Watched it. The part that disturbs me is that the State actually says that even in the case of a bribe from the Tribe received by the governor, or any other eggregous action on her part, to enter into a compact, that the citizens of the State effectively have no recourse against the compact because of the issue of sovereign immunity.

I have an idea. How about a constitutional amendment that the State not be allowed to bargain away income streams of the State, or income sources, in favor of the Tribes, without a simple majority of the voters approving the compact? Also, any compact with the state would be negotiated with a limited waiver of soveriegn immunity applied to each compact, AND, that each compact signed between the Tribes and the state have a mandatory review/renewal period of 10 years. In place of those wishes (which would never happen), any compact signed between the State and the Tribes would be subject to review by the Washington State Supreme Court prior to going into effect. I believe this last option is entirely possible and legally enforceable. It would provide a review of the end result prior to any possible harm to the residents of the State.

In every single contract that I enter into with a Tribe, we don't ever sign any paperwork until they have signed the limited waiver of soveriegn immunity. The State certainly has the ability to put this into place if I have the ability to put this in place.

For those who might think that I fall all over myself for Tribes and their rights, you are wrong.