Tribal Battles Make For Well-Fed Lobbyists
When tribes move to launch or expand gaming operations in the areas of their rivals, the revenue spent on lobbying skyrockets. The tribal gaming communities have experienced bad relationships with the lobbying industry in the past due to lobbyists aiding in fraudulent services such as the illicit activities of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff in 2005.
“It was obviously big news when it happened, and it was obviously an unfortunate situation where tribes were taken advantage of, really essentially no different from any client that is lied to and stolen from,” said Partner James Meggesto, who is also a member of the Onondaga Nation of New York. “It boiled down to a matter of trust, and I think tribes wanted to know that they could trust the people representing them in Washington,” he added.