">If you share our beliefs, please help sustain our work <strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T26ef1836-7c4a-4020-85c2-a4b480f988e3/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">by making a tax-deductible, financial gift today of $10 or more.</a></strong></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="yiv2003561577sli-email-element yiv2003561577sli-text yiv2003561577sli-orgInfo" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="yiv2003561577id_94fa1847-d1ef-4691-864d-9ab11c248827" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 18px; padding: 1em 1em 0em; vertical-align: top; word-break: normal;"><p style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><strong>Stop Predatory Gambling Foundation</strong><br />100 Maryland Avenue NE, Room 310 | Washington, District of Columbia 20002<br />(202) 567-6996 | les@stoppredatorygambling.org</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="yiv2003561577sli-email-element yiv2003561577sli-social-icons-element" style="border-width: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><td id="yiv2003561577id_b6a9182a-8f13-4089-b381-f2da385c58ff" style="border-width: 0px; 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font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></span></div><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><a href="https://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank">MIDDLEBORO REMEMBERS</a></p><p><br /></p><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px;">Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe elects Brian Weeden as new tribal council leader</h1><div><br /></div><div>Jessica Hill Cape Cod Times </div><div>Published May 18, 2021 </div><div><br /></div><div><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">MASHPEE — The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has a new chairman who aims to unite tribal members, promote economic development and preserve the tribe’s culture. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In its May 16 election, members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe elected 28-year-old Brian Weeden as chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“I feel ready to get to work,” Weeden said. “There’s a lot of things that need to be done for the tribe and the community.” </p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; float: right; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 10px 0px 24px 31px; width: 300px;"><img alt="Brian Weeden has been elected tribal council chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. He said he wants to improve the tribe’s finances and increase transparency in how the tribe operates." class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/05/17/NCCT/f8f3006a-2f6f-40b3-a3e4-fc8f8fa75202-Brian_Weeden_tribal_council_chairman.jpg?width=300&height=405&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" srcset="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/05/17/NCCT/f8f3006a-2f6f-40b3-a3e4-fc8f8fa75202-Brian_Weeden_tribal_council_chairman.jpg?width=600&height=810&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 405px; object-fit: contain; width: 300px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="Brian Weeden has been elected tribal council chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. He said he wants to improve the tribe’s finances and increase transparency in how the tribe operates." data-c-credit="Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 300px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden won by 20 votes, garnering a total of 241 votes to 221 for Nelson Andrews Jr.. Aaron Tobey Jr. received 167 votes, and Robert “Kyle” Bassett had 20. Carlton Hendricks Jr. was elected vice-chairman, Marie Stone elected treasurer and Cassie Jackson elected secretary. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“I hope the tribe’s future is bright with the newly elected leadership,” Bassett said. “I know everybody that got elected, and I hope that they’re up for the challenge.” </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden is the youngest person to serve as Tribal Council chairman, the head of the tribe’s executive and legislative government branch.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden graduated from Mashpee High School in 2011 and attended Cape Cod Community College. He works for the Mashpee Department of Public Works as a custodian at the K.C. Coombs School. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">For years, Weeden has been involved in both tribal and town organizations, such as the Mashpee Conservation Commission and the Mashpee Historical Commission. He was most recently elected to the Mashpee School Committee. He is also on Mashpee’s Town Seal Design Committee, and is representing the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on the state seal commission. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In 2009, Weeden founded the Youth Council, and created the Mashpee Youth Commission in 2019 to give young people a voice and experience in tribal and local politics. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden said his main priority is to restore unity in the tribal community by talking with members and listening to them, he said. He said he plans to organize more unity conferences and ceremonial gatherings. Hendricks, the vice-chairman, also wants to have an open, transparent government where members are aware of what is going on, he said.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden said another goal is to preserve and emphasize the tribe’s culture through more language classes and cultural programming, such as summer camps and Quahog Day for children. He said the tribe used to have a toddler hour at the tribal museum, where day care providers would come in with their children, and a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe would host a cultural activity. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden and Hendricks say they also want to find ways to improve the tribe’s financial status through the implementation of a finance committee as well as find new streams of revenue. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The tribe has been in a dire financial situation for years, and with the plans to build a Taunton casino halted, there is a serious need for economic development.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden’s past two predecessors, Cedric Cromwell and Glenn Marshall, were both indicted on felony charges while in office. Cromwell is currently facing bribery and extortion charges, and Marshall pleaded guilty to several charges in 2009, including embezzling nearly $400,000 from the tribe.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden said he hopes to turn the tide and restore the tribe’s integrity.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“The Cromwell administration left the tribe devastated,” said Hendricks, who has a couple of plans to bring economic development to the tribe, although he declined to provide specifics until he shares them with tribal members and the Tribal Council. He hopes to see two viable economic plans bringing in revenue to the tribe within two years. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">One of Weeden’s ideas is to create a deer farm in Mashpee. The tribe could replenish the woods and restock the Cape’s game, he said, as there are a lot of tribal members who still hunt. The tribe could sell venison to local distributors, tan the deer hide and make traditional clothing. Another idea is to do canoe tours along Mashpee’s rivers and waterways, Weeden said. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Now also president of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s Gaming Authority, Weeden plans to get input from members of the tribe and the Tribal Council about what route the tribe plans to take with its casino projects. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weeden said he plans to put policies and procedures in place so the tribe “can never be in this situation again.”</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“I think people that do wrong by the tribe should not be allowed to receive services” or be a part of the tribal government, he said. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">As someone who attended White House gatherings as a tribal youth delegate, Weeden said he plans to continue making sure the tribe is represented on a national level and build relationships with potential economic partners, he said. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">And at a local level, Weeden said he will also negotiate with the Town of Mashpee and review their intergovernmental agreement, and make sure the town is consulting with the tribe on matters such as development projects. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Tribal members continue to get harassed for practicing their aboriginal rights to fish and hunt, Weeden said. Members have been arrested for trespassing while trying to access waterways. The Mashpee Pond, for instance, is locked, and Weeden plans on working with the Town of Mashpee to improve treatment and access to waterways. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">He also wants to work on the tribe’s land-in-trust status and continue land and restitution negotiations with the commonwealth. The tribe’s constitution also needs to be reformed, he said. Certain clauses about Tribal Council requirements and tribal enrollment should be amended to give more power to tribal members, he said.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“The constitution took away the voice of the people and gave a lot of power and authority to the chairman and the council,” Weeden said. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“This administration is going to lead the way for future generations and get everything back in order around here, culturally, spiritually, physically, mentally,” Weeden said. “And do what’s right by our people.</p></div><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-74239240401099868472021-04-02T07:34:00.000-04:002021-04-02T07:34:32.033-04:00Cromwell, DeQuattro plead not guilty to bribe, extortion, tax charges <p> </p><p><br /></p><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px;">Cromwell, DeQuattro plead not guilty to bribe, extortion, tax charges</h1><div><br /></div><div>Jessica Hill Cape Cod Times</div><div>Published Apr 2, 2021 </div><div><br /></div><div><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">BOSTON — Cedric Cromwell, former tribal council chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and David DeQuattro, owner of a Rhode Island architectural firm that worked with the tribe, pleaded not guilty Thursday during their arraignment in U.S. District Court on charges of bribery and extortion, and, for Cromwell, filing false tax returns.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell, a 55-year-old Attleboro resident, was charged in March with four counts of filing a false tax return on top of other charges of bribery and extortion from November. He and DeQuattro were each indicted by a federal grand jury in November on two counts of accepting or paying bribes as an agent of an Indian tribal government, and one count of conspiring to commit bribery. Cromwell was also indicted then on four counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of conspiring to commit extortion.</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 30px 0px; width: 660px;"><img alt="Cedric Cromwell, former tribal council chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to a casino project." class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2020/11/13/NCCT/4643dd59-34cd-4f67-9d7d-d7f88c84ec07-Cedric_Cromwell.jpg?width=660&height=459&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" srcset="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2020/11/13/NCCT/4643dd59-34cd-4f67-9d7d-d7f88c84ec07-Cedric_Cromwell.jpg?width=1320&height=918&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 459px; object-fit: contain; width: 660px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="Cedric Cromwell, former tribal council chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to a casino project." data-c-credit="Merrily Cassidy/Cape Cod Times File" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 660px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">They both had pleaded not guilty to the November charges, but were back in court Thursday after the "superseding indictment" was returned alleging the further tax-related charges against Cromwell.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The charges are in connection with the tribe’s plans to build a resort and casino in Taunton. DeQuattro’s company, Robinson Green Beretta Corp., was contracted to serve as the “owner’s representative” for the tribe for its casino project, and the indictment alleges that Cromwell used his role as chairman of the tribal council and his role on the tribe’s gaming authority to ensure that DeQuattro’s company would remain the representative for the project. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">DeQuattro allegedly provided Cromwell with a stream of payments and benefits valued at about $57,549.37. In exchange, DeQuattro’s company was paid approximately $4,966,287.16 under the contract between July 2014 and February 2018, the indictment alleges. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Thursday's arraignment, conducted via Zoom teleconference, was on the superseding indictment for the tax charges. Cromwell on Thursday pleaded not guilty to all charges, including both the original bribery and extortion charges as well as the new tax charges. DeQuattro also pleaded not guilty on his charges from November.</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; float: right; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 10px 0px 24px 31px; width: 300px;"><img alt="David DeQuattro, owner of a Rhode Island architectural firm, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to a casino project." class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2020/11/13/NPRJ/36e75059-e17c-4f0e-93bb-acafecb0ece7-DEQUATTRO_1.JPG?width=300&height=451&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" srcset="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2020/11/13/NPRJ/36e75059-e17c-4f0e-93bb-acafecb0ece7-DEQUATTRO_1.JPG?width=600&height=902&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 451px; object-fit: contain; width: 300px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="David DeQuattro, owner of a Rhode Island architectural firm, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to a casino project." data-c-credit="Providence Journal, File" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 300px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The defendants argued during the hearing that Judge Marianne Bowler should grant a motion for what is called a “bill of particulars,” saying that the plaintiff’s indictments were vague about the allegations and requesting more specific details about what happened. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">DeQuattro’s attorney, Martin Weinberg, wanted to know what exactly the government claims Cromwell communicated to DeQuattro as well as the times, places, manner and means by which the criminal conduct allegedly occurred. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“Despite the allegations, there (are) no specifics as to what Mr. Cromwell told Mr. DeQuattro,” Weinberg said in the hearing. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Prosecutor Christine Wichers countered that the 23-page indictment and the 31-page superseding indictment offer many details, including dates and payments. She said that she has produced all of the discovery on the underlying charges, although not yet on the recent tax charges, which will be submitted within two weeks.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Another hearing for Cromwell will be scheduled when the discovery evidence is presented on the tax charges.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The next status conference is scheduled for 3 p.m. May 18. In the interim, Bowler will send the case up to trial judge Douglas Woodlock to begin setting a date for the trial. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">When the case does go to trial, Wichers plans to call 30 witnesses and estimates the trial will last two weeks. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">On Thursday, Weinberg also filed a motion for the production of exculpatory evidence — or evidence that would free DeQuattro from blame — asking that the court review a limited subset of the discovery that includes the statements and testimony of Joseph Beretta, the former president of Robinson Green Beretta Corp.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Beretta is the government’s cornerstone witness in the case, Weinberg said during the meeting. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weinberg said that when Cromwell asked DeQuattro for a donation on June 25, 2014, DeQuattro did not immediately write a check. He went to his company’s then president, Beretta, and they discussed the request for the donation. Beretta went to the company’s longtime attorneys and asked for legal advice, Weinberg said. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The attorneys provided opinions approving and/or not prohibiting or discouraging those donations, Weinberg wrote in the motion filed March 15. He argued that some of the attorneys told Beretta to proceed with caution and make sure the entity they were donating to was in good standing.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Beretta authorized each of the subsequent donations that DeQuattro made to Cromwell, Weinberg said. He authorized that in action and in words because he reimbursed DeQuattro, Weinberg said. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“This goes right to (DeQuattro's) good faith,” Weinberg said. “Did he give these donations as a corrupt bribe, or as a good faith campaign or political donation?”</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Weinberg asked the court and the government to take Beretta’s statements and see that it shows DeQuattro was acting in good faith and could be "exculpatory" for DeQuattro. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Wichers said that Beretta’s statements do not include anything that would be exculpatory other than what she already disclosed in the discovery.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Bowler took the motion for a bill of particulars under advisement and denied the defendants’ motion for exculpatory evidence. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The defendants also filed motions Thursday for a speedy trial, describing the harm that could come by waiting longer. Weinberg was concerned the delay could be nearly a year because of additional discovery and motions related to the tax charges against Cromwell. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">DeQuattro’s architecture firm has suffered a substantial loss of business as a result of the government’s allegations, Weinberg wrote in a motion. DeQuattro’s company had a contract canceled with Johnston, Rhode Island, schools for a project that was going to generate millions of dollars in fees, Weinberg wrote. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“Continued delay of these proceedings will only cause further damage, quite possibly irreversibly so, to Mr. DeQuattro’s business interests,” Weinberg wrote. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; height: 408px; margin: 14px auto 32px;"><div style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></p><div style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></span></div><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><a href="https://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank">MIDDLEBORO REMEMBERS</a></p></aside></div><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-60376334959759113782021-03-27T09:30:00.000-04:002021-03-27T09:30:10.392-04:00Indictment: Cedric Cromwell failed to report alleged bribes as income <p> </p><p><br /></p><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px;">Indictment: Cedric Cromwell failed to report alleged bribes as income</h1><div><br /></div><div>Jessica Hill Cape Cod Times</div><div>Published Mar 24, 2021 </div><div><br /></div><div><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">BOSTON — Cedric Cromwell, former tribal council chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, has been charged with filing false tax returns on top of pending bribery and extortion charges. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">A federal grand jury in Boston returned a superseding indictment Monday with the new charges, acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell announced in a statement Tuesday night,<strong> </strong>along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service criminal investigation divisions in Boston.<strong></strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell, an Attleboro resident, was charged with four counts of filing a false tax return, bringing the total number of charges he faces to12. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the new charges on April 1 before Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler in federal court in Boston. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The superseding indictment alleges that between 2014 and 2017 Cromwell failed to report a total of $177,392 on his tax returns. That includes $39,000 of personal income in 2014; $57,374 in 2015; $26,884 in 2016; and $54,134 in 2017.</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 30px 0px; width: 660px;"><img alt="Cedric Cromwell" class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2020/11/13/NCCT/4643dd59-34cd-4f67-9d7d-d7f88c84ec07-Cedric_Cromwell.jpg?width=660&height=459&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" srcset="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2020/11/13/NCCT/4643dd59-34cd-4f67-9d7d-d7f88c84ec07-Cedric_Cromwell.jpg?width=1320&height=918&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 459px; object-fit: contain; width: 660px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="Cedric Cromwell" data-c-credit="Merrily Cassidy/Cape Cod Times File" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 660px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell's attorney, Tim Flaherty, said Wednesday that the <strong>"</strong>recent indictment relates to tax irregularities that have no overlap and no connection to the early allegations."</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“Chairman Cromwell looks forward to presenting a vigorous defense to the extortion and bribery claims and continues to state his innocence," Flaherty said.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell was charged with bribery and extortion in November along with David DeQuattro, 54, the owner of a Rhode Island architecture firm, in connection with the tribe’s plans to build a resort and casino in Taunton. