Federal Court in “Cunundrum” Orders Interior to Refile Cowlitz Record of Decision and Dismisses Grand Ronde et al. Suit

Here is the order  and related materials in Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon v. Salazar (D. D.C.):

DCT Order

Clark County et al Motion for Summary J

Interior Opposition to Summary J Motion

USET Amicus

City of La Center Amicus

Interior Revised Cowlitz Initial Reservation Opinion

Interior Motion to Remand

Clark County et al Opposition to Remand Motion

Clark County et al Motion to Strike

Interior Opposition to Motion to Strike

Clark County et al Reply in Support of Motion to Strike

Excerpt from Judge Rothstein’s opinion:

Nor can the Federal Defendants supplement the administrative record with the 2012 Revised Initial Reservation Decision. It is black letter law that the record to be considered by this Court “consists of the administrative record compiled by the agency in advance of litigation, not any record thereafter constructed in the reviewing court.” AT&T Info. Sys. Inc. v. Gen. Servs. Admin., 810 F.2d 1233, 1236 (D.C. Cir. 1987) (emphasis added) (rejecting agency’s attempt to submit a litigation affidavit as a post hoc rationalization of the agency’s action); see also, Center for Auto Safety v. Federal Highway Admin., 956 F.2d 309, 314 (D.C. Cir. 1992) (rejecting agency’s rationale as post hoc rationalization not included in administrative record); Am. Textile Mfrs. Inst., Inc. v. Donovan, 452 U.S. 490, 539-40 (1981) (“[P]ost hoc rationalization of the agency or the parties to this litigation cannot serve as a sufficient predicate for agency action”). Accordingly, the Federal Defendants cannot “incorporate” a 2012 explanation into a 2010 ROD by characterizing it as a “Supplemental Record of Decision.”

However, the Court is now in a conundrum. The Court notes that Plaintiffs opposed the Federal Defendants’ motion to remand, yet remand is the relief that they sought on the initial reservation determination because the agency had failed to provide a “reasoned explanation for his decision.” The Secretary has now provided such a reasoned explanation. Plaintiffs again oppose remand and ask the Court to strike the Supplemental ROD. If the Court were to grant Plaintiffs’ request, the parties would be litigating the 2010 Initial Reservation Determination, a determination that has been withdrawn and superceded. The Court will not waste its or the parties’ resources on such a fruitless endeavor. See Spencer v. Kemna, 523 U.S. 1, 18 (1998) (“[Federal courts] are not in the business of pronouncing that past actions which have no demonstrable continuing effect were right or wrong”). The Court is also cognizant of the fact that the parties have been locked in this battle for nearly eleven years. (TR at 13.). However, the APA requires that the Federal Defendants conform to its dictates, disallowing amendments to a final decision once a case has been filed in district court. Accordingly, the Court will remand this action to the agency with instructions to rescind the 2010 ROD. Since this is a case where the agency has already reconsidered and revised its final decision and since the parties represent to the Court that the agency is not required to provide public notice under IGRA (which is the only portion of the 2010 ROD being supplemented), the Court will require the agency to issue a new decision of record within sixty (60) days of the date of this order, unless good cause is shown why it cannot do so. See Fulton v. FPC, 512 F.2d 947, 955 (D.C. Cir. 1975).

News coverage here.

Conner & Taggart on the Impact of Gaming on Indian Nations Nationally

Thaddieus W. Conner and William A. Taggart have published “Assessing the Impact of Indian Gaming on American Indian Nations: Is the House Winning?” in Social Science Quarterly. Send me an email if you need a copy.

