Sunday, February 5, 2012 – 06:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, February 6, 2012 – 10:55 a.m.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos must be wanting a seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in the worst way.

Since 2010, a whopping $592,000 has been funneled to two Ramos-controlled campaign committees.

By whom you ask?

Indian gambling interests.

An amount making up 82.41% of his total campaign war-chest raised.

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Supervisor Neil Derry left. San Manuel Tribal Chairman James Ramos right.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Published: 05 February 2012 07:09 PM

Fun time is over in the increasingly rough race between San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry and San Manuel tribal Chairman James Ramos for the 3rd District seat.

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Neil Derry left. James Ramos right.

By Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/01/2012 07:16:08 PM PST

Document: James Ramos Flier

San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry has launched an assault on the character of his major opponent, San Manuel tribal chairman James Ramos, in a campaign mailer tying Ramos to “gang members,” “drug dealers” and “killers for hire.”

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By David Siders
dsiders@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 – 12:00 am | Page 1A

Gov. Jerry Brown is raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for his tax campaign from California Indian tribes at the same time many tribes are seeking to renegotiate lucrative gambling compacts with him.

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Tuesday, January 31, 2012 – 12:30 p.m.

It’s only February and the first serious blow has been leveled in the race to represent San Bernardino County’s Third Supervisorial District.

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By PE Politics
January 30, 2012 3:08 PM

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians near San Bernardino has hired back its longtime Sacramento lobbyist, Frank Molina, with whom it parted ways last March amid an investigation by the state’s political ethics agency.

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Monday, January 30, 2012 – 10:00 a.m.

Within all of San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors candidate James Ramos’ negative baggage appears to be a glimmer of a motivating interest as to why the current millionaire chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is seeking the county post.

The Tribal chair, who is seeking to oust Third District Supervisor Neil Derry in June, may have a personal finance cause.

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Monday, January 23, 2012 – 11:00 a.m.

You gotta hand it to Leroy Hansberger these days.

Yep, the truth hurts.

The life-log county resident, and father to former County Supervisor Dennis Hansberger, has been making it known his son ran a piss-poor campaign four years ago. A campaign in an election where his son lost to Supervisor Neil Derry.

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Sunday, January 22, 2012 – 09:45 p.m.

San Manuel Casino boss James Ramos is doing a pretty good job of whoring himself with his Tribe’s dough.

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Derry

Saturday, January 21, 2012 – 06:15 p.m.

The highway funding arm of the U.S. Department of Transportation has cleared San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry to resume voting on federally-funded expenditures in his duties as an elected official.

The Federal Highway Administration gave Derry the green light effective Friday.

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Ramos

Thursday, January 19, 2012 – 03:00 p.m.

Take two for San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors candidate James Ramos.

Meaning yes, another push poll.

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Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley

Monday, January 9, 2012 – 10:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, January 9, 2012 – 11.24 a.m.

According to the Z107.7 website in Morongo Basin, Assemblyman Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) has dropped his bid for a seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

The radio station apparently let the cat out of the bag early.

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Published: Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 4A

California gambling tribes have given $275,000 toward Gov. Jerry Brown’s new 2012 ballot initiative to raise taxes on sales and the wealthy, the first known major contribution to his effort.The California Tribal Business Alliance and two of its member tribes have written checks to help Brown’s cause, said the group’s political director, David Quintana.

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Ramos

Sunday, December 18, 2011 – 01:00 p.m.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos, candidate for the Third District seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, received some unwanted results from a poll he recently commissioned.

One would think a poll revealing problem results would be kept quiet. Especially if the candidate was on the receiving end of bad news.

But in this case, it appears the Redlands political crowd can’t keep anything under wraps.

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Congressman Joe Baca

BY BEN GOAD
WASHINGTON BUREAU
bgoad@pe.com

Published: 09 December 2011 08:13 PM

WASHINGTON — Seeking to improve an education system he says is failing Indian country, Inland Rep. Joe Baca introduced legislation this week to overhaul the nation’s tribal schools.

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BY JIM MILLER
SACRAMENTO BUREAU
jmiller@pe.com

Published: 07 December 2011 05:35 PM

SACRAMENTO – Seventy-two percent of voters oppose building off-reservation casinos, according to a new poll commissioned by a group of tribes that oppose plans for two such casinos in the Central Valley.

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Wednesday, December 7, 2011 – 12:10 p.m.

Sources tell InlandPolitics.com that San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos is conducting a push poll for his campaign to defeat Neil Derry on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

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Hansberger

Friday, December 2, 2011 – 10:30 a.m.

The entertainment is picking up in the election for San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor.