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell, 55, and DeQuattro were each indicted on two counts of accepting or paying bribes as an agent of an Indian tribal government and one count of conspiring to commit bribery, according to Mendell's statement. Cromwell was also indicted on four counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of conspiring to commit extortion.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">When Cromwell filed his personal income tax returns for tax years 2014 through 2017, he failed to report bribes that he allegedly received from DeQuattro’s company, Robinson Green Beretta Corp., which was contracted to serve as the tribe’s “owner’s representative” for the casino project, according to the superseding indictment. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The indictment alleged that DeQuattro provided Cromwell with a stream of payments and benefits valued at about $57,549.37. In exchange, DeQuattro’s company was paid approximately $4,966,287.16 under the contract between July 2014 and February 2018. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell did report receiving $180,377 in salary from the tribe in 2017 in his federal personal income tax returns, which he filed jointly with his wife, the indictment states. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell is accused of failing to report payments for consulting services he performed for a company that developed and supplied forest carbon offsets. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">While being questioned in a civil lawsuit in 2018, Cromwell said he was a consultant/owner for three limited liability companies, and more specifically a “consultant on carbon sequestration and an Indian Country liaison to Tribal Carbon Forestry Markets,” according to the indictment. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell was paid the consulting income through an intermediary identified as “P-Co.”, which was formed by a lawyer who was one of Cromwell’s business associates, the statement says. That associate was the only authorized signatory on a bank account identified as the “P-Co. Shell Company Account,” according to the indictment.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell also failed to report income made by his company, One Nation Development, which was paid through the P-Co. account and the bank account of a Florida limited partnership that originated with an investment holding company in Las Vegas, the indictment said.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">On multiple occasions between December 2014 and January 2016, the Las Vegas investment holding company wired money to the Florida limited partnership, which wired money to the P-Co. Shell Company Account. P-Co. then wired money to the One Nation Development account controlled by Cromwell, the indictment alleges.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The only authorized signatory on the investment holding company’s bank account was the CEO of a Las Vegas-based architecture firm hired to be the architect for the tribe’s casino project, the indictment says. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">If found guilty, Cromwell could face up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000,<strong></strong>according to the statement. Cromwell and DeQuattro could have to forfeit any property constituting or derived from proceeds traceable to the offenses. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell was first elected to the tribal council in 2009 and was reelected in 2013 and 2017.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">When Cromwell was initially charged with extortion and bribery, the council voted to remove him from his post as chairman. <strong></strong>But some tribe members had already been pressuring the tribal council for the previous few years to remove Cromwell.<strong></strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Petitions bearing the signatures of 100 registered tribal voters were certified April 2019 calling for Cromwell’s resignation or removal, along with the removal of Treasurer Gordon Harris.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">For several months before the indictment was returned, a grand jury subpoenaed the tribe multiple times <strong></strong>for records from 2013 to 2020. Those records include Cromwell’s personnel records, the tribe’s financial records and expenditures, election records and internal communications between the tribe's Gaming Authority and its partners, including the Robinson Green Beretta Corp. and Genting Malaysia, the tribe’s financial backer that invested $440 million into the casino project.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In October 2020, another petition signed by 35 tribe members requested Cromwell's removal. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">"Cromwell’s conduct is a breach of public tribal trust and an abuse of authority," the petition stated. "Cromwell has been dishonest and exercises a lack of integrity by his unwillingness to be transparent about <strong></strong>the $500 million dollars that was borrowed from the investors. He is and has been a target of a federal investigation and has not been transparent about it either."</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell would not be the first tribal council chairman to be convicted of filing false tax returns if he is found guilty. The council's prior chairman, Glenn Marshall, was sentenced to 3½ years in federal prison after pleading guilty to embezzling nearly $400,000 from the tribe to pay his own bills, making illegal campaign contributions, filing false tax returns and fraudulently receiving Social Security benefits while holding a full-time job. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“The new charges are extremely serious, and we are watching the proceedings closely,” Tribal Council Vice Chair Jessie “Little Doe” Baird said in a statement. “Of course, we will continue to work with the U.S. attorney’s office.” </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><a href="https://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank">MIDDLEBORO REMEMBERS</a></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-26187844098012841922021-03-24T20:00:00.000-04:002021-03-24T20:00:46.346-04:00Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe sets in-person election date <p> </p><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px;">Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe sets in-person election date</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jessica Hill Cape Cod Times</div><div>Published Mar 24, 2021 </div><div><br /></div><div><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">MASHPEE — The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has set a new date for its general election after a Mashpee District Court judge found that mail-in voting was against the tribe’s constitution. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The election is set to take place in person on May 16.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The Tribal Council set the date during its emergency meeting Monday, although the tribe’s Election Committee still has some work to do, Tribal Council Vice Chair Jessie “Little Doe” Baird said. </p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; float: right; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 10px 0px 24px 31px; width: 300px;"><img alt="Jesse "Little Doe" Baird" class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/03/24/NCCT/02807f4d-7a9a-4f6b-aa3f-a79e17344a55-baird.jpg?width=300&height=448&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" srcset="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/03/24/NCCT/02807f4d-7a9a-4f6b-aa3f-a79e17344a55-baird.jpg?width=600&height=896&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 448px; object-fit: contain; width: 300px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="Jesse "Little Doe" Baird" data-c-credit="Steve Heaslip/Cape Cod Times" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 300px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Tribal Council member Aaron Tobey Jr., along with two other tribal members, sued members of the Tribal Council and the Election Committee regarding the election, which was originally set for March 26. The Tribal Council and Election Committee decided to hold the election solely through mail-in ballots instead of in person in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Tobey and the other plaintiffs argued that it was against the tribe’s constitution, which states that voting in tribal elections shall be by “secret ballot cast at polls.” Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Alternate District Court Judge Amanda L. WhiteEagle agreed.</p></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">On May 16, registered tribal voters will pick the next tribal council chairperson as well as other government positions. Nelson Andrews Jr., Kyle Bassett, Aaron Tobey Jr. and Brian Weeden are vying for chairperson.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Carlton Hendricks Jr. and Edwina “Winnie” Johnson-Graham are seeking the vice chair position on the tribal council. Ann Marie Askew and Cassie Jackson are running for tribal council secretary, and Kimberly Frye is running against incumbent David Weeden for a spot on the tribal council.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Charles “Bobby” Foster, Angela Marcellino, Winona Pocknett, Karen Edwards Siegel and Marie Stone are running to be the tribe’s next treasurer.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><a href="https://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank">MIDDLEBORO REMEMBERS</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-12258607895463482842021-03-08T10:06:00.001-05:002021-03-08T10:06:24.891-05:00Four vie to become new tribal council chairperson <p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px;">Four vie to become new tribal council chairperson</h1><div><br /></div><div>Jessica Hill Cape Cod Times</div><div>Published Mar 8, 2021 </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">MASHPEE — Four Mashpee tribal members are vying to become the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council's next chairperson.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Nelson Andrews Jr., Kyle Bassett, Aaron Tobey Jr. and Brian Weeden are campaigning for the position. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The chairperson presides over tribal council meetings and acts as the tribe’s official spokesperson. They also serve as the coordinator over all tribal government activities.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The tribe’s last two chairmen have either been convicted of federal crime or are currently facing federal charges. Some of the candidates have cited the need to restore the integrity of the tribe’s governing process and improve accountability. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The election is currently set to take place through mail-in balloting, with Election Day scheduled for March 26. However, three tribal members, including Tobey, have sued the tribal council and the tribe's election committee to allow in-person voting and reschedule the election to a later date.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Below is a closer look at the chairman race.</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; float: right; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 10px 0px 24px 31px; width: 300px;"><img alt="Nelson Andrews Jr." class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/03/07/NCCT/1bc4aebb-88c6-4077-a4cc-d57f9a88509c-Andrews.png?width=111&height=146&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 146px; object-fit: contain; width: 300px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="Nelson Andrews Jr." data-c-credit="Courtesy Photo" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 300px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Nelson “Red Turtle” Andrews Jr.</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Age: </strong>44</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Residence:</strong> Marstons Mills</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Occupation:</strong> Emergency Management Director / Co-Interim Tribal Administrator – Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Education:</strong> University of Massachusetts Boston, Motorcycle/Marine Mechanics Institute, National Incident Management Assistance Team Academy, Emergency Management Institute, National Emergency Management Advanced Academy</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Political experience: </strong>Democratic Party</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Other community service:</strong> MWT Community Emergency Response Team Instructor, Red Cross CPR/AED/First Aid Instructor, co-chair of United South and Eastern Tribes Homeland Security & Emergency Services Committee, member of the Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee, member of the Barnstable County Incident Management Team, member of the National Council of State Legislatures - Nuclear Energy Tribal Working Group Member & Tribal Radioactive Transportation Committee, member of the National Congress of American Indians Homeland Security Working Group.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Other groups/committees within the tribe: </strong>vice president of MWT Community Development Corporation, chair of MWT Tribal Emergency Response Team</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Why are you running? What motivates you?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">I am running for the position of chairman because our tribal community has been facing unprecedented challenges and we are in need of a change for the future, because we must get our tribe back on a productive track that we rightfully deserve.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">I have always been motivated since the days of my youth in Mashpee to lead our people toward the greater good. The restoration of the Elders’ rightful status within the tribe is a major motivating factor along with the continued focus on our ancestral language. In addition, consistent housing opportunities for each and every tribal community member drives me as a critical need at this juncture. I am also strongly motivated to ensure that we obtain permanent land-into-trust status for the future of our tribe’s sustainability and sovereignty. The economic sustainability of our tribe through alternative avenues beyond gaming is a critical motivating factor. We must remain cognizant of the debts incurred through the economic course that we pursue. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>What is the most pressing issue the tribe faces and how would you address it?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The most pressing issue that our tribe currently faces involves restoring our image and the integrity of the tribal governing process. These are among the priorities that will improve our tribe’s quality of life. That means improving our relationship with the Town of Mashpee as well as establishing a relationship as a sovereign nation with the Commonwealth and the federal government. As a sovereign nation, the recognition of our sovereignty by these entities is a vital component that my administration will focus on. I have already established many relationships with these stakeholders as well as many tribal leaders and organizations across Indian Country over the years. Through my previous experience, established relationships and record of success with federal, state and local government, I will continue with the enhancement of these partnerships. Real consultation with our tribe as a truly sovereign entity is not present, and we must address this urgency through these necessary relationship-building priorities that will ultimately restore our image and the integrity of this key process. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>How do you differ from the other candidates?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The reason that I am running for office is because my department has been meeting the needs of our people during the pandemic. I am aware of the needs of our people first-hand and I am the only candidate that has to deal with these issues each day, while also managing the administration of the tribe. I have the realization that I will need help, but I also have the realization that I can do the job, because I am qualified and I care deeply through a strong compassion for our people. My actions speak louder than words.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>What else would you like voters to know about you or your policy positions? </strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Well our voters know that we are in need of critical help, so you can bet that my policy positions are well thought out and will remain continuously focused on those initiatives that our tribe needs to ensure that we are progressing and moving forward. </p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; float: right; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 10px 0px 24px 31px; width: 300px;"><img alt="Robert "Kyle" Bassett" class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/03/07/NCCT/7ce823ee-055b-4749-8451-c98cf51c00e5-barrett.jpg?width=300&height=484&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 484px; object-fit: contain; width: 300px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="Robert "Kyle" Bassett" data-c-credit="Courtesy Photo" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 300px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Robert “Kyle” Bassett</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Age:</strong> 52</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Residence: </strong>Carver</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Occupation: </strong>Retired corrections officer/business owner</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Education:</strong> Middleboro High School </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Political experience:</strong> none</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Other community service</strong>: none</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Other groups/committees within the tribe that you are involved in:</strong> none</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Why are you running? What motivates you?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The reason I am running and asking for your vote is that we as a tribe are facing very difficult times with very complex issues both internally and externally. Internally as a tribe, we are facing alcoholism and drug addiction that is destroying families and individual tribal members, we have tribal health care issues concerning COVID-19, diabetes and high blood pressure and we have a growing need for tribal housing. Externally, we have to deal with the growing tribal debt concerning Genting Malaysia and the future with the resort/casino. We have to continue to grow and look for other economic opportunities. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>What is the most pressing issue the tribe faces and how would you address it?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Our tribe is facing not one but many challenges. To prioritize them numerically would be disrespectful and diminishing to all the other challenges facing our tribe, but one of my greatest concerns that I believe can keep us from moving forward is our resort/casino efforts.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">As a people, we will always keep our history, our identity and our traditions. Our efforts into gaming have been our biggest financial commitment and that has to be addressed because it can either be one of our biggest achievements or our biggest and total failures. I believe we must first reorganize our financial understanding with Genting. The coronavirus has affected economies and businesses all over the world, so to help ensure long-term growth and success we have to adjust our strategies and finances to reflect these economic truths.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>How do you differ from the other candidates?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">I have over 20 years of experience in the corrections and law enforcement area. I faced many challenges as a law enforcement officer, but I swore an oath to protect and serve. In the prison system, I have met various crime syndicates, career criminals and street gangs. For three years, I was responsible for investigating illegal activities in the prison and outside the prison. Over my 20 year career,<strong></strong>I have established working relationships with local and state agencies that I will use to affect the (problem of) drugs that is impacting our tribe and community<strong>. </strong>I will work with treatment centers and drug councilors through the court system and outside the court systems to bring the proper help that is needed.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>What else would you like voters to know about you or your policy positions? </strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">As we strive to be good stewards in teaching and maintaining our heritage, we must also be good stewards with our finances or we will not be allowed to maintain anything. We must restore good character and rebuild the trust once placed in us. Character and trust are the cornerstones to maintaining good relationships. Our behavior and our policies must reflect these principles.</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; float: right; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 10px 0px 24px 31px; width: 300px;"><img alt="Aaron Tobey Jr." class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/03/07/NCCT/c317637e-89e7-46c4-8de8-bd4fdfc140d8-tobey.jpg?width=300&height=419&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" srcset="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/03/07/NCCT/c317637e-89e7-46c4-8de8-bd4fdfc140d8-tobey.jpg?width=600&height=838&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 419px; object-fit: contain; width: 300px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="Aaron Tobey Jr." data-c-credit="Steve Heaslip" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 300px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Aaron Tobey, Jr.</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Age:</strong> 64</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Residence:</strong> Bourne</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Occupation:</strong> Retired</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Education: </strong>Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration, University of New Haven</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Political experience:</strong> Tribal councilor, Tribal vice chairman, Postal Union Cape Cod Local president, Postal Union Cape Cod Local vice president</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Other community service: </strong>Current member of the Bourne<strong></strong>Finance Committee; former town Bylaw Committee member; former member of the Board of Registration of Nursing Home Administrators</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Other groups/committees within the tribe that you are involved in:</strong> Chairman of the Elders Committee, co-liaison for the Mashpee Wampanoag Police</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Why are you running? What motivates you?