I find it amazing that in the Podcast they actually say "If it wasn't for the tribes, we wouldn't be fishing in a lot of situations, we really need to keep them on our side"

No truer statement has been uttered. We need to "Keep them on our side" so much so, that we are willing to cave in to almost every demand they make. Exactly the reason they do it all in meetings that the public is completely banned from. Hell, the media can't even attend, which sure sounds like a violation of the first amendment.