‘60 Minutes’ puts Oneida land claim on national stage
May 24, 1999

By MEGAN ALLEN
Observer-Dispatch

Oneida County officials and Upstate Citizens for Equality members who viewed a “60 Minutes” segment on the Oneida Indian land claim Sunday evening said they weren’t surprised by the 12-minute segment.

“It was interesting, but nothing surprising,” said Bernie Conklin, vice president of the Upstate Citizens for Equality. He said many members of the group met to watch the show together.

The segment, titled “Whose Land Is It Anyway?” included interviews with Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter; Brad Race, who spoke for Gov. George Pataki’s administration; Upstate Citizens’ lawyer Leon Koziol of Utica; Upstate Citizens members Michael and Debbie Gaiser; and Oneida dissident Joanne Shenandoah and her husband, Doug George.

Conklin said he felt the segment was unbiased and made good points for both sides of the issue, but it did not talk specifically about Upstate Citizens. The segment also did not include comments from federal or county officials, he noted.

“They could have run a whole hour show — it’s a pretty big issue, at least for us who live here,” he said.

The Oneidas went to court last December seeking to add 20,000 individual property owners as defendants in the long-stalled claim to 250,000 acres in Madison and Oneida counties. They’ve been joined by the U.S. Justice Department.

The “60 Minutes” piece traced the recent successes of the Oneidas, fueled by the booming Turning Stone Casino Resort and Halbritter’s guidance. But Halbritter would not answer reporter Morley Safer’s questions about how much Halbritter and the Oneida enterprises earned.

The segment highlighted the toughest and most controversial parts of both sides of the issue, said Oneida County Executive Ralph J. Eannace Jr., who met with Oneida and UCE Homepage officials at Griffiss Business and Technology Park to watch the show. He said county officials offered to help “60 Minutes” and but they were only questioned at the last minute for background information.

David Pendergast, community services director for Eannace’s office, said the show’s footage was shot three months ago, so some parts of the issue were missing, for instance that a settlement master is now working on the claim.

Oneida County Legislator Neil C. Angell, R-Durhamville, quipped he was looking forward to a follow-up when the issue is settled and all of the players are interviewed.

Koziol, who watched the segment at CBS affiliate WTVH’s studios in Syracuse, said he was “very pleased” with the segment, that it simplified a complex issue.

Oneida Nation representatives, including spokesman Mark Emery, could not be reached for comment Sunday night.