The latest out there is ousted supervisor Dennis Hansberger is holding an event for Casino Boss James Ramos who is seeking to unseat Supervisor Neil Derry.

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Assemblyman Paul Cook

Friday, December 2, 2011 – 10:00 a.m.

Assemblyman Paul Cook, a self-proclaimed reform candidate for the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, is reportedly finding it a little lonely these days.

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BY BEN GOAD
WaSHINGTON BUREAU
bgoad@pe.com

Published: 18 November 2011 10:33 AM

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from opposite ends of the political spectrum testified Friday in favor of federal legislation to authorize online gambling in the United States.

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Rep. Mary Bono Mack

BY BEN GOAD
WASHINGTON BUREAU

Published: 14 November 2011 11:49 AM

Washington – Inland Rep. Mary Bono Mack is doubling down on the question of whether to legalize online gambling.

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Derry

Thursday, November 3, 2011 – 09:00 p.m.

San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry appears un-phased in his bid for reelection to a second term.

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The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, which runs a casino near Highland, spent nearly $398,000 on campaign contributions from July through September, newly released records show.

BY JIM MILLER
SACRAMENTO BUREAU
jmiller@pe.com

Published: 02 November 2011 01:23 PM

SACRAMENTO – Large gaming tribes from Inland Southern California reported more than $1.2 million in political spending from July through September, according to newly filed state reports.

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Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (R-Palm Springs)

BY BEN GOAD AND JIM MILLER
STAFF WRITERS
bgoad@pe.com; jmiller@pe.com

Published: 25 October 2011 09:42 PM

Washington — The U.S. economy is losing billions of dollars annually to unregulated underground and offshore poker websites that can prey on compulsive and underage gamblers with impunity, proponents of legalized Internet gaming argued Tuesday before a House panel.

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Ramos

Indian giver defined: n. Offensive
One who gives something to another and then takes or demands the gift back.

Friday, October 14, 2011 – 06:15 a.m.

You can’t make this stuff up.

Really!

Sources tell InlandPolitics.com that San Bernardino City Councilman Tobin Brinker now knows what employees, who work for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, feel like.

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Administrators Note: Gilliard is consultant to San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos, a registered democrat.

The Swarm
Mix it up with The Bee’s editorial board.
October 7, 2011

At this time last year, an obscure shell of a corporation called Taxpayer Network aired an attack on Sen. Barbara Boxer.

If the ad’s intended effect was to defeat Boxer, it failed. Boxer won reelection. But the ad did help line a few pockets, a document released a year later shows.

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10:00 PM PDT on Thursday, September 29, 2011

BY JIM MILLER and IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITERS
jmiller@pe.com | ighori@pe.com

Promising a “clean break” from the county’s ongoing corruption scandal, Assemblyman Paul Cook announced Thursday that he will run for the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

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Neil Nisperos, Staff Writer
Posted: 09/29/2011 10:52:20 AM PDT

Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucaipa, has announced his run for the San Bernardino County 3rd District Supervisorial seat now held by Neil Derry.

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Cook

Thursday, September 29, 2011 – 10:30 a.m.

State Assemblyman Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) has thrown his hat into the ring for San Bernardino County Supervisor.

Cook joins incumbent supervisor Neil Derry and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos to make a current field of three.

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011 – 02:30 p.m.

Sometimes you just have to wonder what people are thinking.

Looks like San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos picked the right political consultant to run his candidacy to unseat San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry.

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011 – 06:00 a.m.

The state’s political watchdog is set to levy a fine against a local consultant for improperly formatting a voter guide.

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John Tavaglione

Political Empire

10:00 PM PDT on Sunday, September 11, 2011

The Press-Enterprise

Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione already is gearing up for his congressional bid in a new district centered on Riverside and Moreno Valley.

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Brinker

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 – 09:00 a.m.

Hot off the press!

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos has endorsed the reelection bid of San Bernardino City Councilman Tobin Brinker.

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Sunday, September 4, 2011 – 11:50 a.m.

Will more than a quarter-million dollars buy an endorsement?

That’s the big question coming up this week. Whether or not there’s an answer remains to be seen.

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Derry

Friday, September 2, 2011 – 09:20 a.m.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry today announced that his campaign has received the endorsement of four respected local elected officials.

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Wednesday, August 31, 2011 – 01:55 p.m.

San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry scored a significant endorsement this week.

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Derry

Monday, August 29, 2011 – 03:15 p.m.

It was just announced that State Assemblyman and Tea Party loyalist Tim Donnelly (R-Twin Peaks) has thrown his support behind San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry.

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Friday, August 26, 2011 – 07:40 a.m.