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">My vision is for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to be a healthier community, to be able to exercise our aboriginal fishing and hunting rights without interference and to have a prosperous economy.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">I have been actively involved with our tribe for over 30 years, and while I feel that it is a privilege to serve my fellow tribal members, I share with them their frustration with the lack of transparency between the tribal government and tribal members. I have been vocal for years in demanding more accountability from the former chairman based upon concerns that have proven to be very troubling. As your chairman, I want to ensure that members no longer feel shut out from the government that is supposed to serve them.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">I want to restore the trust by making a resolution that prohibits tribal council from exercising a sovereign immunity waiver against complaints made by tribal members. I also want them to know that they can come to their government center and come right up to their office that they provide for the chairman, and know that I will do my best to answer their questions or promise to find answers wherever I need to get them. No more secrets.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>What is the most pressing issue the tribe faces and how would you address it? </strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The most pressing issue is respect. Our tribe has suffered some significant attacks upon our standing as a people, and as a sovereign nation. Much of this has come about recently in the wake of some significant messes left behind by the previous chairman. We have our work cut out for us in managing the legislative and legal issues before us, and this has to start by holding accountable tribal leadership. We can only move forward after we have cleaned our own house, so that respect for our work, our traditions and our goals are realized. Only then can we rebuild and reset our progress on pursuing economic development opportunities, build a profitable casino and restore our homeland for our tribal people. We, the Mashpee Wampanoag nation, will be respected more when we resolve these challenges.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>How do you differ from the other candidates?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">I have more experience in negotiating tribal legislative contracts than any of the candidates. I have established business relationships with individuals who are familiar with our current situation. The role of chairman is one in which there is no time available for on-the-job-training. You really have to be able to hit the ground running on day one, and my many years of leadership experience have prepared me to do exactly that.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">I have an established track record of service inside and outside of this tribe. I have served on tribal council for seven years, three years as a councilor and four years as the vice chairman. I am in my second year as chair of the Elders Council, and I have been the tribal liaison to the Mashpee Tribal Police for two years. For over a decade I have helped tribal members in transition between the courts, incarceration and reintegration back into tribal and non-tribal life. I serve on the Bourne Finance Committee and had served on the town's Bylaws Committee.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>What else would you like voters to know about you or your policy positions?</strong> </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Elders are to be respected. As chairman of the Elders Committee, I am concerned about the defunding of the former Elders Department. As chairman, I want to see that department reinstituted. I believe in the future generation as well. Our children are going to carry our legacy forward, and as chairman, I plan to create a new internship program for high school and college students that will expose them to professional and trade work opportunities within the tribe.</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; float: right; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 10px 0px 24px 31px; width: 300px;"><img alt="Brian Weedon" class="gnt_em_img_i" data-g-r="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/03/07/NCCT/4e24a4fb-125b-429d-af5c-a44a867f0b42-weeden.jpeg?width=124&height=182&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 182px; object-fit: contain; width: 300px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd" data-c-caption="Brian Weedon" data-c-credit="Courtesy Photo" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 300px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Brian Moskwetah Weeden</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Age:</strong> 28</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Residence:</strong> Mashpee</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Occupation: </strong>Mashpee Department of Public Works</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Education:</strong> Mashpee High School (2011), Cape Cod Community College</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Political experience:</strong> Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council, Native Vote Coordinator for Massachusetts, White House Tribal Youth Delegate 2016, United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY) Executive Committee- Northeast area representative, UNITY male co-president and trustee, UNITY Earth Ambassador, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Youth Commission co-vice president, NCAI/ National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) Youth Leadership Award 2016, Cape and Islands Youth Development Council</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Other community service:</strong> Mashpee Conservation Commission, Mashpee Historical Commission, former male advisor for National UNITY Council Executive Committee, Youth Council advisor, town election volunteer, tribal election monitor, vice president of the Wampanoag Language Reclamation Project Board of Directors, chaperone for youth trips, cultural-educational programs.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Other groups/committees within the tribe that you are involved in:</strong> Current tribal council liaison to the Youth Council, Youth Advisory Committee, Natural Resources Commission, Tribal Operations, Pow Wow Committee, chairman of the Planning and Land Use Committee and tribal representative to Mashpee’s Town Seal Design Committee.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Why are you running? What motivates you?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Being raised here in Mashpee, I have witnessed our community’s trials and tribulations first-hand. Since a young age, I have always had a strong passion for serving our community. I have a love for our community, and it drives me to want to be a catalyst for positive change. I want what is best for our people and I am willing to put in the work to ensure our nation thrives.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">As chairman, I hope to change the narrative of our tribe and continue to voice the people’s concerns. If elected, I plan to work toward cultural and financial longevity of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe as a whole. Our people need resources that are easily accessible to achieve the stability we all desire. I’m running for chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe because I believe it is time for my generation to step up for our community. We are the seventh generation that our ancestors have prepared for this point in our history.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">My motivation derives from the responsibility I feel to honor and practice the ways of our ancestors. I care strongly for our youth, elders, community, traditions and homelands. Each and every day, I work with the tribe's best interest at heart, just as our ancestors have done before us. The unification of our community, as well as the protection and preservation of our culture and homelands, has never been more essential. I have had the opportunity to see other native communities advance in several areas including language, culture, health care and economic development as well as education. It has inspired and motivated me to fight for what’s best for our people. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>What is the most pressing issue the tribe faces and how would you address it? </strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Our tribe is in the perfect position for growth. Currently, we need to work on preserving our community, land and culture, as well as developing self-sufficiency. We can address this by putting the most traditional candidates forward to help us with these efforts. These candidates in collaboration with the traditional leadership, such as Chief’s Council, Clan Mothers and community input, are crucial to shaping the tribe’s future. It is important to get back to our old ways and protect our history, culture and traditions for future generations.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">If elected chairman, I plan to approach the issues of preservation through community-led initiatives including increased cultural programming, implementing community-driven general body meetings and assisting in making resources accessible to all tribal members. We need to reinstate and revamp various committees and commissions to ensure we are receiving proper community input within tribal operations and governance. The Constitution Committee for Reform, Finance Commission, TAP (Tribal Action Plan) Committee, Education Committee and Youth Advisory Committees are just a couple of examples.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Apart from these endeavors, we, the tribe, should continue land and restitution negotiations with the Commonwealth. Even if granted restitution from the state, the tribe would still need to remain self-sufficient. With culturally based economic development, we can preserve our culture while creating self-sufficiency and jobs for our members. For example, with the idea of a deer farm, we can replenish the deer population on our homelands while educating tribal members and making revenue from the production of deer meat to local distributors. We can use the farm to educate our people on traditional tracking and hunting as well as brain tanning leather, and processing meat. This is only one business venture I have in mind, but it touches on a lot of the pressing issues our tribe faces today. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>How do you differ from the other candidates? What sets you apart?</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">While some might consider my age a disadvantage, I see it as a perfect opportunity for our generation to help lead with new perspectives and initiatives. One thing that sets me apart is my tribal representation both culturally and politically, not only on a local but national level starting from a young age. I have been serving on various voluntary boards and actively attending tribal council meetings since the age of 16. Being culturally involved in our community, I also participate in powwows, ceremonies and other cultural events, while also passing on the language and traditions to our youth. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>What else would you like voters to know about you or your policy positions? </strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">As a leader, I take the initiative to enact change in the community. In 2009, I founded the Youth Council and in 2019 created the Mashpee Youth Commission with the purpose of giving youth a voice and experience in tribal and local politics. I have also initiated the adoption of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the town and the tribe while also starting the process of changing the town of Mashpee’s seal. I continuously step up when needed, ranging from presiding over council meetings, serving as a liaison and even serving as a delegate for our tribe at NCAI. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong>Also on the ballot....</strong></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Members will also be asked to elect the tribal council's next vice chairperson. Edwina “Winnie” Johnson-Graham and Carlton Hendricks Jr., both current tribal council members, are seeking the post. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Five candidates are looking to be the tribe’s next treasurer, including Marie Stone, Winona Pocknett, Karen Edwards Siegel, Angela Marcellino and Charles “Bobby” Foster. </p></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px;">Ann Marie Askew and Cassie Jackson are both vying for the role of tribal council secretary, and Kimberly Frye is challenging incumbent David Weeden for a seat on the tribal council. </span> </p><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><a href="https://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank">MIDDLEBORO REMEMBERS</a></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-1332419412312313982021-03-02T10:26:00.001-05:002021-03-02T10:26:48.810-05:00Mashpee Wampanoag tribal members sue over mail-in voting plan <p> </p><p><br /></p><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px;">Mashpee Wampanoag tribal members sue over mail-in voting plan</h1><div><br /></div><div>Jessica Hill Cape Cod Times</div><div>Mar 2, 2021 </div><div><br /></div><div><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">MASHPEE — With the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s general election only a few weeks away, a few members have raised concerns about the decision to hold the election exclusively through mail-in voting. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Tribal members Aaron Tobey Jr., Crystal Asiwe and Steve Helme are suing members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Election Committee at the tribal court, arguing that holding the March 26 election through mail-in voting is against the tribe’s constitution. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“What my client is arguing, is that the constitution really prescribes the election process for the tribe,” attorney Jonathan Polloni, representing the plaintiffs, said in a phone interview, “and what’s happened is that the tribal council has really buried that process. That is significant and deserves a lot of caution.” </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">A preliminary injunction hearing will be held in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal District Court at 10 a.m. Tuesday regarding the lawsuit.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The election will determine who the next tribal chairman or chairwoman will be, as well as other positions in tribal government. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">On Jan. 25, the tribal council passed an emergency tribal ordinance to address voting in the 2021 Regular Election during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ordinance allowed for the election to be held through mail-in voting and/or voting by ballot drop box.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In conjunction with passing that ordinance, the council also requested an advisory opinion from the Mashpee Wampanoag Supreme Court to determine whether voting by mail conflicts with the tribe’s constitution. The court has not yet made a ruling on that question.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">That request was made in order to “bolster the tribal membership’s confidence in the integrity and legality of the modified voting method for the 2021 Regular Election,” according to the defendants’ brief filed Feb. 19 in opposition to the plaintiffs’ motion.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The plaintiffs argue that while the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Constitution provides for the adoption of ordinances, as well as emergency ordinances, the constitution requires voting by “secret ballots cast at polls” in all tribal elections and prohibits absentee voting, according to the plaintiffs’ complaint obtained by the Cape Cod Times. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“By permitting mail-in ballot voting, the Defendants have caused election irregularities that violate the Constitution and will affect the outcome of the election when it is held,” the complaint states.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The plaintiffs ask that the tribal court annul the election and require a new election be held in conformance with the constitution. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“The timing to experiment with mail-in voting is not now,” Tobey, a plaintiff, said in an interview, noting that information on past elections has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Helme, another one of the plaintiffs, said he does not understand why the tribe cannot follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s rules to allow both voting in person and mail-in voting for those who would like the option. He also thinks all tribal members should have a say in how the election will work. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The defendants, on the other hand, argue that the tribal council and election committee did follow the constitution, which does not require in-person voting. They argue that all-mail voting still ensures that ballots are cast at “polls,” as the constitution requires. They defined “polls” as the location where the committee designated mail-in ballots to be sent as well as the secure ballot drop boxes. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The mail-in election does not violate the rule against absentee voting, as all-mail voting is different from absentee voting, the defendants state in their opposition. That opposition brief was submitted by Alexandra Deal, the attorney for the tribal council members, and R. Reid LeBeau II, attorney for the election committee members. The attorneys did not respond to requests for comment Monday, nor did tribal council Vice Chairperson Jesse "Little Doe" Baird.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The defendants argued that voting in person could risk serious, and even deadly, health consequences.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“In the extraordinary time of a worldwide pandemic, the priorities and needs of the Tribe have changed,” their opposition states, “and the Tribal Council has determined that in-person voting on election day during a 3-hour window at a single polling location is no longer a tenable option for the 2021 Regular Election.” </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The defendants also argued that the defendants, as members of the tribal council and election committee being sued in their official capacities, are immune from being sued as they are "entitled to sovereign immunity from unconsented (lawsuits) as officers of the tribe."</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">John “Jim” Peters Jr., a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and executive director of the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs, was also on the tribe’s constitution committee. One of the justifications for not allowing mail-in ballots, he said, was that tribal members live all over the country, and not everybody knows what is happening in Mashpee and might make uninformed decisions. But the constitution was never written to prevent the tribal council from having flexibility to meet the needs of the tribe, he said. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“I understand both sides of it,” he said. “Given the pandemic, it’s kind of difficult to require people to come to the tribal grounds and so forth.”</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p></div><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px;">Grand jury subpoenas more documents from Mashpee tribe</h1><div><br /></div><div>Jessica Hill</div><div>Aug 29, 2020 </div><div><br /></div><div><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_img" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #303030; contain: content; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 12px 0px 30px; width: 660px;"><img alt="The Associated Press file photo" class="gnt_em_img_i" decoding="async" elementtiming="ar-lead-image" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/27de1a8d150de430c721ef32458936d45459c04e/c=0-53-1024-629/local/-/media/2020/09/17/Hyannis/ghows-CC-200829576-1b715bd0.jpg?width=660&height=372&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white; height: 372px; object-fit: contain; width: 660px;" /><div class="gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap" data-c-caption="The Associated Press file photo" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; width: 660px;"></div></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">MASHPEE — The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council voted in an emergency meeting Friday night not to remove Chairman Cedric Cromwell. The vote came after the tribe received another subpoena related to a federal grand jury investigation.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">On the meeting agenda, listed under executive session, was a discussion of “grand jury subpoena” with tribal attorney Benjamin Wish. Also on the agenda was an item labeled “committees, commissions, appointments, resignations and removals.”</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The council voted 5-3, with one abstention, not to remove Cromwell from the position he has held since 2009, a source with knowledge of the vote told the Times.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">As part of a grand jury investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston subpoenaed the tribe demanding records related to its elections and finances.</p></div><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The Aug. 10 subpoena was signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers on behalf of U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling. In lieu of a tribal representative appearing physically in court before the grand jury Aug. 25, it requested all records be sent electronically to Wichers.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The subpoena requested all documents and records for the 2013 and 2017 tribal council chairperson elections. It requested a list of registered voters eligible to vote during those elections and a list of people who actually voted, along with the final certified election results.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">It also called for documentation identifying the number of tribal members for each year between 2011 and 2020 along with any other annual census data.