Tribal-state meeting falls apart Passamaquoddys walk out in bitter response to casino vote

AUGUSTA – The state’s deteriorating relations with Maine’s two largest Indian tribes hit a new low this week when the Passamaquoddy delegation walked out of a special tribal-state commission meeting.

When, or if, tribal representatives return to the panel remains a matter of speculation, according to Diana Scully, executive director of the Maine Indian Tribal State Commission. Scully said Friday that Thursday’s MITSC meeting lasted about 15 minutes – just long enough for the tribes to announce their displeasure with Tuesday’s lopsided defeat of their proposed southern Maine casino.

Clive Dore and Wayne Newell, the Passamaquoddy representatives, told Scully they had been instructed by their tribal councils to make a statement and then leave.

“The statement was basically that the Passamaquoddy tribe was reassessing its relationship with the state of Maine and this was kind of triggered by the outcome of the election on Question 3,” she said. “They said they would be withdrawing from the tribal state commission until further notice to allow time to reassess their overall relationship with the state.”

Immediately after the Passamaquoddy delegates’ statement, John Banks and Mark Chavaree, the Penobscots’ representatives on the commission, announced they also would be leaving the meeting to signify their solidarity with the Passamaquoddys.

Efforts to reach any of the commission representatives for comment were unsuccessful Friday.

The Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission was created under the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act as a forum to discuss potential changes to the law. Four members are appointed by the state, two by the Passamaquoddy Tribe, and two by the Penobscot Nation. The ninth, who is the chairman, is selected by the eight appointees.

Tribal leaders have made no attempt to conceal their bitter disappointment over losing the casino election this week, largely because of what they have described as distortions and lies by opponents regarding the negative consequences a large-scale gambling enterprise would hold for the state.

Lee Umphrey, Gov. John Baldacci’s spokesman, said the governor had been attempting to reach tribal leaders since immediately after the vote. Two of the leaders would not take his calls and the others have failed to return them. Even Scully, who has worked closely with the tribes over the last 13 years, had to admit it was unclear where the state’s relations with the tribes would go from here.

“We don’t know when or if the Passamaquoddy side will come back to the table,” she said. “It remains to be seen. There will be efforts to bring people back to the table, because it’s one of the few forums for the state and the tribes to work on these hard issues. Still, I’m glad they had the opportunity to make that statement because there’s a lot of anger and bitterness about the result of Question 3 – and the process of getting to that result. I think this at least provided them with a little bit of a release valve.”

Umphrey knows the tribes are disappointed and realizes their reaction is not entirely unexpected. Still, he thought it was somewhat unfair for tribal leaders to walk out of the commission meeting or deny the governor the courtesy of an attempt at conversation.

“This is all reflective of their anger,” Umphrey said. “They’ve chosen to retaliate against the top guy. We hope things improve. They’re actually in a great negotiating position to come into the governor’s office and say, “You opposed our casino, what can you do for us now?”