Pala Tribal Chairman Robert Smith to attend conference at White House

SAN DIEGO (Wire Service) - The chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, Robert Smith, will be among the American Indian leaders scheduled to attend a White House Tribal Nations Conference on Thursday, December 16 in Washington.

President Barack Obama will speak at the opening session of the conference, which will be held at the headquarters of the Department of Interior.

Each of the 565 federally recognized tribes has been invited to send one representative to the conference, which is being held for the second time during the Obama administration.

Smith is set to meet with U.S. Attorney G...