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The tribe also was to send any complaints it had received related to the elections, the candidate or any candidate’s campaign, and submit policies or rules related to campaign contributions and campaign expenditures.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Finally, the subpoena requested copies of all contracts between the tribe and the Robinson Green Beretta Corp. from January 2011 to the present. It also requested the minutes from January 2014 to the end of 2016 of all meetings of the committee that selected the corporation to work with the casino and from the committee that was authorized to terminate Robinson Green Beretta Corp.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The Robinson Green Beretta Corp. served as the owner’s project manager for the design and construction of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Community and Government Center on Great Neck Road South, which was completed in 2012. It also took on the role of owner’s representative in 2014 for the tribe’s First Light Resort & Casino, according to the company website, working with the tribe and the Genting Group, the tribe’s financial backer.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The $1 billion casino project in Taunton is at a standstill amid a yearslong legal battle over tribal sovereignty. Without the projected millions of dollars in revenue, the tribe has struggled with its finances.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">This latest subpoena comes about two months after a federal grand jury issued a subpoena requesting all personnel records for Cromwell, Treasurer Gordon Harris and former Treasurer Robert T. Hendricks, as well as Mark Harding, founder of construction company WampWorx, and Louis Catarina Jr., who helped manage development for the First Light Resort & Casino project.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The June 5 subpoena requested many of the tribe’s financial records, including copies of checks, expense reports and payments to other organizations. It also sought documents concerning any internal or external investigation or audit looking into any suspected theft, embezzlement or other wrongdoing by a tribe official, employee or contractor.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Last year, a federal grand jury subpoenaed Harris and Hendricks, but the reason is still unclear.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Federal grand jury investigations are traditionally secret, with about two dozen citizens serving as jury members to examine documents to determine if sufficient evidence exists that a crime occurred.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell and Harris also had faced allegations last year from some tribe members who accused them of wrongful conduct in connection with $500 million owed to the Genting Group.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In June 2019 a robocall circulated within the tribal community alleging that $250 million handled by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority was unaccounted for.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In January 2019, the tribal council had taken a vote of no-confidence and stripped Cromwell of his financial responsibilities in connection with the tribe and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority. Cromwell is president of that five-member board that oversees the tribe’s gaming operation.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The tribal council, however, voted in February 2019 to restore all of Cromwell’s financial responsibilities.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Last fall, some tribe members sought to recall Cromwell and Harris for malfeasance, but the tribe’s Election Committee canceled the recall election three days before it was to take place.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cromwell did not respond to a request for comment Saturday. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts also did not respond to a request for comment about the investigation.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Wish, the tribe’s attorney, said the tribe would comply with the grand jury’s requests for information.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><a href="https://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank">MIDDLEBORO REMEMBERS</a></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-13398419454161553292021-02-20T09:58:00.003-05:002021-02-20T09:58:59.794-05:00'A triumph' Interior Department withdraws appeal in Mashpee tribe's land-in-trust case <p> </p><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></span><br /><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></span></div><p><a href="https://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">MIDDLEBORO REMEMBERS</a><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px;">'A triumph' Interior Department withdraws appeal in Mashpee tribe's land-in-trust case</h1><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Jessica Hill Cape Cod Times</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Published Feb 19, 2021 </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></div><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>In a big victory for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, the U.S. Department of the Interior on Friday withdrew its appeal in U.S. District Court in the tribe's land-in-trust case.</b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>“Today is sakôhsuwôk, a triumph,” said Jessie “Little Doe” Baird, the tribe's vice chairwoman, in a statement late Friday afternoon. The decision was a win "for the citizens of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and our Ancestors who have fought and died to ensure our Land and sovereign rights are respected," she said.</b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The Department of Interior filed a motion Feb. 18 for the voluntary dismissal of its appeal, wrote Rachel Heron, attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division. </b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The case was part of a long battle for tribal sovereignty, which stemmed from a $1 billion casino the tribe wanted to build in Taunton.</b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Mass., also hailed the decision Friday.</b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>"The claim that the Tribe of the First Light, the Tribe of the First Thanksgiving was not an original Native American Tribe has always been disingenuous," he said in a statement. "And the Trump Administration’s sudden attempt to remove their land from trust last March — in the midst of a pandemic — was heartless. We’re reassured that the Biden Administration’s action today clearly reflects the best interest of justice ..."</b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The tribe had asked the interior secretary to put about 151 acres of land in Taunton into trust so it could build a casino, as well as another 170 acres in Mashpee. While the assistant interior secretary approved it in 2015, neighbors of the proposed casino and others filed a lawsuit in opposition. They argued the government did not have the authority to take the land into trust in the first place.</b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>In 2018, the Department of the Interior reversed itself, arguing the tribe was not under federal jurisdiction when the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 was established. The tribe appealed, but a federal judge in Boston ruled in favor of the reversal. </b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Then in June 2020, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman found that the 2018 decision was “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion and contrary to law.” He sent the case back to the Department of the Interior for “thorough reconsideration and reevaluation of the evidence.” </b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>“We look forward to being able to close the book on this painful chapter in our history,” Baird said in the statement. “The decision not to pursue the appeal allows us (to) continue fulfilling our commitment to being good stewards and protecting our Land and the future of our young ones and providing for our citizens.” </b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #303030; font-size: 18px; height: 408px; margin: 14px auto 32px;"></aside>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-73388158943679278402020-12-26T09:42:00.000-05:002020-12-26T09:42:29.140-05:00 Former Mashpee Chairman Indicted on Federal Charges, Asks Tribe for Legal Costs<p><br /></p><div class="post-content__share-holder desktop-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; flex: 0 0 100px; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><ul class="share-social" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px; padding-left: 0px;"><li class="share-social__item" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 11px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><i class="icon-twitter" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; justify-content: center; max-height: 1e+06px;"></i></li><li class="share-social__item" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 11px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><i class="icon-linkedin" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; justify-content: center; max-height: 1e+06px;"></i></li></ul></div><div class="post-content__content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><h1 class="post-content__main-title" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: IBM-Plex-Sans--bold, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2.5rem; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 5px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Former Mashpee Chairman Indicted on Federal Charges, Asks Tribe for Legal Costs</h1></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e535d; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.15px;">Posted on: December 25, 2020</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e535d; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.15px;">Devon O'Connor</span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Cedric Cromwell, the former chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts, has asked his Native American community to cover his legal costs.</p><figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159605" class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-style="width: 1200px" id="attachment_159605" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 30px auto; max-height: 1e+06px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden;"><img alt="Mashpee Wampanoag Massachusetts casino tribe" class="size-full wp-image-159605 lazyloaded" data-src="https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-142x94.jpg" data-srcset="https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1.jpg 1200w, https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-142x94.jpg 142w, https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-1024x677.jpg 1024w, https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-768x508.jpg 768w, https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-453x300.jpg 453w" height="793" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" src="https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-142x94.jpg" srcset="https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1.jpg 1200w, https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-142x94.jpg 142w, https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-1024x677.jpg 1024w, https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-768x508.jpg 768w, https://www.casino.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3000-1-453x300.jpg 453w" style="border-style: none; box-sizing: inherit; filter: none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; transition: filter 0.1s linear 0s; vertical-align: top; width: 858px;" width="1200" /><figcaption class="text-description" id="caption-attachment-159605" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #4e535d; font-size: 0.875rem; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 15px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Cedric Cromwell, seen here in 2017 while serving as chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, will soon defend himself against allegations that he engaged in a bribery scheme. (Image: AP)</figcaption></figure><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Cromwell was indicted on federal bribery and extortion charges last month. A grand jury found credible evidence that the then-tribal chairman received unlawful kickbacks in relation to the tribe’s efforts to build a $1 billion casino resort in Taunton.</p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder; max-height: 1e+06px;">The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has received a request from Cromwell for the tribe to compensate him during his legal fight. The 55-year-old has denied the allegations that he acted wrongly as chairman.</span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">“Mr. Cromwell vigorously denies these allegations and looks forward to presenting an aggressive defense,” his attorney Tim Flaherty told the <i style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Cape Cod Times</i>.</p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Cromwell’s case is set to begin on February 4.</p><h2 class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: IBM-Plex-Sans--bold, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.875rem; margin-bottom: 0.2rem; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder; max-height: 1e+06px;">Tribal Resort Background</span></h2><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">The Mashpees have been trying to become a gaming tribe for more than half of a decade.</p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">It acquired 151 acres of land in Taunton that it believes has ancestral ties, and therefore the property qualifies to be deemed sovereign. The Interior Department agreed in 2015, and took the land into federal trust.</p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">The federal agency, however, reversed its own decision three years later and removed the land from the registrar. The case has since been tangled up in courts, and has caught the attention of lawmakers in DC, who believe the matter has become political.</p><div class="callout" style="background-color: white; border-left: 3px solid rgb(2, 4, 78); box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.45; margin: 40px 70px; max-height: 1e+06px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 30px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; width: auto;"><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 1.875rem; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and outgoing Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Massachusetts) have supported federal legislation that would sidestep the <a href="https://www.casino.org/news/native-american-tribes-celebrate-biden-interior-secretary-pick/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #3476d5; font-weight: 700; max-height: 1e+06px; transition: color 0.3s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.3s ease-in-out 0s, background-color 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">Interior Department</a> under the Trump administration and deem the land sovereign.</p></div><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">But President Donald Trump successfully urged Senate Republicans to reject the bill after it passed the House.</p><h2 class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: IBM-Plex-Sans--bold, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.875rem; margin-bottom: 0.2rem; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder; max-height: 1e+06px;">Casino Scheme</span></h2><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Adding to the chaos surrounding the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s mission to build a casino are the Cromwell accusations. The Department of Justice alleges that <a href="https://www.casino.org/news/mashpee-wampanoag-tribe-chairman-cedric-cromwell-indicted/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #3476d5; font-weight: 700; max-height: 1e+06px; transition: color 0.3s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.3s ease-in-out 0s, background-color 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">Cromwell was paid $57,549</a> in cash and in-kind benefits from David DeQuattro, a businessman who runs an architectural firm in Rhode Island.</p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Prosecutors say DeQuattro provided Cromwell with the money and free trips in exchange for a $5 million design contract.</p><blockquote class="main-blockquote" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #02044e; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25rem; margin: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px; padding-left: 35px; padding-right: 35px; position: relative;"><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Instead of working honestly on behalf of the Mashpee Wampanoags as their duly elected representative, Cedric Cromwell is accused of using his position as chairman of the tribe to enrich himself by extorting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes and engaging in a conspiracy with David DeQuattro to commit bribery,” said Joseph Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division.</p></blockquote><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">DeQuattro last month entered into a not-guilty plea after he, too, was charged in the alleged bribery and extortion plot. He is facing two federal charges of accepting or paying bribes to an Indian tribal government or agent, and one count of conspiring to commit bribery.</p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Cromwell is facing the same charges, as well as four additional counts of extortion and another count of conspiring to commit extortion.</p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">If found guilty, Cromwell could spend upwards of 35 years in prison and be on the hook for $750,000 in fines.</p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #171616; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><a href="https://www.casino.org/news/former-mashpee-chairman-indicted-asks-tribe-to-cover-legal-costs/" target="_blank">LINK</a><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></span><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 17.26px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></span><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: quot; font-size: 12.93px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 17.26px; font-weight: 700;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-91734498172542003022020-07-25T18:26:00.000-04:002020-07-25T18:26:40.024-04:00Spending bill includes protections for Mashpee tribe <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Middleboro Remembers: Regulators want briefing on Mashpee ..." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgQKEWLsdxNuy134G_ZcIQakzlX3dfnqsOQo4XPHivTLDuqcIa_i5RvR_j5S9_cvqCObdvqmrip78blnDea0k2TaSKZtoMVq-fiSQ4E-Xcg1Q41OGKrRGnQ4qYPKbGV3-_iEw4bk7N5Uht9CN3s5lBYu8XgP43pGf_FYoGK51GD39bdLEQcmLRFdDzlGM5PV3HZQBK3oNFCPzZo7qYrXzdfj3fQo2UY1pMKDTTeqruAwNJlOkZDX-4h-q0QPG1Xaqt0g6Qit3GEpEIpnF2anuMT-_QzjRnTzh0kB0nJqcum9D52mkImLhHoS4ASac9sUw=w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>DID YOU EVER NOTICE THAT REP. BILL KEATING NEVER SEEMS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE HIS DISTRICT IS AND NEVER VISITS? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>DID YOU EVER NOTICE THAT IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, REP. BILL KEATING'S OFFICE NEVER CALLS YOU BACK?<br /><br />DID YOU EVER NOTICE THAT IF YOU SEND AN EMAIL SEEKING A RESPONSE, YOU NEVER HEAR FROM REP. BILL KEATING? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>DURING THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS, REP. BILL KEATING WAS THE ANNOINTED DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR NO GOOD REASON...IT CERTAINLY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS PERFORMANCE? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>YET HERE HE IS..... </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>ALONG WITH CONGRESSMAN JOE KENNEDY EVEN THOUGH IS THIS EVEN WITHIN HIS DISTRICT OR SIMPLY BECAUSE HE RUNNING FOR SENATOR EVEN THOUGH KENNEDY HASN'T REPRESENTED ANY OTHER DISTRICT IN THE COMMONWEALTH WHEN SIGNIFICANT ISSUES EXIST? </b></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WHAT'S WITH THE CURRENT FEDERAL GRAND JURY? WHO'S ASKING? </b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>GENUFLECTING FOR VOTES!</b></span><br />
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<img alt="Why Do Catholics Do That? – Page 3 – St. Matthias Catholic Parish" src="https://www.stmatthias-milw.org/wp-content/uploads/Genuflect_151201_R.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>AND NO ONE ASKS ABOUT GENTING AND IF THESE MATTERS WERE EVER ADDRESSED: </b></span><br />
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<div class="yiv1938042381ydpb7dba16asignature" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.93px;">Genting was the Gambling Investor supporting the Mashpee Wampanoag lifestyle.</span><br />
