A robocall campaign is targeting Cedric Cromwell, the longtime chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts, as political foes continue their efforts to try to oust him.
The robocall focused on the fact that the tribe is $500 million in debt to Genting Malaysia, the largest casino development company in the world, which has been the tribe’s partner to try to develop a $1 billion casino in Taunton. It encourages tribal members to attend a meeting where the chairman’s opponents hope to be able to vote him out of office.
The robocall claims that $250 million of Gaming Authority funds are unaccounted for. “To date, we as tribal members do not know how this money is spent. Only Chairman Cromwell and Treasurer Gordon Harris have knowledge and access to how our $250 million has been spent.”
The source of the robocall has not been identified.
The tribe’s Election Committee has certified more than 100 signatures for a recall effort and promises to set the date for the recall meeting in the near future. But that process was also called into question by the robocall, which claims that efforts to recall two other council members were not able to go forward were sabotaged by the committee. “We are learning that your constitutional rights were violated and many signatures for the recall were unlawfully rejected by the Election Committee,” says the call.
Although the tribe’s efforts to put land into trust for a casino in Taunton were overturned by a federal judge several years ago, there has been progress on a bill in Congress that would do the same thing.
Meanwhile the tribe is operating on a shoestring, relying entire on federal grant money. In previous years the tribe relied heavily on grants from Genting Malaysia, which, in the light of the federal court setbacks has withdrawn almost all of its support, with the exception of lobbying money spent to try to move the bill forward in Congress.
That bill would put 321 acres in Taunton and Martha’s Vineyard into trust for the tribe. It was recently passed by the House of Representatives and is being considered by the Senate.
The robocall claims, “We are solely relying on federal grant dollars … this means our tribal elders, youth and at-risk members are suffering while (Tribal Council) continues to use grant funding for their salaries.”
