Former Minnesota Gov. Ventura rips Schwarzenegger over Indian remarks

A Southern California tribe is airing a television ad in which former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura attacks Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for remarks that American Indian tribes were "ripping off" California. Schwarzenegger said "Indians are ripping us off" while campaigning against two gambling propositions on the Nov. 2 ballot. Propositions 68 and 70, trailing badly in polls, would wipe out deals Schwarzenegger struck with 10 tribes to pay the state as much as 25 percent of gambling revenue in exchange for operating more slot machines than currently allowed. "Didn't the governor promise a balanced budget without raising taxes?" Ventura asks. "I guess it's OK to rip off Indians." The ad started airing statewide Tuesday and was paid for by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. It alluded to Proposition 70, which the tribe supported with more than $10 million, but tribal officials said criticizing Schwarzenegger was its main intent. Proposition 70 would require tribes to pay 8.84 percent - the same income tax rate paid by California corporations - of their gambling revenues in exchange for operating an unlimited number of slot machines and games now banned in the state, including roulette and craps. [more]