Would you like a freshly minted example of the enormous power of money in politics? Look no further than last week's legislative hearing on tribal casinos.

Assemblyman Jared Huffman presented a resolution urging the governor and fellow lawmakers to consider public sentiment when deciding whether to approve state gaming compacts, the equivalent of a license to open a casino.

Not only did the San Rafael Democrat's resolution fail, he couldn't coax a single member of the innocuously named Senate Government Organization Committee, which has jurisdiction over alcohol, tobacco and gambling, to call for a vote on the measure.

“The fix was in,” Huffman told Staff Writer Paul Payne. “The message we got was don't even go there. There are too many powerful interests involved.”

The non-binding resolution also called on the governor to refrain from negotiating a gaming compact until land was taken into trust by the U.S. Interior Department, another prerequisite for opening a casino.

That's the stated policy of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose May 18, 2005 proclamation on tribal gaming also says that tribes seeking to open casinos would be required to show “that the affected local community supports the project, such as by a local advisory vote...”

It's not clear, however, that the governor is committed to his own policy.

Huffman points out that Schwarzenegger has consummated deals with tribes that didn't have eligible land, and administration spokesmen have declined to comment on reports that negotiations are ongoing with other tribes in similar circumstances.

Meanwhile, there's never been a commitment to consider public sentiment on the casino proposed just outside Rohnert Park by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

Huffman also introduced a bill that would require the governor to consider local sentiment when negotiating a gaming compact. But, like the resolution that failed last week, his bill stalled in a Senate committee with little prospect of action before lawmakers adjourn their regular session next week.

California tribes have sown Sacramento with money — more than $120 million in campaign contributions over the past 15 years — reaping political support from grateful legislators.

Certainly, there's no shortage of opportunities to gamble in Sonoma County with the lottery, horse racing and a tribal casino in the Alexander Valley. So, another casino would be only a marginal increase.

Before it could happen, the Rohnert Park proposal is confronted with several major obstacles, including the recent bankruptcy filing of its business partner, Station Casinos; and a federal lawsuit that prompted the Interior Department to at least temporarily postpone action to take the tribe's land into trust.

Still, the last time we checked, legislators and the governor were in the business of representing the citizens of California, who should be asked for input on further expansion of gambling in the state.