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<strong style="color: #225588; font-size: 12.93px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="color: #000099;"><em><a href="http://floridaclarion.com/2011/09/genting-connected-to-islamic-extremists/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #225588; font-size: 12.93px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" target="_blank">Genting Connected to Islamic Extremists?</a> </em></span></strong><em style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.93px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">[THIS ARTICLE APPEARED FOR A SINGLE DAY, THE SITE WAS HACKED & WHEN IT WAS RESTORED, THIS ARTICLE HAD BEEN REMOVED. NOT TO WORRY, HACKERS! COPIES HAVE BEEN PRESERVED ON OTHER COMPUTERS.]<br /><br />The money rush is on. A shady, but well-heeled Asian casino gambling giant swoops into town, buys an outdated office facility and valuable underlying real estate from the Miami Herald and launches a multi-million dollar campaign to approve non-Indian casino gambling in Florida and put a license on the former Miami Herald tract.<br /><br />Kuala Lumpur-based Genting has multinational operations in tourism, resorts, gambling, plantations, power generation, and oil and gas. Genting’s market capitalization value, or net worth, reached $46 billion at the end of last year — making it one of Malaysia’s largest companies.<br /><br />The Miami Herald suspends their normally skeptical eye, conducts no due-diligence on their new Chinese friends from Malaysia and their newspaper becomes a public relations machine for a client they don’t even really know.<br /><br />Every glad-handing semi-corrupt politician in Miami-Dade and the City of Miami with their hand out will be jumping on the Genting gravy train. Genting is a target for every con-man lobbyist/political consultant/PR man which Miami-Dade County abounds with.<br /><br />Recently a group of “Community Leaders” were flown to South East Asia including visits to Genting casinos in Malaysia and Singapore. Genting refuses to disclose the names of “Community Leaders” – including elected officials – who were flown to South East Asia in a private luxury jet and wined and dined at 5-Star resorts reserved for high-rollers in the Asian gaming world.<br /><br />World Resorts Genting, also known as Genting Highlands, opened in 1965 and is the company’s flagship resort in Malaysia. The resort features Malaysia’s only land-based casino, six hotels, three theme parks, a convention center, and numerous restaurants and nightclubs, among other attractions.<br /><br />Resorts World Sentosa, which opened last year in Singapore, features one of the world’s most expensive casinos, six hotels, a Universal Studios theme park and a Marine Life Park, among other features. The Florida Delegation visited both, reportedly racking up more than $790,000 worth of hotel, restaurant, spa and entertainment costs in both 5-Star resorts.<br /><br />Genting has retained a team of slick lobbyists including Jonathan Kilman, with the law firm of Foley & Lardner. Kilman’s partner, Chris Kise, is under investigation for erasing email records generated during Governor Rick Scott’s Inauguration. The missing emails are thought to contain correspondence exposing the business dealings of Kise and Scott’s political adviser Enu Mainigi. Scott has ordered the FDLE review. Kise insists the emails were erased accidently. Foley and Lardner’s influence in the Governor’s office is not likely to be strong in 2012.</em><br />
<em style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.93px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br />Before it’s over, expect that Genting, their lobbyists, and other retainers, will lavish the Republican Party of Florida and other selected party redistricting vehicles with millions of dollars. They’ll even buy Governor Rick Scott a golden toilet seat for the Governors mansion is he wants!<br /><br />Genting, the Asian casino giant, does not hold a casino gaming license in any U.S. jurisdiction that has serious regulation. New York State requires relatively little scrutiny in the contract Genting has with the State of New York to operate slot machines at Aqueduct Racetrack.<br /><br />Genting made millions of dollars as the money-men behind two controversial Indian Casino gaming developments in the Eastern United States. In both cases, Genting operations were directed by G. Michael Brown, a former New Jersey Attorney General who was later charged with embezzlement and cocaine use in the Seneca Tribal Court.<br /><br />Brown was charged with putting various mistresses on the casino payroll and using casino funds to pay for luxury condominiums, imported sports cars and expensive jewelry for them. Brown famously drove a 4-door sedan owned by the Seneca Tribe through the picture window of a Niagara Falls resident while driving drunk.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: black;">Genting was the financier of the Seneca Niagara Casino Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York. Genting charged the tribe an exorbitant 28 percent interest rate, potentially in violation of the Indian Gaming Regulations under the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Genting also stayed in the deal for almost 15 years when they were legally limited to five. Seneca Tribal Council members have testified that armed Chinese thugs showed up to collect Genting’s money when tribal lawyers pointed out that Genting was violating the law.</span></strong><br />All of this became known to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, which held hearings and launched an investigation into corruption in the Indian gaming industry in the United States. But what the Senate Committee found out about Genting was even more disturbing: an apparent pattern of multi-million dollar payments to Islamic extremist organizations in Malaysia who most definitely are not friends of the United States of America.<br /><br />U.S. Senate Special Committee records regarding Genting and their financing of multiple Islamic-based organizations in Malaysia are classified. Some U.S. Senator needs to launch an investigation to determine whether Genting has relationships that would make their holding a casino license in Miami (a money machine) inappropriate. U.S. Senate staff investigators should get a firm understanding of Genting’s questionable relationships in Malaysia and China.<br /><br />Genting executives told Senate investigators at the time that the millions of dollars funneled to various Islamic extremist organizations known to finance jihad were made under direst and viewed as a cost of doing business for a Chinese businessman in heavily Islam-run Malaysia. Investigators had reason to be skeptical when photos of K.T. Lim and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il surfaced. The Senate investigators also obtained photos of Lim socializing with at least two Islamic figures wanted by the United States for terrorist activities.<br />Senate investigators were also interested in K.T. Lim’s relationship with Stanley Ho, the Asian casino magnate who has been identified as a member of the Chinese Triad, the Chinese crime organization, by the U.S. Justice Department and by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Ho has been denied a casino license in every jurisdiction except in Macau and North Korea. Genting has refused to address their business dealings with Ho and his company Shun Tak Holdings Ltd.<br /><br />While the Miami Herald is telling us that Genting boss K.T. Lim is a brilliant businessman, he could be one of the largest funders of Islamic terrorist activity in Asia. Instead of giving press conferences to the Miami Herald, perhaps K.T. should be interrogated under subpoena by U.S. Senate lawyers.<br /><br />The Miami-Dade politicians who suck up Genting’s food, drink and accommodations and support Genting’s development will jump off of them like rats when they learn where a substantial portion of Genting’s profits in Florida may be going. Just because Genting has a lot of money doesn’t mean that they are suitable to operate casinos in the United States based on their associations and business practices.<br /><br />Neither Governor Rick Scott, nor Senate President Mike Haridopolos will agree to casino gaming without a local county referendum. Perhaps Miami’s Cuban voters should decide whether they want to approve a casino for a foreign company who could be financing Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.<br /><br />Nothing short of full disclosure of all the finances and holdings of Genting should be required under Florida casino regulation. If they deny ties to radical Islam only full disclosure will verify this claim, a protection the public requires.<br /><br />New Jersey Casino Control law is considered the toughest in the country and is the model for casino regulation in the rest of the country. Nevada’s regulations are similar, but the process in that small state is “more political.” Florida’s casino regulation must not and cannot be lax. We need to know far, far more about Genting and their friends before they get a casino license in Florida.</em></div>
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Spending bill includes protections for Mashpee tribe</h1>
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By Jessica Hill<br />
Posted Jul 24, 2020<br />
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Amendment passed by House would bar federal interference over reservation.</div>
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WASHINGTON — The House passed a spending bill Friday that includes an amendment to protect the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and its reservation land.</div>
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The amendment approved as part of the measure, a package of four fiscal 2021 appropriations bills, will protect the tribe from “endless litigation” and will fully recognize its tribal lands without interference from the federal government, according to a statement from U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III, D-Mass.</div>
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The Senate will consider its own version of the appropriations bill and then work with the House to resolve any differences.</div>
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The Interior Department announced in March that it would revoke the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s land-in-trust status, saying the department had no authority in the first place to put the land into trust in 2015. The tribe fought that, and in June a federal judge ordered that the department take a second look at the case and apply certain criteria that could help the tribe qualify for trust status.</div>
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“In recent months, the Trump administration has used the COVID-19 pandemic as cover to try to steal the Tribe’s land and define their people out of existence,” Kennedy said in the statement. “This amendment will put an immediate stop to those dangerous efforts.”</div>
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Kennedy and U.S. Rep. William Keating, whose congressional district includes the Cape and Islands, introduced the amendment with Reps. Deb Haaland and Lori Trahan. It will prohibit the Interior Department from using money to rescind the original September 2015 Record of Decision that took the tribe’s land into trust, revoke the proclamation recognizing the reservation lands of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe or to annul the determination that the lands are eligible for gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.<br />
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<i><b>[Rep. Deb Haaland represents New Mexico's 1st Congressional District.]</b></i></div>
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“I want to thank Congressman Kennedy and Congressman Bill Keating along with the Mass. delegation for their unwavering support for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe,” Tribal Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell said. </div>
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Cromwell said the lawmakers understand the tribe’s historical footprint, as it helped establish the country and helped the Pilgrims through their first harsh winters 400 years ago.</div>
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“We’re looking for justice around our tribe to ensure our homelands are stabilized so we can continue to prosper and move forward,” Cromwell said. “This amendment is one step closer to helping us keep the integrity and ensure that we have our homelands in Massachusetts. It’s pretty important.”</div>
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Kennedy and Keating had introduced the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act, which passed the House in 2019 and could help the tribe if the Interior Department decides to appeal Judge Paul Friedman’s June decision. That legislation, however, has been stalled in the Senate. Last month, Haaland and Kennedy introduced the Tribal Reservation Pandemic Protection Act to protect reservation lands, but that bill was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.</div>
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“The fact that the Tribe of the First Thanksgiving is fighting for federal, tribal recognition should astound everyone,” Keating said in a statement Friday. “This amendment will limit the Trump Administration’s constant efforts to undermine the Tribe’s rights. We all know that for the President, this is about his casino lobbyist friends, but for us and the Tribe, this is about people, their rights, their health, their education, and their livelihoods.”</div>
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“This measure ensures that no more nefarious activity from the administration around taking our tribe’s land away could happen,” Cromwell said. “This has to go to the Senate; the House passed this and that’s important.”</div>
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<a data-original-attrs="{"data-original-href":"http://reelwamps.com/"}" href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3828620521804383966/75258559831418499#" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div>
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Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-69498163124448506392020-07-16T10:26:00.000-04:002020-07-16T10:26:31.387-04:00Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe served with subpoena for financial records <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe served with subpoena for financial records</h1>
By Jessica Hill<br />
Posted Jul 15, 2020<br />
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Attorney says tribe is not the target of grand jury investigation.</div>
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MASHPEE — The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston served a federal grand jury subpoena to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe last month for a hefty number of documents and financial records.</div>
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The news was shared with tribe members during a June 23 Tribal Council meeting.</div>
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Wampanoag officials had no comment Wednesday and referred all inquiries to tribal attorney Benjamin Wish.</div>
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“The government has informed the Tribe that it is not the target of the pending grand jury investigation,” Wish said in an email. “The Tribe intends to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office concerning the subpoena requests and anticipates that the Tribe will also cooperate with any other proper request for information. The Tribe remains focused on economic development and supporting its members during the ongoing pandemic.”</div>
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Tribal officials do not know whom the investigation is targeting, according to a source with knowledge of the case.</div>
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By “Tribe,” the subpoena refers to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and its affiliates, including the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority, Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Council and the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council Inc., according to a copy of the June 5 letter that accompanied subpoena from the Justice Department.</div>
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The letter, signed by U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers, said: “Pursuant to an official investigation being conducted by a federal Grand Jury in the District of Massachusetts of suspected violations of federal criminal law, you are directed to furnish to the Grand Jury the documents described in the attached subpoena.”</div>
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The subpoena requests all personnel records for Tribal Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell, Treasurer Gordon Harris and former Treasurer Robert T. Hendricks, as well as Mark Harding and Louis Catarina Jr. </div>
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Harding is the founder of WampWorx, a native-owned construction firm in Mashpee, and Catarina is the principal consultant and program manager for Strategic Quality Solutions. Harding and Catarina declined to comment.</div>
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In his role for the tribe, Catarina provided “strategic direction” and “management” and coordinated development of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Gaming Authority First Light Resort and Casino project, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also developed and managed operational finances and budgets. Catarina also served as a board member of the Taunton Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Gaming Authority.</div>
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Last year, the Times learned that Harris and Hendricks had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, although it was unclear for what reason.</div>
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Federal grand jury proceedings are secret, and comprise about two dozen citizens who serve as members for a term of 18 months. They examine documents and hear testimony to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to charge someone with a crime.</div>
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The personnel records requested in the subpoena include job titles, dates of employment, resumes, contracts and agreements, timecards, performance reviews, compensation, disciplinary records and grievances and complaints by or against the people listed. It also requested documentation regarding loans for those five people, including any loan repayment or forgiveness, fringe benefits and perks, and expense reports, according to a copy of the letter.</div>
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The subpoena asked for documentation of all payments between the tribe or its financial backer, Genting Malaysia, and those same people listed above between Jan.1, 2014, and April 30, 2020. The subpoena specified direct deposit records, copies of checks, records of cash payments and wire transfers.</div>
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The subpoena also requested documents dating back to 2011 relating to the Delahunt Group, as well as documents going back to 2014 for WampWorx and Strategic Quality Solutions. Those documents include emails, records and payments or documentation of work that those organizations performed for the tribe.</div>
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The Delahunt Group, which is led by former U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, whose district included the Cape and Islands, is a longtime lobbyist for the tribe. The organization, which the tribe hired in 2011, has helped the tribe with its ongoing effort to pass federal legislation that would protect its sovereignty status. It originally helped the tribe pursue gaming and navigate the federal bureaucracies for health care, housing and education for tribe members, Cromwell previously told the Times.</div>
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Delahunt did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.</div>
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Finally, the subpoena also requests all agendas and meeting minutes from tribal meetings as well as records relating to any proposed or enacted tribe resolution or policy between January 2014 and April 30, 2020.</div>
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Because the tribe is cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, there is no deadline to turn over all of the requested documents, the source said.</div>
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Elizabeth McCarthy, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, could “neither confirm nor deny investigations,” she said in an email Wednesday.</div>
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It remains unclear the specific reasons for the recent subpoena and the connections of the individuals listed.</div>
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The tribe has been engaged in a years long legal battle for sovereignty. It had planned to build a $1 billion casino called the First Light Resort and Casino in Taunton, but plans came to a halt when neighbors of the project sued, arguing the tribe had no right to build on its reservation because it did not meet a definition of “Indian” in the Indian Reorganization Act.</div>
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With the standstill of the casino, which was projected to bring in $50 million in revenue, the tribe has been struggling with its finances.</div>
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Since he became chairman in 2009, Cromwell repeatedly has come under fire for his handling of tribe finances. Some members critical of his administration have called for more transparency. He and Harris had faced allegations from some tribe members who accused them of wrongful conduct in connection with $500 million owed to Genting Malaysia.</div>
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In June 2019, a robocall circulated within the tribal community alleging that $250 million handled by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority was unaccounted for. In January 2019, the tribal council had taken a vote of no-confidence and voted to strip Cromwell of his financial responsibilities in connection with the tribe and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority, a five-member board Cromwell is president of that oversees the tribe’s gaming operation.</div>
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Last fall, some tribe members sought to recall Cromwell and Harris for alleged malfeasance. The tribe’s Election Committee canceled the election three days before it was to take place.</div>
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<a data-original-attrs="{"data-original-href":"http://reelwamps.com/"}" href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3828620521804383966/75258559831418499#" style="color: #225588;" target="_blank"><b>SEE ALSO REEL WAMPS</b></a></div>
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Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-55673787161108063852020-05-24T07:20:00.000-04:002020-05-24T07:20:35.171-04:00Tribe argues land case in U.S. District Court <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By Jessica Hill<br />
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Posted May20, 2020<br />
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A U.S. District judge said Wednesday he could rule in a week to 10 days on the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s latest attempt to salvage a $1 billion casino deal with the city of Taunton.</div>
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Judge Paul Friedman heard the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe v. Zinke case via teleconference, in which the plaintiff and defendant gave arguments centering on whether the tribe’s land should be removed from trust status, based on whether the tribe was under federal jurisdiction prior to the establishment of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.</div>
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The tribe, the Department of the Interior and the Littlefields, along with other Taunton neighbors, have been the key players in this yearslong battle over whether the government had the authority to take the land into trust in the first place.</div>
