Tribes among nation's largest political contributors

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Mark Anderson

Tribal Governments in California were among the largest political contributors in the nation during 2007 and 2008, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Tribes, and a coalition of tribes, based in or associated with California gaming represented four of the top 10 political contributors, with much of the money landing on both sides of a slate of ballot measures — Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 — that appeared on the Feb. 5, 2008, presidential primary election.

The tribes and political action committee funded by tribes made the 2008 ballot measures among the most expensive in the state, and launched the contributions of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Tribes for Fair Play and Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians into the top 10 political contributors nationwide.

The top 10 contributors nationwide to state and federal campaigns in 2007 and 2008 (ranked by nationwide contribution total):

1. National Education Association: California total, $22.6 million; nationwide total, $56.3 million

2. Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians: California total, $43.4 million; nationwide total, $44 million

3. Penn National Gaming: California total $0; nationwide total, $40.5 million