Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 6 February 2020
Appeals court weighs tribe's quest for casino land

BOSTON (AP) — A Native can-controlled Senate.
American tribe's long run- President Trump has called
ning effort to secure sov- on Republicans to reject
ereign land for a casino in the legislation, dismissing it
Massachusetts is now in the as a "special-interest casino
hands of a federal appeals bill" backed by Massachu-
court in Boston. setts Sen. Elizabeth Warren,
The U.S. Court of Appeals a Democratic presidential
for the 1st Circuit heard candidate.
arguments Wednesday in Wednesday's court hearing
an appeal brought by the was a largely semantic de-
Mashpee Wampanoag bate centered on whether
Tribe, which was granted the tribe can be consid-
hundreds of acres of land ered "Indian" under the
in trust by the federal gov- 1934 law.
ernment before a judge The casino opponents ar-
overturned the decision in gue the law clearly defines
2016. Indians as "all persons who
The three-judge panel, are descendants of such
which included retired U.S. members who were, on
Supreme Court Justice Da- June 1, 1934, residing within
vid Souter, pressed lawyers the present boundaries of
on the legal particulars of any Indian reservation."
the case, but are expected Tela Troge, right, a lawyer for the Shinnecock Indian Nation from Southampton, N.Y., speaks out- But the tribe argues the
to rule later. side federal court Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, in Boston. phrase "such members"
Lawyers for the casino op- Associated Press makes that definition am-
ponents declined to com- biguous and open to other
ment after the hearing, but dangerous precedent as it casino, hotel and enter- dents, sending the decision interpretations, an argu-
tribe leaders said the case represents the first time in tainment resort. back to the Interior Depart- ment that judges seemed
represents more than the the modern era that a tribe But a group of residents ment for reconsideration. open to considering
promise of a new casino. has had trust lands stripped sued, arguing the federal The tribe halted the casino Wednesday. They asked
Uncertainty about the away. government couldn't take project, which it had bro- lawyers for both sides to
tribe's trust lands, which "It's about our tribal rights. land into trust for the tribe ken ground on in Taunton, submit follow up briefs ex-
were declared a tribal res- The land that we live on. because it wasn't officially a city south of Boston where ploring potentially relevant
ervation by the Obama The blood and bones of recognized as of June 1, some of its trust lands were cases.
administration, has also our ancestors," Cromwell 1934. That was the year the located. The tribe also argued in
created funding problems said. "We've never moved. federal Indian Reorgani- It was dealt a major blow its briefs that it has a long
and other complications We've always remained zation Act, which laid the in 2018, when Republican history of maintaining its
for the tribe's government here. We should have our foundation for modern fed- President Donald Trump "tribal identity, community
programs and services, land intact. That's what it's eral Indian policy, became reversed his Democratic and culture," including cel-
said Cedric Cromwell, the really about." law. predecessor's decision, a ebrating what's considered
tribe's chairman. The Mashpee Wampano- The Cape Cod-based tribe, move the tribe is challeng- the first Thanksgiving with
"We're hurting, and we've ag Tribe was granted 321 which traces its ancestry to ing in a separate federal Pilgrims.
carried this burden for so acres of land in trust in 2015 the Native Americans that case in D.C. The casino opponents, in
long," he said. "We're just by then-President Barack shared a fall harvest meal An effort to restore the their legal briefs, coun-
asking for justice. We want Obama, a move that with the Pilgrims in 1621, tribe's lands through an act tered that the tribe's ap-
to live and provide for our carved out the federally- wasn't federally recognized of Congress cleared the peal is moot now that the
elders and our children." protected land needed until 2007. Democrat-led House last Trump administration has
The tribe and its supporters for the tribe to develop its A federal judge in 2016 year, but its status remains reversed the Obama-era
have said the case sets a planned $1 billion First Light ruled in favor of the resi- uncertain in the Republi- land decision.q

Parkland dad apologizes for

State of the Union outburst

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. his slain daughter Jaime listen to lies" about the Sec-
(AP) — The father of a stu- just after the president said, ond Amendment.
dent killed in the 2018 Flor- "So long as I am president, "That said, I should not have
ida high school massacre I will always protect your yelled out. I am thankful for
apologized Wednesday for Second Amendment right the overwhelming support
disrupting President Donald to keep and bear arms." I am receiving. However,
Trump's State of the Union The audience turned and I do owe my family and
address by shouting as the looked up at the ruckus as friends an apology. I have
president said the rights he was led out. tried to conduct myself with
of gun owners are under "I let my emotions get the dignity throughout this pro-
President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to siege. best of me," Guttenberg cess and I will do better as
a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tues- Fred Guttenberg was es- tweeted early Wednesday. I pursue gun safety," tweet-
day, Feb. 4, 2020, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., left,
watches. corted from the gallery by "I simply want to be able to ed Guttenberg, who was
Associated Press security officers Tuesday deal with the reality of gun a guest of House Speaker
night after shouting about violence and not have to Nancy Pelosi. q