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The plaintiff argued that Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s order in March to remove the tribe’s land from trust was arbitrary and capricious because he had rejected evidence that other tribes have used to obtain trust land in the past. The defense said the Interior Department’s 2018 decision was thoroughly evaluated and consistent with prior decisions.</div>
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The tribe had plans to build a $1 billion casino in Taunton that would bring economic aid to the tribe and the city of Taunton through an intergovernmental agreement. Neighbors of the proposed casino were opposed, however, and filed a lawsuit, arguing that the Interior Department had no authority to take the tribe’s land into trust.</div>
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In 2015, the Interior Department took 321 acres in Mashpee and Taunton into trust for the tribe, but under a new administration reversed itself in 2018. The tribe had appealed a district court judge’s ruling in favor of the reversal and lost, and in a separate action it challenged the Interior Department’s reversal.</div>
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In late March, the Interior Department informed the tribe it would remove its land from trust status. The tribe asked for the federal court to issue an emergency order that would postpone Bernhardt’s decision. The tribe and the Department of the Interior agreed to a 45-day pause period.</div>
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Wednesday’s hearing could determine the future of the tribe’s lands as well as its financial future. Depending on what the judge decides, the Interior Department might have to take a second look at the tribe’s qualification for land-in-trust status. A ruling in favor of the defendant might mean the tribe would lose some of its land or the tax relief that comes with it.</div>
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The plaintiff argued that several pieces of evidence show the tribe was clearly under federal authority before 1934, while the defense argued that those pieces of evidence are not explicit or show only state jurisdiction.</div>
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The tribe’s lawyer, Tami Lyn Azorsky of Dentons LLP, offered examples such as old census reports to show the tribe was under federal jurisdiction. One element of her argument concerned a federal school in Pennsylvania attended by children of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.</div>
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From 1879 to 1918, the United States Carlisle Indian Industrial School operated a boarding school that hosted Native American children from around the country, with the goal of assimilating Native Americans into mainstream American culture.</div>
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Azorsky said the school took responsibility for every asset of the children’s lives, including medical decisions, without parents’ consent. Because the school was run by the federal government, and members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe attended, this demonstrates the exercise of federal authority, Azorsky argued.</div>
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The defendant argued that this evidence was not affirmative of federal jurisdiction. It showed, at most, that the tribe was “under Congress’s linear authority” and was not sufficient, said Sara Costello, federal attorney for the defense.</div>
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Azorsky also brought up reports in which the federal government considered taking an action regarding the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and then ultimately decided against it. Because no action was taken, the Interior Department dismissed those reports as evidence.</div>
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Azorsky emphasized that action does not determine jurisdiction. She said acknowledgment of responsibility is the standard.</div>
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“Isn’t a decision not to do something just as much an action as a decision to do something?” Judge Friedman asked the defense.</div>
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“The decision to do nothing does not show that the tribe is under federal jurisdiction,” Costello said.</div>
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The plaintiff argued the Bernhardt’s order to remove the tribe’s land from trust was arbitrary and capricious because he had rejected evidence that other tribes have used to obtain trust land in the past. The defense said the Interior Department’s 2018 decision was thoroughly evaluated and consistent with prior decisions.</div>
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“The Interior Department thoroughly discussed each piece of evidence and thoroughly explained why it chose to do what it did,” Costello said. “The Interior applied the correct standard for determining the federal jurisdiction, set forth in the M-Opinion.”</div>
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The “M-Opinion” is a legal opinion the Department of the Interior had been using to determine whether a tribe was under federal jurisdiction at the time of the Indian Reorganization Act. In March, Deputy Solicitor for Indian Affairs Daniel H. Jorjani withdrew the opinion, concluding in a March 5 document that the interpretation of the first definition of “Indian” is not consistent with the “ordinary meaning, statutory context, legislative history, or contemporary administrative understanding” of the phrase ’recognized Indian tribe now under federal jurisdiction.”</div>
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Jorjani had issued another memorandum that provided a four-step procedure for determining tribal eligibility that would be “more consistent with how Congress and the Department would have understood them” in 1934.</div>
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Judge Friedman criticized that change, calling the March 5 document a “joke” and “incomprehensible.”</div>
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If the current matter is remanded, Costello said, the tribe’s case will be a pending application, and so the new guidance would apply, Costello said.</div>
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“Basically you’re saying, ‘Heads I win, tails you lose,’” Friedman said. “If I remanded to Interior, you want to apply a new guidance to them which makes it harder for them to succeed.”</div>
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The new guidelines would not make it harder for the tribe to succeed in keeping its land in trust, Costello argued.</div>
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Costello emphasized that if the tribe’s land is taken out of trust, it will still have access to different funding because of its status as a federally recognized tribe. It is still entitled to COVID-19 aid under the CARES Act, as well as other funds regarding social services and transportation.</div>
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“That’s not dependent on having land under trust,” Costello said.</div>
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If Friedman he were to rule in favor of the Department of the Interior, and the tribe’s land were taken out of trust, the land would return to the previous deed holder, Azorsky said.</div>
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The Taunton land would be lost because of the mortgages, she said, and because the tribe has an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Taunton, the city also would be hurt. </div>
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“Interior is the federal trustee for the tribe, and Interior has an obligation to protect the tribe,” Azorsky said. “It doesn’t make sense that there is a rush to take this land out of trust. There still has to be an orderly process, and the tribe’s federal trustee rushing to judgment to disestablish this reservation when no procedure has been figured out yet, it doesn’t make sense.”</div>
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While the teleconference dropped for listeners near the end of the plaintiff’s rebuttal, the public was able to listen in for most of the hearing.</div>
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<a aria-label="Visit WampaLeaks" class="eHAdSb" data-ved="0CAIQjRxqFwoTCOCg8oarzOkCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwampaleaks.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fgenting-wampanoag-gaming-syndicate-eyes.html&psig=AOvVaw15Onn0F70TE0-zFob0t8wu&ust=1590404018680000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCOCg8oarzOkCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ" jsaction="focus:kvVbVb; mousedown:kvVbVb; touchstart:kvVbVb;" rel="noopener" rlhc="1" role="link" style="color: #2962ff; display: inline-block; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="WampaLeaks: Genting - Wampanoag gaming syndicate eyes Raynham as ..." class="n3VNCb" data-noaft="1" height="400" jsaction="load:XAeZkd;" jsname="HiaYvf" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3jvbA3koCn2pyUmJtUsftjENqOR_thqovncDzkRsqAdJOpl9fIcpPSobMMYoH4B6N_j-km53VwbvYU3fJEUvJnbe1RjUzlYo5d3SUTxCqJy1EShJQ3K87KOA34cf4n7jMDE7WoGuWIJP/s400/Genting_Native_American.jpg" style="background-color: white; background-image: linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, rgba(239, 239, 239, 0) 25%, rgba(239, 239, 239, 0) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)), linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, rgba(239, 239, 239, 0) 25%, rgba(239, 239, 239, 0) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)); background-size: 21px 21px; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; cursor: move; height: 677px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 509.42px;" width="300" /><span class="VSIspc" jsname="eQ3Oyb" style="background-color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5); border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; bottom: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 1px 0px rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.16); box-sizing: border-box; color: #f1f3f4; display: inherit; font-family: , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10px; left: 0px; line-height: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; position: absolute; white-space: nowrap;">608 × 808</span></a></div>
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Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-63604843891197783772020-05-14T08:45:00.001-04:002020-05-14T08:45:55.210-04:00Mashpee Wampanoag behind on payments to Taunton <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By Jessica Hill</div>
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Posted May 13, 2020 </div>
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Tribal leader denies report that arrears would be made up through bingo hall.</div>
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TAUNTON — The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is late with its annual payment of more than $500,000 to the city of Taunton in accordance with the two entities’ intergovernmental agreement, and there is some confusion as to how that payment will be made.</div>
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Taunton city councilors were surprised Tuesday night to learn in a letter from the city’s legal department that the tribe planned to pay through revenue it would receive from establishment of a “tribal bingo hall.”</div>
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A leader of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe said he also was surprised.</div>
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“There are no plans for a bingo hall or any other financing strategies at this point because the tribe is too busy fighting to protect our ancestral lands against attacks from the Department of Interior during the global COVID-19 pandemic,” Tribal Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with the City of Taunton and the town of Mashpee and finding ways to support each other.”</div>
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The tribe, which owns 150 acres of reservation land close to the intersections of routes 24 and 140 in Taunton, made an agreement with the city in 2012 based on expected revenue from its proposed $1 billion First Light Resort and Casino. The tribe was to pay the city at least $8 million every year once the casino was operating or 2.05% of its net slot revenue.</div>
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The casino and resort were projected to bring more than $50 million in revenue to the state and create more than 1,000 permanent jobs as well as 1,000 construction jobs.</div>
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As the tribe has been stuck in a legal tug-of-war with neighbors of the proposed casino who oppose the project and with the Interior Department over its land-in-trust status, that casino has yet to come to fruition.</div>
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The tribe has been paying Taunton a rate of $27.62 per $1,000 of assessed valuation every year instead of property taxes because of the land’s tax-exempt status, usually totaling a little more than $500,000.</div>
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In the past few years the tribe has been sending those payments through a wire transfer from a New York bank. Taunton Treasurer-Collector Barbara Auger previously commended the tribe on its continued commitment to make the payments. </div>
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Matthew J. Costa, first assistant city solicitor, wrote in a May 8 letter to the Taunton City Council that payment was due from the tribe in November. The Law Department issued a formal notice March 31 disputing the nonpayment, and the tribe asked for an extension.</div>
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That extension was agreed to based on the expectation the tribe would raise revenue through establishment of a tribal bingo hall, according to the letter.</div>
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“However, the establishment of a tribal bingo hall has not been realized due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Costa wrote in the letter.</div>
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If the tribe does not pay, the city would take action in Superior Court.</div>
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Cromwell said he had no idea how the city got the impression the tribe would establish a bingo hall. He also said the tribe would make its payment as part of the agreement, although he would not specify when or how that payment would be made.</div>
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“We’re going to pay it,” Cromwell said. “We’re working through it.”</div>
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Costa and City Solicitor David Gay could not be reached for additional comment on where they heard about plans for a bingo hall. </div>
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“This is the first I heard the possibility of a bingo parlor being on that site,” Taunton City Councilor David Pottier said at Tuesday’s meeting.</div>
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“Secondly, I find it somewhat incredulous that they’re blaming COVID for not being able to make a payment ... that was due in November when COVID only really took the scene in the last month or so,” Pottier said. “I find their excuse totally inadequate.”</div>
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Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-47239546962508897382020-02-07T13:48:00.000-05:002020-02-07T13:48:51.749-05:00A big legal victory against commercialized gambling operators in New York <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td id="yiv2796547043id_42475000-4405-41cf-b4fd-a7d3056ecc9b" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #4c4c4c; float: none; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em; padding-top: 1em; vertical-align: top;"><div style="clear: both; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Victims of state government's commercialized gambling scheme experienced a major legal win yesterday in NY. <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Tfd260c48-300f-41e4-a21d-e7a0c8b78a12/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><strong>Here is <em>The New York Times </em>coverage</strong></a> of the court decision declaring so-called "daily fantasy sports" (DFS) for what it really is: commercialized gambling. </div>
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The New York State Constitution puts the power to expand gambling into the hands of the people, requiring a statewide vote. The NY Legislature, in partnership with powerful financial interests who stood to benefit from this latest form of commercialized gambling, tried to avoid this constitutional requirement when it pushed through a bill adding DFS to its existing wealth-extraction arsenal of lottery scratch tickets, electronic Quick Draw (i.e. Keno), regional casinos, and slot machine parlors. </div>
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This victory is a direct result of the hard work and talent of <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T49e783ca-444b-4228-bd9a-bb0442366833/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><strong>Attorney Neil Murray.</strong></a> Despite the heavy demands of his practice, Neil has sacrificed an enormous amount of his time over the last twenty years to act against the injustice, poverty, and life-changing harm caused by commercialized gambling, especially in his home state of NY. This remarkable effort is his most recent achievement. </div>
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The lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Td1a06556-247f-4595-b40c-12161a1b7fba/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><strong>was coordinated by Stop Predatory Gambling</strong></a>. It was filed on behalf of four plaintiffs who had suffered personal or family harm from gambling debts resulting from commercialized gambling promoted by the state. </div>
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<strong>Commercialized gambling is America's biggest most-neglected problem. At a time when <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T9f708cf0-5c80-471d-9351-bcabab9d4996/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">more than 60% of our citizens have less than $1000 in savings,</a> people are on a collision course<a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Tab7d3b89-85a5-4725-a9cc-b027037990c6/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"> to lose more than $1 trillion of personal wealth to commercialized gambling over the next eight years.</a> Our <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T7a06d327-c857-4df3-ae24-0e1bab8db4e8/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">vision</a> and <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T40e3fa51-25d8-439b-bbdb-8e50c1218965/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">plan</a> is to reduce that financial harm by 50% during that span.</strong> </div>
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The work of Attorney Murray moved us one step closer to achieving this goal. You can <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T2ed8bda5-0e7c-4e9e-a767-33486446982f/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><strong>read the full decision here.</strong></a> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">Best,</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">Les Bernal<br /> National Director<br /> Stop Predatory Gambling</span> </div>
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________________________________ </div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">Who We Are —</span></strong> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">- A 501c3 non-profit based in Washington, DC, we are a national social reform network of citizens and organizations from across the U.S.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">- We believe in improving the lives of the American people with compassion and fairness, freeing us from the impoverishment, exploitation, and fraud that commercialized gambling spreads.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">- We are one of the most diverse organizations in the United States, one in which conservatives and progressives work side-by-side to improve the common good.</span> </div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">What We Stand For —</span></strong> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">- We believe everyone should have a fair opportunity to get ahead and improve their future.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">- We believe every person’s life has worth and that no one is expendable.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">- We believe that a good society depends on the values of honesty, concern for others, mutual trust, self-discipline, sacrifice, and a work ethic that connects effort and reward.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">- We believe no government body should depend on predatory gambling to fund its activities.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,serif; line-height: 150%;">If you share our beliefs, please help sustain our work <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T1139c7af-d948-4943-a78a-49c2cb64d7ff/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><b>by making a tax-deductible, financial gift today of $10 or mo</b></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">re</span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><strong>Stop Predatory Gambling Foundation</strong><br /> 100 Maryland Avenue NE, Room 310 | Washington, District of Columbia 20002<br /> (202) 567-6996 | les@stoppredatorygambling.org </span></div>
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Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-27051736229864412992019-12-07T11:10:00.001-05:002019-12-07T11:11:41.819-05:00State regulators wade through Mashpee tribe’s casino issues <br />
<div class="irc_t i30052" data-noload="" data-ved="2ahUKEwitrZX59aPmAhWEmuAKHb4XBv8Q5OoBegQIARAP" jsaction="irc.cc;contextmenu:irc.cm" style="background-color: #141518; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0; margin: 24px; position: relative; text-align: center; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); vertical-align: middle; width: 400px; z-index: 2;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b>ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:</b></span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><u><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #666666;">REEL WAMPS</a></u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></b><br />
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<h1>
State regulators wade through Mashpee tribe’s casino issues</h1>
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<span class="article-meta-date" style="box-sizing: border-box; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Posted Dec 6, 2019</span></div>