When I read one of the stories in Friday’s edition of The Sun newspaper I had to roll my eyes.

One of the main stories in the paper thin publication was three democrat mayors endorsing a democrat tribal chairman for county supervisor.

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10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 23, 2011

BY JIM MILLER
SACRAMENTO BUREAU
jmiller@pe.com

SACRAMENTO – A bill to stop the proposed Liberty Quarry near Temecula cleared its first Senate committee Tuesday but will likely go no further for the remainder of the legislative year.

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10:00 PM PDT on Monday, August 22, 2011

BY JIM MILLER
SACRAMENTO BUREAU
jmiller@pe.com

PDF: Postponement requested for online gambling legislation in California

SACRAMENTO – The Senate will not consider any online gambling legislation until 2012, the upper house’s top Democrat said Monday, in a setback to two Inland Southern California tribes that have spent the year pushing one of the proposals.

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10:00 PM PDT on Sunday, August 21, 2011

BY JIM MILLER
SACRAMENTO BUREAU
jmiller@pe.com

SACRAMENTO – Legislation to block the proposed Liberty Quarry near Temecula is quickly emerging as a Capitol showdown in the closing days of the year’s legislative session.

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Thursday, August 18, 2011 – 10:00 a.m.

InlandPolitics.com would like to thank our readers for their continued support. The site has picked up after a slow news period during the summer vacation period.

The blog is once again heading for record territory.

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Daily Report: Money & Politics
August 18, 2011 | Chase Davis

Once again, it’s shaping up to be a case of tribe vs. tribe in the latest effort to encourage politicians to legalize online poker in California.

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Jason Abbott, Staff Writer
Sunday, August 14, 2011 – 09:00 a.m.

According to his campaign manager, Dave Gilliard, “James owns several homes in San Bernardino County.”

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Lewis

Friday, August 12, 2011 – 09:30 a.m.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos, a democrat, trumps his endorsement of U.S. Representative Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands).

Woooo…..Hooo…….

Yes, it’s certainly a game changer in Ramos’ bid for a seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

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Lewis

By PE Politics
August 11, 2011 7:23 AM

Inland Rep. Jerry Lewis is backing San Manuel tribal chief and a San Bernardino Valley Community College District trustee James Ramos in his bid for a seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, Ramos’ campaign announced.

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Ramos

Wednesday, August 10, 2011 – 11:00 a.m.

Is San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chair James Ramos feeling a little insecure these days?

It sure looks like it.

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Supervisor Neil Derry and San Manuel Tribal Chairman James Ramos

10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, August 3, 2011

By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise

Legal fees took up much of San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry’s campaign finances this year even as his opponent began building a formidable war chest, according to recently released campaign disclosure forms.

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By Malcolm Maclachlan | 08/04/11 12:00 AM PST

To some, recently retired state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ron George will be most remembered for legalizing same-sex marriage in California. Others will remember him as the architect of a major restructuring of the state’s court system.

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10:00 PM PDT on Monday, August 1, 2011

By JIM MILLER
Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO – An impoverished San Diego County tribe has renewed efforts to open an off-reservation casino in Barstow, but the proposal faces opposition from at least one of the Inland tribes that helped scuttle an earlier casino deal five years ago.

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Ramos

Sunday, July 31, 2011 – 09:00 a.m.

The election contest to represent the Third District on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors is going to be an expensive race, not to mention full of entertainment.

A campaign fueled by Indian casino money.

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Groups argue Los Coyotes have no ties to Barstow
Jim Steinberg, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/30/2011 10:12:54 PM PDT

BARSTOW – San Bernardino County’s two American Indian tribes – both of which operate casinos – oppose a north San Diego County-based Indian tribe’s plan to open a $160 million casino here.

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James Ramos and Former County Supervisor Dennis Hansberger

Friday, July 29, 2011 – 09:45 a.m.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos is wasting no time spending all that casino gaming cash trying to unseat incumbent San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry.

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Mayor says project has 1,000 jobs
Jim Steinberg, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/27/2011 10:14:20 PM PDT

BARSTOW – A proposed $160 million casino will alleviate high unemployment, a high rate of welfare and high poverty level, Mayor Joe Gomez said Wednesday night at a public hearing hosted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

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Jenkins

10:00 PM PDT on Monday, July 25, 2011

By BRIAN ROKOS
The Press-Enterprise

The San Bernardino police and fire unions contributed $32,763 in cash and services to Robert Jenkins in the final weeks of the City Council Ward 2 campaign, an election that Jenkins won with almost twice as many votes as his nearest challenger.

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A shuttered GFE Coffeee House on the Northwest corner of University Parkway and Kendall Drive next to California State University at San Bernardino.

