Wampumgate
Encyclopedia
Wampumgate is the name for the controversy around the July 14, 1995 rejection of an Indian gambling project by three impoverished Chippewa Indian tribes who hoped to establish a casino in Hudson, Wisconsin
, located just outside the Twin Cities
of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Documents uncovered by Congressional investigators, lawsuits and an Independent Counsel showed evidence that political contributions and pressure from lobbyists from rival tribes caused Bruce Babbitt
to overrule staff recommendations and deny the casino application. The opposing tribes included the Ho-Chunk
, Mdewankaton Sioux and six other tribes, mostly from neighboring Minnesota, who felt the Hudson casino would interfere with their own highly lucrative gambling operations. When Babbitt gave conflicting explanations of the incident to Congressional leaders, Atty Gen Janet Reno
, who had resisted an independent probe of campaign finance, asked a judicial panel to appoint an outside prosecutor to probe Bruce Babbitt's role in the rejection as well as the influence of campaign contributions. The Chippewas engaged Phoenix attorney and longtime Babbitt confidant Paul Eckstein to act as an informal liaison with Babbitt. Eckstein later became incensed when Babbitt hinted to him at a private meeting that the decision to turn down the tribes was influenced by campaign contributions from the opponents. Janet Reno denied the independent counsel right to probe broader campaign fund-raising issues in the Clinton administration. President Clinton supported Bruce Babbitt in his overruling regional Interior officials. Records from the Interior Department showed that the office of Harold Ickes
, then Pres Clinton's Deputy Chief of Staff, did in fact contact Babbitt's aides about the Hudson project. In addition, Donald Fowler
, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, made phone calls to senior Interior Department staff on behalf of the opposition and there were numerous contacts between Interior staff and lobbyists and officials from the opposing tribes. One prominent lobbyist, Patrick O'Connor, spoke directly with President Clinton in Minneapolis about the matter, triggering calls to the White House from Air Force One by Bruce Lindsey
. O'Connor later contacted Ickes directly regarding Hudson.
The wealthy tribes had strong support from influential people, including Fowler. They were also supported by Sen. Paul Wellstone
and U.S. Reps Jim Oberstar
, David Obey and Tom Barrett
, particularly Wellstone, who led the Minnesota delegation in organizing to quash the Wisconsin tribes' effort. Four of the tribes gave $56,000 to Democrats in 1995 and $225,000 in 1996. Those tribes also had donated heavily to Wellstone and Oberstar.
The Independent Counsel eventually did not find prosecutable evidence of wrongdoing, though did note major irregularities in the decision process. In 2000 the Interior Department chose not to continue fighting a lawsuit by the tribes in the Hudson partnership and reversed its earlier denial of the casino application. However, the measure eventually failed to win needed approval by then-Wisconsin governor Scott McCallum
.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, located just outside the Twin Cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Documents uncovered by Congressional investigators, lawsuits and an Independent Counsel showed evidence that political contributions and pressure from lobbyists from rival tribes caused Bruce Babbitt
Bruce Babbitt
Bruce Edward Babbitt , a Democrat, served as United States Secretary of the Interior and as the 16th governor of Arizona, from 1978 to 1987.-Biography:...
to overrule staff recommendations and deny the casino application. The opposing tribes included the Ho-Chunk
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
, Mdewankaton Sioux and six other tribes, mostly from neighboring Minnesota, who felt the Hudson casino would interfere with their own highly lucrative gambling operations. When Babbitt gave conflicting explanations of the incident to Congressional leaders, Atty Gen Janet Reno
Janet Reno
Janet Wood Reno is a former Attorney General of the United States . She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993, and confirmed on March 11...
, who had resisted an independent probe of campaign finance, asked a judicial panel to appoint an outside prosecutor to probe Bruce Babbitt's role in the rejection as well as the influence of campaign contributions. The Chippewas engaged Phoenix attorney and longtime Babbitt confidant Paul Eckstein to act as an informal liaison with Babbitt. Eckstein later became incensed when Babbitt hinted to him at a private meeting that the decision to turn down the tribes was influenced by campaign contributions from the opponents. Janet Reno denied the independent counsel right to probe broader campaign fund-raising issues in the Clinton administration. President Clinton supported Bruce Babbitt in his overruling regional Interior officials. Records from the Interior Department showed that the office of Harold Ickes
Harold M. Ickes
Harold McEwen Ickes was White House Deputy Chief of Staff for President Bill Clinton. He is the son of Harold L. Ickes, who was Secretary of the Interior under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ickes is a graduate of Stanford University and Columbia Law School. Ickes was a student civil rights activist in...
, then Pres Clinton's Deputy Chief of Staff, did in fact contact Babbitt's aides about the Hudson project. In addition, Donald Fowler
Donald Fowler
Donald L. Fowler served as National Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1995 to 1997. Fowler is a political science professor and businessman from South Carolina who has spent most of his adult life in various Democratic Party roles, including state party executive director, state...
, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, made phone calls to senior Interior Department staff on behalf of the opposition and there were numerous contacts between Interior staff and lobbyists and officials from the opposing tribes. One prominent lobbyist, Patrick O'Connor, spoke directly with President Clinton in Minneapolis about the matter, triggering calls to the White House from Air Force One by Bruce Lindsey
Bruce Lindsey
Bruce R. Lindsey currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the William J. Clinton Foundation and splits his time between the Foundation's New York and Little Rock offices. He has been a long-time advisor to former President Bill Clinton...
. O'Connor later contacted Ickes directly regarding Hudson.
The wealthy tribes had strong support from influential people, including Fowler. They were also supported by Sen. Paul Wellstone
Paul Wellstone
Paul David Wellstone was a two-term U.S. Senator from the state of Minnesota and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which is affiliated with the national Democratic Party. Before being elected to the Senate in 1990, he was a professor of political science at Carleton College...
and U.S. Reps Jim Oberstar
Jim Oberstar
James Louis "Jim" Oberstar is a former U.S. Representative who served in the U.S. Congress from 1975 until 2011 as a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. He represented northeastern , which included the cities of Duluth, Brainerd, Grand Rapids, International Falls, and Hibbing...
, David Obey and Tom Barrett
Tom Barrett
Thomas Barrett, or Thomas Barrett may refer to:*Tom Barrett , former player for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox*Tom Barrett , businessman who founded Glendale, California...
, particularly Wellstone, who led the Minnesota delegation in organizing to quash the Wisconsin tribes' effort. Four of the tribes gave $56,000 to Democrats in 1995 and $225,000 in 1996. Those tribes also had donated heavily to Wellstone and Oberstar.
The Independent Counsel eventually did not find prosecutable evidence of wrongdoing, though did note major irregularities in the decision process. In 2000 the Interior Department chose not to continue fighting a lawsuit by the tribes in the Hudson partnership and reversed its earlier denial of the casino application. However, the measure eventually failed to win needed approval by then-Wisconsin governor Scott McCallum
Scott McCallum
Scott McCallum is a member of the Republican Party who served as the 43rd Governor of Wisconsin, from 2001 to 2003. Prior to assuming the role of governor upon the appointment of Tommy Thompson as Secretary of Health and Human Services, McCallum served as a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and...
.
External links
- http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E1EFE3F5D0C728DDDA80894D0494D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fC%2fClinton%2c%20Bill NY Times WEB OF INFLUENCE -- A special report.; Casino Inquiry Pushes Babbitt From the Pinnacle to the Brink January 11, 1998, Late Edition - Final, Section 1, Page 1
- http://www.pbs.org/newshour/campaign/october97/hearing_10-30.html PBS SECRETARY BABBITT IN THE HOT SEAT, October 30, 1997