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Gaming Commission updated on Wampanoag’s ongoing legal battles.</div>
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BOSTON — As they continue to mull the question of issuing the final casino license available under an 8-year-old law, gaming commissioners were brought up to speed Thursday on the complex web of litigation and legislation surrounding the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s quest to secure land in trust, on which it intends to build a casino in Taunton.</div>
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The briefing from the Gaming Commission’s executive director and legal team was meant to give the decision-makers a sense of the ongoing legal wrangling over the decision to approve the tribe’s land in trust, which was granted by the Obama administration but overturned and thrown into doubt by the Trump administration. The tribe planned to construct its $1 billion First Light Resort and Casino on tribal land in Taunton, a project that would have a significant impact on the state’s commercial casino industry.</div>
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<b>Region C, the commission’s name for Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties, has been an unsettled matter for the commission for years. In 2016, when it appeared a tribal casino in Taunton was likely, regulators rejected a proposal for a commercial casino in Brockton. Since then, the commission has discussed reopening the bidding for Region C, but has not been in any rush to take that step.</b></div>
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“What we’re attempting to do here is to provide a framework for the beginning of that discussion,” Executive Director Edward Bedrosian told commissioners at the outset of the briefing Thursday.</div>
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A federal judge’s ruling later in 2016 nullified the Obama administration’s decision to grant the Wampanoag a 320-acre reservation on which the tribe planned to construct a resort casino and President Donald Trump’s administration last year officially reversed the Obama-era declaration.</div>
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Since then, the tribe’s efforts to secure its land in trust status have been tied up in federal court. Deputy General Counsel Todd Grossman walked commissioners through the three main cases at play. One is Littlefield et al. v. U.S. Department of the Interior, in which a judge ruled in 2016 that the land could not be held in trust. That verdict was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the appeal remains pending.</div>
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There’s also a case in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia — Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe v. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt — in which the tribe argues that the Department of the Interior secretary failed to properly consider extensive factual evidence it submitted to make the case that it should be eligible for land in trust.</div>
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Associate General Counsel Justin Stempeck told commissioners that the D.C. district case is “pending with multiple current summary judgment motions” and he estimated that no resolution would come until the latter end of a six- to nine-month window.</div>
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As the tribe works to secure its land in trust through the courts, U.S. Rep. William Keating, who represents Taunton and Mashpee, has pushed legislation that would use the power of Congress to reaffirm the 2015 decision by the Interior Department to take land into trust for the tribe, though Trump has opposed it. </div>
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The U.S. House of Representatives voted 275-146 in May to approve that bill, titled the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act, and it has not moved since being referred to the U.S. Senate that same month.</div>
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In addition to getting up to speed on the lawsuits and federal legislation involving the tribe, the commission also agreed in October to have its staff draft a request for information that would solicit information on all sorts of relevant Region C matters, like the state of the gaming market, local support and more.</div>
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Commission Chairwoman Cathy Judd-Stein said she was interested in questions that “reflect the struggle we have with respect to equity” and include an examination of the statewide implications of a Region C casino as well as the impact to the surrounding communities.</div>
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“I think we do have an obligation to consider the best interest of the commonwealth as well as the region,” she said. “It’s not lost on I don’t think any of us here that Region C folks, not all, may be interested in having a casino because of the economic benefits that we’ve seen coming through both regions A and B, yet we are not obligated ... to issue another license. So I am particularly interested in the question around the impact of Region C in the absence of our issuing a license.”</div>
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<b>One concern, as expressed by local officials and others, is that commercial casino operators might not be willing to invest the minimum $500 million in a project that could have to compete with a nearby tribal casino. If the Gaming Commission opts to go ahead with licensing a commercial casino in Region C and the tribe is allowed to open its own casino under federal law, Massachusetts would receive no tax revenue from the tribal casino.</b></div>
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The commission did not vote to take any particular action Thursday but agreed to provide feedback on an eventual new draft prepared by staff at a later date.</div>
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<br />Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-67324097564758303042019-12-07T10:37:00.003-05:002019-12-07T10:37:42.242-05:00A life-changing problem to discuss this week <br />
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<img alt="Image result for REEL WAMPS" class="irc_mi" height="307" src="https://southcoastherald.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2017/05/9eb8b004e8eefd84b8e3aaa617dc8078_reel-wamps-2012-march-stealing-money-clipart_1500-1433-Medium-520x400.jpg" style="background-color: white; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)), -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)); background-position: 0px 0px, 10px 10px; background-size: 21px 21px; border: 0px; color: #232323; font-family: "Crimson Text", Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 4px; vertical-align: middle;" width="400" /><br />
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<tr><td id="yiv1813129950id_42475000-4405-41cf-b4fd-a7d3056ecc9b" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #4c4c4c; float: none; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%; padding: 1em 1em 0.5em; vertical-align: top;"><div style="clear: both; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 12px;">
The problem of commercialized gambling will be a subject of conversation in millions of American homes over the next few days as families and friends gather for Thanksgiving.</div>
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Why? Because it's America's biggest most-neglected problem today.</div>
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<strong>Americans are on course to lose more than $1 trillion of personal wealth to commercialized gambling <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T8f00971e-7dfb-4651-89a4-64f65c4b415a/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">over the next eight years</a>.</strong></div>
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<strong>Our mission is to reduce this enormous loss of wealth by citizens by 50% over the same span.</strong></div>
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Below are some must-share facts along with some specific reforms that will dramatically improve the lives of millions of Americans:</div>
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<strong><u>The Problem:</u> Tens of millions of citizens are broke!!! And millions of citizens are now addicted to commercialized gambling.</strong></div>
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<li>Savings is the road to wealth creation. Savings. Yet this concept of savings is almost foreign to more than half the country’s citizens.</li>
<li>50% of the U.S. population <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T64d53998-4f66-43f0-bda2-4e922b115ec4/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><strong>has zero or negative net wealth.</strong></a></li>
<li>More than 60% of citizens <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Tb37695ac-3962-495a-ae2e-582014262977/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><strong>don’t have enough savings to cover a $1000 emergency expense.</strong></a></li>
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<strong>Partial Policy Solutions That Have Been Put Forward From Both Political Parties to Help Solve the Problem:</strong></div>
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<li>Tax Cuts</li>
<li>Tax Credits</li>
<li>Raising the Minimum Wage</li>
<li>Increasing Taxes on the Rich</li>
<li><strong>….None of which represent a consequential fix</strong></li>
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<strong>Absent from the List is America's Biggest Most-Neglected Problem: The Life-Changing Citizen Losses of Personal Wealth to Commercialized Gambling</strong></div>
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<strong>The sheer size and scope of these financial losses lacks any comparison:</strong></div>
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<li><strong>The American people are expected to lose $1 trillion of their personal wealth to government-sanctioned gambling <a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T3ef9fa79-b688-4a4b-a260-22735decad83/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">over the next eight years.</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>In 2018 alone,<a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Tb0e94657-d7c6-40ec-8c01-53376933cdcf/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"> they were expected to lose $118 billion</a>.</strong></li>
<li><strong>That means Americans are losing $224,505 per minute.</strong></li>
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<u><strong>The Way Forward</strong></u></div>
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<li>Building assets, the accumulation and investment of savings, are key for anyone looking to make a better life. A home, a college fund, retirement accounts, a stock portfolio—these assets are the hallmarks of middle and upper class America, and they are all the result of savings.</li>
<li>Building assets is the direct opposite of commercialized gambling. No single policy reform would create more financial peace for low-to-middle-income citizens than reversing the current scheme of turning millions of people who are small earners, who could be small savers, into habitual bettors.</li>
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<u><strong>Partial List of Reform Proposals Include:</strong></u></div>
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<li>To safeguard the health of minors, no kids under should be exposed to gambling ads and marketing on TV, radio, at point-of-sale, or on the internet.</li>
<li>No advertising or marketing of commercialized gambling to low income populations.</li>
<li>A ban on the sale of lottery products in check-cashing outlets, which serve unbanked, low-income people.</li>
<li>No high dollar lottery tickets should be sold in low income areas (ending the practice of selling tickets greater than $5.00)</li>
<li>Capping staking levels on all slot machine-style games, regardless whether it is a physical machine or online, to $2.00 or less. There is no justification for staking levels above $2.00.</li>
<li>End the predatory practice of allowing commercialized gambling on credit, whether by credit card or “markers,” (interest-free loans issued by casinos.) It’s inconceivable that states encourage citizens to fund their gambling addiction using debt.</li>
<li>Require state lotteries to track and report re-wagers and quantify their relationship to sales and subsequent prizes.</li>
<li>Ban “loot boxes” and other elements of commercialized gambling that are currently being engineered into video games that kids under 18 are playing.</li>
<li>Reduce the overall amount of lottery games being marketed to the public. Presently, some states offer dozens of different gambling games. For example, Texas was promoting 92 scratch games for sale in November 2019.</li>
<li>Reduce the amount of locations where extreme forms of gambling like electronic gambling machines are being marketed by the state.</li>
<li>Reduce the speed of the commercialized gambling being offered by states. Many of the most harmful forms of commercialized gambling are also the fastest like electronic gambling machines, online gambling, and scratch tickets.</li>
<li>Require commercialized gambling interests to be treated the same under civil litigation laws as any other business.</li>
<li>Create an Office of the Public Advocate committed to public service in representing state citizens in any matter that is covered by the authority of the state gambling commissions, as well as proceedings before state and federal agencies and courts, so that they are protected from being exploited and cheated by commercialized gambling operators. This is similar to what many states do in representing state utility consumers.</li>
<li>Require that state problem gambling councils collect and report annual data on state gambling addiction numbers and on the effectiveness of the problem gambling interventions being funded (changing the measurement from how many calls are taken to how many people are moved from addicted to not addicted).</li>
<li>Restrictions on the inducements offered to gamblers to keep them gambling or luring them to start gambling after they have stopped.</li>
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<strong>P<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">lease consider how you can use your time, talent, and treasure to help move these desperately-needed, long-overdue social reforms forward over the next 18 months and let me know. Thank you.</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">Best,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">Les Bernal<br />National Director<br />Stop Predatory Gambling</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">Who We Are —</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">- A 501c3 non-profit based in Washington, DC, we are a national social reform network of citizens and organizations from across the U.S.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe in improving the lives of the American people with compassion and fairness, freeing us from the lower standard of living, exploitation, and fraud that commercialized gambling spreads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">- We are one of the most diverse organizations in the United States, one in which conservatives and progressives work side-by-side to improve the common good.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">What We Stand For —</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe everyone should have a fair opportunity to get ahead and improve their future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe every person’s life has worth and that no one is expendable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe that a good society depends on the values of honesty, concern for others, mutual trust, self-discipline, sacrifice, and a work ethic that connects effort and reward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">- We believe no government body should depend on predatory gambling to fund its activities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 27px;">If you share our beliefs, please help sustain our work <strong><a href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Ta5d12f0e-dd32-45ea-a507-358d577c7191/f8ec445d-70f2-4970-8a45-3462ae57bd8d" rel="nofollow" style="color: #419dd7; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">by making a tax-deductible, financial gift today of $10 or more.</a></strong></span></div>
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<strong>Stop Predatory Gambling Foundation</strong><br />
100 Maryland Avenue NE, Room 310 | Washington, District of Columbia 20002<br />
(202) 567-6996 | les@stoppredatorygambling.org</div>
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<br />Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-20508018919020722382019-10-26T11:27:00.000-04:002019-10-26T11:27:56.976-04:00Regulators want briefing on Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s casino status <br />
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<img alt="Image result for REEL WAMPS" class="irc_mi" height="307" src="https://southcoastherald.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2017/05/9eb8b004e8eefd84b8e3aaa617dc8078_reel-wamps-2012-march-stealing-money-clipart_1500-1433-Medium-520x400.jpg" style="background-color: white; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)), -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)); background-position: 0px 0px, 10px 10px; background-size: 21px 21px; border: 0px; color: #232323; font-family: "Crimson Text", Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 4px; vertical-align: middle;" width="400" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b>ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:</b></span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;" />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><u><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #666666;">REEL WAMPS</a></u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><u><a href="https://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">WAMPALEAKS</a></u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><u><a href="https://gladyskravitz.blogspot.com/2010/" style="color: #666666;">GLADYS KRAVITZ</a></u></b><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;" />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><u><a href="https://carverchick.blogspot.com/" style="color: #666666;">carverchick</a></u></b><br />
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Regulators want briefing on Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s casino status</h1>
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By Colin A. Young / State House News Service
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Posted Oct 24,2019
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Gaming Commission appears in no hurry to act on Region C license.</div>
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BOSTON — Gaming regulators want to know the exact status of federal litigation around the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s quest to secure land in trust before making a decision about the state’s third casino license, although Gaming Commission members appeared in no rush Thursday to begin accepting applications for a Southeastern Massachusetts casino.</div>
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The state commission agreed to have its executive director and legal team work up a comprehensive briefing on the ongoing legal wrangling over the decision to grant the tribe land in trust, which was approved by the Obama administration but overturned and thrown into doubt by the Trump administration. The tribe planned to build its $1 billion First Light Resort and Casino on tribal land in Taunton, a project that would have a significant impact on the state’s commercial casino industry.</div>
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“The commission’s staff, our legal department, have been following the status of the federal legislation and litigation that relates particularly to the complicated tribal matter ... I think it’s probably a good time to actually update us more formally through a memorandum. It’s very complicated,” Chairwoman Cathy Judd-Stein said. “I do think probably that needs to be formalized, because it’s an important part of the overall Region C evaluation and discussion.”</div>
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The uncertainty of Region C — the commission’s name for Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties — has been an issue for years. In 2016, when it appeared a tribal casino in Taunton was likely, <b style="background-color: yellow;">regulators rejected a proposal for a commercial casino in Brockton.</b> A federal judge’s ruling later that year nullified the decision to grant the Wampanoag a 320-acre reservation on which the tribe planned to construct a resort casino, and President Donald Trump’s administration last year officially reversed the Obama-era declaration.</div>
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<b style="background-color: yellow;">Since then, the tribe’s efforts to secure its land-in-trust status have been tied up in federal court. U.S. Rep. William Keating, who represents Mashpee, has pushed legislation that would use the power of Congress to reaffirm the 2015 decision by the Interior Department to take land into trust for the tribe, though Trump has opposed it.</b></div>
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On Thursday, Sen. Marc Pacheco told the commission he has been trying to get clarity on where things stand with the tribe’s legal battles and the congressional efforts to address its concerns.</div>
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“I made a call before I came over to try to figure out what was happening at the federal level, and my sources tell me we probably won’t know too much until the end of the year,” Pacheco said.</div>
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Pacheco, who lives in and represents the city where the tribe hopes to build its casino, said he supports the commission’s plan to gather more information before making a decision one way or the other.</div>
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“I’m here to ask the commission to continue with your thoughtful deliberation about everything that is going on and to not make a decision, even though it may be in our best interest, because it’s within your jurisdiction under existing law to go out for a commercial casino if the commission chooses to,” he said. “If I know that there is absolutely no way that a Native American casino can come to be in Region C, I’d be one of the first people here to urge you to do so. But if that uncertainty still looms out there at any level, it will have a significant effect on those that even bid.”</div>
