Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
New dealer for casino plan
By Ashley Rhodebeck
Daily News staff writer
Change in administration could give tribes a better shot
While the Beloit casino application has long been stalled in Washington, D.C., one thing finally went the St. Croix and Bad River bands' way: There will be a new president and a new administration in the nation's capital.
“We believe our chances are going to be better in the new administration than they were in this past one,” Beloit Casino Project spokesman Joe Hunt said. “We don't think that the incoming president is going to change the law in order to take opportunities away from folks who are following the law.”
The St. Croix Chippewa of Wisconsin spent this year in a legal dispute with Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne. The tribe filed a lawsuit against him last winter, alleging he improperly changed rules regarding the land into trust approval process and policies set by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Kempthorne will hold his position through the transition, Hunt said. Then President-elect Barack Obama will appoint his own cabinet.
“You'll hear a cheer from Indian country when Dirk Kempthorne is removed,” Hunt said.
Others are not so quick to predict how the new administration will affect the casino application.
“We still have a couple months left of the Bush administration,” said Jerilyn Goodman, a spokesperson from Rep. Tammy Baldwin's office said. “We need to wait to see what the current administration does. It's really premature to assume anything.”
The Beloit Casino application has been waiting for action from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for nearly two years.
A judge dismissed the lawsuit against Kempthorne on Sept. 30. Days later, the St. Croix filed an appeal because they believed the judge ignored their arguments.
Since then, the tribe has not received news about the appeal, but Hunt said the tribe is heartened by the recent actions of two other tribes.
The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans and the Menominee tribe, which wants to build a casino in Kenosha, both filed a lawsuit last week alleging Kempthorne improperly changed the rules, Hunt said.
“We're encouraged by this action because we think it says they agree with our point of view,” Hunt said. “We're thinking that the court is going to have more to think about now.”
The Stockbridge-Munsee Band was one of the 11 tribes with pending applications to take land into trust for proposed off-reservation casinos who received a denial letter last January.
The Beloit application was not among them because of its pending legal action against Kempthorne.
While the Beloit casino application has long been stalled in Washington, D.C., one thing finally went the St. Croix and Bad River bands' way: There will be a new president and a new administration in the nation's capital.
“We believe our chances are going to be better in the new administration than they were in this past one,” Beloit Casino Project spokesman Joe Hunt said. “We don't think that the incoming president is going to change the law in order to take opportunities away from folks who are following the law.”
The St. Croix Chippewa of Wisconsin spent this year in a legal dispute with Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne. The tribe filed a lawsuit against him last winter, alleging he improperly changed rules regarding the land into trust approval process and policies set by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Kempthorne will hold his position through the transition, Hunt said. Then President-elect Barack Obama will appoint his own cabinet.
“You'll hear a cheer from Indian country when Dirk Kempthorne is removed,” Hunt said.
Others are not so quick to predict how the new administration will affect the casino application.
“We still have a couple months left of the Bush administration,” said Jerilyn Goodman, a spokesperson from Rep. Tammy Baldwin's office said. “We need to wait to see what the current administration does. It's really premature to assume anything.”
The Beloit Casino application has been waiting for action from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for nearly two years.
A judge dismissed the lawsuit against Kempthorne on Sept. 30. Days later, the St. Croix filed an appeal because they believed the judge ignored their arguments.
Since then, the tribe has not received news about the appeal, but Hunt said the tribe is heartened by the recent actions of two other tribes.
The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans and the Menominee tribe, which wants to build a casino in Kenosha, both filed a lawsuit last week alleging Kempthorne improperly changed the rules, Hunt said.
“We're encouraged by this action because we think it says they agree with our point of view,” Hunt said. “We're thinking that the court is going to have more to think about now.”
The Stockbridge-Munsee Band was one of the 11 tribes with pending applications to take land into trust for proposed off-reservation casinos who received a denial letter last January.
The Beloit application was not among them because of its pending legal action against Kempthorne.
 |
 |
|
| ‘We've been blessed' | Suspect pursuit |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of beloitdailynews.com.
Submit a Comment
Login below to post your comment. |
Not yet a member? Use the form below to register. |
