The California governor, Gavin Newsom, is back in the news as it’s being claimed that he netted over $2 million from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (FIGR). According to two reports out of the Daily Mail and Washington Free Beacon, both conservative outlets, they are alleging that this donation was paramount to Newsom’s decisions around a rival casino.

It’s reported that the FIGR has donated over $2 million, split into two pots. $1.8 million went towards Newsom’s wife’s – Jennifer Siebel – nonprofit. Another $450,000 went to his two inaugurations. This would put the figure at $2.25 million from the tribe alone.

This is where things take a slightly ugly turn, as it appears that Newsom sided with the FIGR as the Koi Nation, another tribe based in California, began plans to open a new $700 million casino.

We’ve reported on the Koi Nation’s casino, planned to be built on 68 acres of land near Windsor. FIGR, which runs Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, has pushed back on the casino under claims it was approved too quickly and that they have no claim to the land.

FIGR doesn’t believe Koi Nation has right to land

In 2024, Greg Sarris, the Tribal Chairman of FIGR, said:

“In fact, their customs as well as their language were and are totally different from those of the Southern Pomo, our ancestors. Their aboriginal lands, on which their rancheria was established, are fifty-nine (59) miles from the site they claim in Windsor and their historic territory.

“The Koi claim their ancestors had a history of trading with our ancestors, which may or may not have been true.”

Also in 2024, as the Daily Mail reports, Newsom opposed it and wrote to the US Department of the Interior in an attempt to block it. He also apparently pushed back on the Koi Nation’s claim to the land.

Tribe donations to Gavin Newsom not illegal

At the end of the day, it appears that FIGR is simply pushing back on the casino as it would hurt their business. Its donations appear to be no different from those of other political lobbying donations that run the backbone of sects of American politics. As officials have pointed out to The Daily Mail, it’s not illegal, but is possibly “shady”.

Daniel Schnur, former chairman of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, told the Daily Mail:

“The scandal here isn’t what’s illegal, but rather what’s entirely legal.

“These types of behest payments represent a large enough loophole in the laws that you can drive a semi-trailer truck through them.”

It’s not currently backing the lawsuit against Kalshi and Robinhood for running sportsbooks in the state, as three other tribes are doing. These tribes are claiming that the prediction markets are essentially breaking the law by going against frameworks set up in the state.

Featured image: Wikicommons

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