Sunday, July 24, 2011 – 09:15 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, July 25, 2011 – 06:05 a.m.

Already heating up as a hot election contest for June 2012 is the race to represent the Third District on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

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July 19, 2011 4:11 PM
SARA MITCHELL
Staff Writer

BARSTOW • Leaders of the proposed Indian casino in Barstow are appealing to a new governor, president and economic situation in their second attempt at the casino’s approval in a decade.

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Derry

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 – 11:40 a.m.

The California Attorney General dropped two felony counts against San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry Tuesday morning.

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Sunday, July 17, 2011 – 10:35 a.m.

The former head of the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association (SEBA), who abruptly resigned as president earlier this year and retired last month to accept a position as head of security for Casino Morongo, has apparently returned to county service.

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Thursday, July 14, 2011 – 05:50 a.m.

One thing is for certain.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos is going to spend a lot of money to try and unseat San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry.

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Ramos

By PE Politics
on July 13, 2011 4:33 PM

James Ramos has started his bid for San Bernardino County supervisor by bringing in more than $420,000, according to his newly filed campaign finance reports. He has $404,370 cash on hand.

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Report revives gaming plan in Barstow
Jim Steinberg, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/09/2011 07:11:54 AM PDT

BARSTOW – An Indian casino proposed 10 years ago appears to be back on track with the completion of a draft environmental impact statement.

A public hearing on the nearly 1,000-page federal document will be held July 27 at Barstow College.

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Tuesday, July 5, 2011 – 08:10 a.m.

Well it’s official!

William Abernathie, former president of the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association (SEBA) has officially retired effective June 30, 2011.

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By Michael Doyle
mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com
Published: Tuesday, Jun. 28, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday undercut states’ negotiating clout with Indian tribes, effectively upholding a decision that the state of California overreached when it sought to compel general fund payments in exchange for casino approvals.

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Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/15/2011 07:50:16 PM PDT

The largest labor union in San Bernardino County announced Wednesday it will endorse San Manuel tribal leader James Ramos for Third District county supervisor in 2012.

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Derry

Jason Abbott, Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 – 10:35 a.m.

In a San Bernardino Sun story filed by reporter James Rufus Koren, the newspaper reports that “The (SEBA) board is split right now.”

Koren refers to the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Associaton.

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Jason Abbott, Staff Writer
Sunday, May 21, 2011 – 09:36 p.m.

If there was ever a case where a candidate’s campaign has gone disastrously off message, consider the debacle that is the James Ramos For Supervisor Campaign roll-out.

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Deputies union is split on 3rd District endorsement
James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/22/2011 07:32:04 AM PDT

Derry and Ramos met earlier this month with the board of directors of the San Bernardino County Safety Employees’ Benefit Association, the union representing county sheriff’s deputies. SEBA President Laren Leichliter said he told both candidates that the board is divided on an endorsement.

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Supervisor says new shape could leave rival out of race
James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/21/2011 08:27:17 AM PDT

Supervisor Neil Derry and his campaign manager say challenger James Ramos, chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, might not live in Derry’s district once the boundaries of county supervisorial districts are redrawn later this year.

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Wednesday, May 18, 2011 – 2:00 p.m.

Something sure doesn’t pass the smell test.

This topic was hit on over at iepolitics.com on Monday. And it sure seems like they may have something.

The timing of the charges against San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry is hard to ignore.

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Monday, May 16, 2011 – 09:35 a.m.

Sunday’s editorial in The Sun newspaper seems a bit over the top.

The newspaper, which has no problem presenting a usually jaded opinion, took a jab at San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry for his response to San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos’ announcement that he intends to challenge Derry in June 2012.

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Sunday, May 15, 2011 – 05:25 a.m.

The above photograph says it all!

It’s a snapshot of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos’ Monday morning press conference to announce his candidacy for county supervisor.

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By PE Politics
May 12, 2011 5:48 PM

A bill that would license Internet poker in California failed to meet a key committee deadline last Friday.

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Ramos

Supervisor questions tribal leader’s eligibility
Joe Nelson and James Rufus Koren, Staff Writers
Posted: 05/09/2011 07:16:19 PM PDT

San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry says there are “serious legal questions” about San Manuel tribal Chairman James Ramos’ eligibility to run to replace him on the Board of Supervisors.

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10:00 PM PDT on Monday, May 9, 2011

By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise

San Manuel tribal Chairman James Ramos announced Monday that he will challenge 3rd District Supervisor Neil Derry in next year’s San Bernardino County board election, kicking off what is shaping up to be a contentious campaign.

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