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<b style="background-color: yellow;">The concern, as expressed by Pacheco and others, is that commercial casino operators might not be willing to invest the minimum $500 million in a project that would have to compete with a nearby tribal casino. If the Gaming Commission opts to go ahead with licensing a commercial casino in Region C and the tribe is allowed to open its own casino under federal law, Massachusetts would receive no tax revenue from the tribal casino.</b></div>
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Although the commission took no formal vote related to Region C, the decision to seek more information suggested it is in no hurry to make a ruling on the one remaining casino license.</div>
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Commissioner Enrique Zuniga stressed that it will be crucial for the commission to conduct its own economic analysis of the Region C market, noting that the two resort casinos that already have opened in other regions of the state are coming up short of their own revenue projections.</div>
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“I currently feel no sense of urgency ... if we have not seen the levels that the applicants themselves predicted, because they did predict certain revenues from year one and they’re not currently seeing those revenues,” Zuniga said. “I would rather, frankly, see how it goes, do more analysis and understand better how they’re competing in the market. It’s early, in my opinion.”</div>
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A spokeswoman for the Mashpee tribe did not respond to a request for comment Thursday night.</div>
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<a href="http://reelwamps.com/archives/federal-investigations-stop-everything" rel="bookmark" style="border: 0px; color: #4c412a; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Federal investigations stop everything">Federal investigations stop everything</a></h2>
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September 29, 2019</div>
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<a href="http://reelwamps.com/archives/oh-those-memories-and-now-the-realities/cedric-grimmace" rel="attachment wp-att-4697" style="border: 0px; color: #0084a5; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-4697" src="http://reelwamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/cedric-grimmace-150x150.jpg" height="150" style="border: 1px solid rgb(186, 182, 171) !important; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 490px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="150" /></a><br />
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<strong>Cedric was not alone in selling us out. His Council cronies voted with him on every money transfer and bad deal ever made.</strong></div>
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The tribe’s outside auditors had some bad news for the Council. They were not able to complete their audit because of the federal grand jury investigation. The current Treasurer, Gordon Harris, former treasurer Robbie Hendricks and according to our sources Cromwell business partner and former treasurer Mark Harding have all been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury and it has possession of tribal financial records. The auditors do not have access to those documents. And the auditors querries got a donut from the feds</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>IT</strong></em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong> GOT WORSE</strong></em></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">That tricky Gaming Commission. It was a dumping ground for millions of dollars each month. NO ONE EVER KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT MONEY or How it was spent.</span></div>
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<strong>So now the bill comes due. </strong>The auditors couldn’t get much intell out of the feds…actually nothing. But they</div>
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<a href="http://reelwamps.com/archives/federal-investigations-stop-everything/yvonne-shovel" rel="attachment wp-att-4740" style="border: 0px; color: #0084a5; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-4740" src="http://reelwamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/yvonne-shovel-150x150.jpg" height="150" style="border: 1px solid rgb(186, 182, 171) !important; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 490px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="150" /></a><br />
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<strong>Yvonne, 30 years a council member never used her education or experience to help. Her silence was lethal as ever. Slithering into her hiding place like an eel.</strong></div>
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know about these things. There’s a clause in the financial agreement with the investors that says that if there’s “<strong>bad faith” actions</strong> (and the auditor put it like this) :</div>
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” I’m not saying it happened, but let’s just say someone in the gaming commission took between $100,000 and $1m….then the tribal assets are at risk.”</div>
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That means what land we own etc. would go to Genting for payment. A drop in the bucket compared to what we owe them. Cedric and his ouncil Cronies knew about the fine print so why didn’t the tribal attorneys or any of them tell us? Well, they had to keep getting that money…at any cost.</div>
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So now we’re in a really bad place. Reel Wamps has to confess that pounding on Cedric Cromwell was not</div>
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enough. He didn’t create this horror show alone. He had a lot of help from the Council cronies. A really sorry lot. Jess$e Big Doe and Mark(ie) Poo Harding leading the parade. The ancestors are spinning in their graves. Everything Cedric did came with their vote of approval. Their complicity was tantamount to their participating in t<strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">he felony</em> <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>m</strong>urder of the Tribe.</em></strong> Just because you didn’t pull the trigger does not absolve the guilt. You must have proof that you tried to stop the crime. They were cowards all the way. They should be held accountable.</div>
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If we know the feds do too.</div>
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<br />Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-38495580240610198452019-09-14T10:38:00.000-04:002019-09-14T10:39:08.455-04:00Injunction to be filed to force Mashpee Wampanoag tribal recall election <br />
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" 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<h1>
Injunction to be filed to force Mashpee Wampanoag tribal recall election</h1>
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By Christine Legere<br />
Posted Sep 3, 2019<br />
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MASHPEE — The Mashpee Wampanoag Election Committee’s abrupt cancellation of Sunday’s recall election for two top Tribal Council officials was met with outrage by the Tribal Council member who is the driving force behind the effort</div>
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Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell and Treasurer Gordon Harris were the targets of the recall, which was prompted by petitions bearing the signatures of 100 registered voters of the tribe.</div>
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On Thursday, the election committee posted a notice canceling the upcoming recall election.</div>
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On Friday, Tribal Council member Aaron Tobey Jr. said he planned to file a complaint and request for injunctive relief with Tribal Court, saying the election committee exceeded its authority.</div>
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Tobey will ask the court to order the committee to schedule the recall election within the next 30 days.</div>
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To support the injunction request, Tobey said in his complaint that the recall petitions had been certified as sufficient by the election committee several months ago.</div>
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The committee had been slowly moving forward with election plans, providing packets to enrolled tribe members, as well as outlining reasons given by petitioners for the recall and Cromwell and Harris’ responses to the accusations.</div>
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Meanwhile, efforts to stop the recall, which was to be the tribe’s first such election, have been ongoing ever since the signatures on the petition were certified in April.</div>
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That includes a great deal of pressure from the tribal chairman himself to squelch the election, according to Tobey.</div>
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“Cedric Cromwell has done everything he could to stop the recall, and he has a large political machine,” Tobey said.</div>
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Cromwell could not be reached for comment.</div>
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Trish Keliinui, tribe spokeswoman and a member of the election committee, said the cancellation was “based on the language of the Aug. 22 court case.” She said she could not elaborate beyond that.</div>
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The case, filed by Tobey in May against the election committee chairman and dismissed by Tribal District Court Judge Amanda WhiteEagle on Aug. 22, was not related to the recall of Cromwell and Harris, Tobey’s attorney, Jonathan Polloni, said. Instead, he said it pertained to a petition to recall Tribal Council Vice-Chairwoman Jesse “Little Doe” Baird.</div>
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Tobey filed the complaint because he believed election committee Chairwoman Rita Lopez had overstepped her authority during her certification of signatures on a recall petition for Baird, Polloni said. Petitioners were short of the 100 signatures needed for a recall on Baird’s petition.</div>
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In the Aug. 22 decision, Judge Amanda WhiteEagle said that “the court finds the recall petitions insufficient as presented” and dismissed Tobey’s complaint.</div>
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The words “as presented” define the judge’s decision, Tobey said. The documents provided to the court did not contain the full petition with accompanying reasons for the recall, he said.</div>
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“It was an error,” Tobey said.</div>
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But the petitions to recall Cromwell and Harris were certified by the election committee long ago, Polloni said.</div>
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“They didn’t have a problem with them back then, and only have a problem now,” the attorney said of the election committee. “They just endlessly delay.”</div>
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“I think if they’re allowed to do this, it will set a dangerous precedent that you can never have a recall election because the election committee can do whatever it wants,” Polloni said.</div>
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Cromwell and Harris had been facing multiple allegations from a group of tribe members who accuse the two of malfeasance, or “wrongful conduct,” in connection with issues stemming from, among other things, the <b style="background-color: yellow;">more than $500 million owed to the tribe’s financial backer, Genting Malaysia,</b> and decisions to keep Tribal Council Vice Chairwoman Jessie “Little Doe” Baird in power after she resigned Jan. 25.</div>
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Cromwell responded to the allegations in a letter addressed to the tribe’s Election Committee dated May 15. In that letter, he denied that charge and noted that Tribal Council voted not to accept Baird’s resignation letter.</div>
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″... therefore, there was no vacancy for the Vice Chair position,” Cromwell wrote.</div>
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Cromwell also touted the economic growth that took place under his leadership as a result of Genting’s commitment to loan the tribe money to support its programs and services. <b style="background-color: yellow;">Genting has since withdrawn its support after writing off its more than $440 million investment in the tribe as a loss in late 2018, forcing rounds of layoffs at the Mashpee Wampanoag headquarters.</b></div>
<div class="rg_bx rg_di rg_el ivg-i" data-ri="191" data-row="34" data-ved="2ahUKEwj14c7-w9DkAhUK3xoKHeFdDzw4ZBAzKFswW3oECAEQXQ" jscontroller="Q7Rsec" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline-block; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0px; height: 241px; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 203px; z-index: 1;">
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<div class="rg_bx rg_di rg_el ivg-i" data-ri="192" data-row="34" data-ved="2ahUKEwj14c7-w9DkAhUK3xoKHeFdDzw4ZBAzKFwwXHoECAEQXg" jscontroller="Q7Rsec" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline-block; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0px; height: 241px; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 198px; z-index: 1;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #232323; font-family: "crimson text" , "georgia" , "cambria" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 17.5px;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #232323; font-family: "crimson text" , "georgia" , "cambria" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 17.5px;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Throughout Cromwell’s tenure, critics have attempted to rally tribe members to force open the administration’s books, including its casino records, and to protest the periodic silencing and shunning of members who’ve raised questions about its finances.</span></span></div>
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<br />Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-382861050640300397.post-91989601200203675812019-09-11T09:36:00.004-04:002019-09-11T09:37:25.203-04:00Allegations against Mashpee Wampanoag tribal leaders come to head <br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:</b></span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.266px;"><u><a href="http://reelwamps.com/" style="color: #666666;">REEL WAMPS</a></u></b><br />
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<h1>
Allegations against Mashpee Wampanoag tribal leaders come to head</h1>
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By Tanner Stening<br />
Posted Sep 8, 2019<br />
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Fate of Cromwell, Harris to be determined by Mashpee Wampanoag’s first recall election.</div>
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MASHPEE — Members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe looking to unseat their top executive officers intend to make their case for financial mismanagement at the coming recall election, airing years of grievances that have led to often raucous infighting within a government on the verge of insolvency.</div>
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On Sunday, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell and Treasurer Gordon Harris will face multiple allegations from a group of tribe members who accuse the two of malfeasance, or “wrongful conduct,” in connection with issues stemming from, among other things, the <b style="background-color: yellow;">more than $500 million owed to the tribe’s financial backer, Genting Malaysia,</b> and decisions to keep Tribal Council Vice Chairwoman Jessie “Little Doe” Baird in power after she resigned Jan. 25.<br />
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The hearing will be the tribe’s first recall election — a process written into the tribe’s constitution triggered by the submission of petitions to remove the officials in question that requires the signatures of 100 or more tribe members. <b style="background-color: yellow;">The election would come roughly a week after the Times learned that Harris and his predecessor, Robert Hendricks, were subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, though it is unclear for what reason.</b></div>
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The petitioners also intend to argue that Cromwell has promoted his personal business interests while traveling and acting in his capacity as chairman.</div>
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Cromwell responded to the allegations in a letter addressed to the tribe’s Election Committee dated May 15, denying that charge and noting that Tribal Council voted not to accept Baird’s resignation letter.</div>
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″... therefore, there was no vacancy for the Vice Chair position,” Cromwell wrote.</div>
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He also touted the economic growth that took place under his leadership as a result of Genting’s commitment to loaning the tribe money to support its programs and services. Genting has since withdrawn its support after writing off its more than $440 million investment in the tribe as a loss in late 2018, forcing rounds of layoffs at the Mashpee Wampanoag headquarters.</div>
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“During my time as Chairman, the tribe has reached its highest number of employees of 130 despite the recent layoffs,” which, Cromwell says, were “out of the tribe’s hands.”</div>
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Petitioners also allege that Cromwell deprived the tribe of up to $500,000 in tribal employment rights ordinance fees. Known as TERO, the ordinances require that employers conducting business on reservations give tribes preference in all manner of employment, contracting and related activities, according to the Council for Tribal Employment Rights website.</div>
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Aaron Tobey Jr., a tribal council member and petitioner in the recall effort, said Cromwell’s alleged failure to negotiate and collect TERO funds is in relationship to the tribe’s affordable housing development project off Meetinghouse Road.</div>
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“He didn’t impose any fees, and that cost the tribe hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Tobey said in an interview.</div>
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Since his rise to power in 2009, Cromwell repeatedly has come under fire for his handling of the tribe’s finances. Factions critical of his administration have called for more transparency, rebuking attempts to raise the salaries of council members, including his own.</div>
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Throughout Cromwell’s tenure, those groups have attempted to rally tribe members to force open the administration’s books, including its casino records, and to protest the periodic silencing and shunning of members who’ve raised questions about its finances. Sources said recently that the tribe is operating without a membership-approved budget, and statements of expenses provided by the tribal government show a paucity of funds available for programs and services.</div>
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Of the $1.8 million the tribe had spent this year through July, nearly half, or $910,575, went toward salaries and fringe benefits, according to the sources.</div>
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According to the affidavit detailing the petitioners’ accusations, the tribe has paid Cromwell more than $1 million since he took office. Ten years later, the tribe has incurred more than $500 million in debt with “very little to show for it; no casino, no jobs,” and a mortgaged property in Taunton, where the tribe’s $1 billion casino-resort would be located, the affidavit says.</div>
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In January, Cromwell was temporarily stripped of his fiduciary powers after news surfaced of the $37,000 he and his wife, Cheryl Frye-Cromwell, owe the IRS, and business interests that were subpoenaed during the course of their divorce proceeding. The council has since reversed itself, voting to restore Cromwell’s fiduciary responsibilities and to rescind a vote of no confidence in his leadership.</div>
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A robocall that circulated within the tribal community in June alleged that $250 million handled by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority is unaccounted for. The gaming authority is a five-member board governing the tribe’s long-stalled gaming operation. A 2016 financial audit of the tribe described the entity as a “discretely presented component of the tribe.” During that year, the authority transferred more than $17 million in cash and real estate to tribal operations. Cromwell is the president of the entity; Harris the treasurer.</div>
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“To date, we as tribal members do not know how this money is spent,” the robocall said. “Only Chairman Cromwell and Treasurer Gordon Harris have knowledge and access to how our $250 million has been spent.”</div>
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Tobey said he has felt the need to speak out against the administration’s handling of its finances to raise awareness within the tribal community.</div>
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“Cedric’s more like a shady politician than a tribal leader,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that the only source of objective reporting has to come from newspapers. We have nothing internally from within the tribe to hold them accountable.”</div>
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The tribe does have a publication, Mittark, that reports on tribal affairs. Tobey dismissed it as a “feel good” outlet that turns a blind eye to what’s going on within tribal government.</div>
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The Mashpee Wampanoag have had to borrow millions of dollars to fight a lawsuit brought by Taunton neighbors of the proposed First Light Casino & Resort. The Department of the Interior in September 2018 reversed a 2015 agency decision under the Obama administration that had taken 321 acres of land in Taunton and Mashpee into trust that effectively created the tribe’s reservation. Millions have been spent lobbying Congress and the Interior Department and fighting two separate legal battles — one contesting the agency’s Sept. 7 ruling and another appealing the ruling in the original suit.</div>
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<br />Middleboro Reviewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475280016728156951noreply@blogger.com0