Abstract here:

Objective. The objective of this article is to examine the impact of Indian gaming on reservation conditions in the contiguous American states following passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988. Methods. Utilizing 1990 and 2000 Census data for 330 Indian nations, a pretest/posttest design permits a comparison of nongaming nations to three different types of gaming nations on eight economic measures, while controlling for multiple tribal characteristics and considering the effects of certain state contextual factors confronting nations due to location. Results. The analysis reveals (1) that the overall impact of gaming, while generally positive, is not as extensive after controlling for certain tribal features, (2) that there are differential effects evident across the three types of gaming nations, and (3) that the state context makes a difference in influencing the relationship between gaming and reservation conditions. The most substantial impacts are for a small subset of nations with Class III gaming and making per capita payments to their members in larger, wealthier states prohibiting non-Indian casinos. Conclusion. These results challenge some of the core assumptions about Indian gaming radically changing the poor economic conditions endemic to Indian country.

You may recall these authors previously published a paper focused on New Mexico.

Iipay Nation First Amended Complaint against Cal. Gambling Control Commission

Here:

Iipay First Amended Complaint

Prior complaint here.

Tribal Gaming Per Cap Payments May Decrease Labor Productivity and Increase Fertility (?!?!)

Here is a study of the effects of gaming per capita payments on tribal members of three Michigan tribes (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians). In line with the 1491s’ hilarious video in which a candidate for tribal office runs on the platform of “progression, procreation, per cap,” the study suggests that tribal members receiving per caps leads to “decreased work efforts,” while “weak” evidence exists that per cap payments increase fertility. Enjoy.

Here is the study:

The Effects of Per Capita Tribal Payments on the Fertility, Education, and Labor Force Participation of Tribal Members

The abstract:

The purpose of this research is to provide a preliminary examination of the effects of per capita tribal payments on the decision making of tribal members. Standard  microeconomic theory suggests that unearned income changes the labor-leisure tradeoff in utility maximization models. While the results of per capita payments on hours of work can be easily anticipated, the effects of these payments on human capital accumulation and family size are more ambiguous. Using Census data from 1990 and 2000 we shed some light on the impact of these per capita tribal payments on the lives of the recipients. We concentrate on three tribes in the state of Michigan: the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan. The results lend support to the basic labor theory conclusion that an increase in nonlabor income causes individuals to decrease their work efforts. There is also weak evidence that the payment of per capita payments from casino profits is increasing the fertility rate of Saginaw Chippewa tribal families.

Opinion and Order in Saybrook v. Lake of the Torches

Here.

IT IS ORDERED that:
1) this case will be dismissed without prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, provided plaintiffs submit to the court within 14 days from the date of this order definitive proof of Wisconsin citizenship of one or more of the members of LDF Acquisition, LLC; or
2) absent such proof, this case shall proceed to a telephonic status conference on April 2, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.

Previous coverage here.

Sen. Feinstein Introduces Tribal Gaming Eligibility Act

Congressional Record link here. Bill text not yet available.

By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:

S. 477. A bill to amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to modify a provision relating to gaming on land acquired after October 17, 1988; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to reintroduce the Tribal Gaming Eligibility Act.

This bill sets forth what I believe is a very reasonable, moderate standard for where tribes are allowed to open gaming establishments.

The standard is simple: a tribe must demonstrate that it has a modern and an aboriginal connection to the land before it can open a gaming establishment on it. Continue reading

Ninth Circuit Briefs in Dispute between “Advantage Gamblers” and Tonto Apache Tribal Casino

Here are the materials in Pistor v. Garcia:

DCT Order Denying Motion to Dismiss (D. Ariz.)

Garcia Opening Brief

Pistor Answering Brief

Garcia Reply

From the trial court order (Judge Martone):

Plaintiffs, non-Indians, describe themselves as advantage gamblers. All three gambled at the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino (“Mazatzal”) in Payson, Arizona, which is owned and operated by the Tonto Apache Tribe (“the Tribe”) and is located on tribal land. Plaintiffs each won a substantial amount of money playing some of Mazatzal’s video blackjack machines. Moving defendants are all employed by the Tribe. Hoosava is the General Manager of Mazatzal. Kaiser is employed by the Tribe as a Tribal Gaming Office Inspector. Garcia is employed by the Tribe as Chief of the Tonto Apache Police Department. On October 25, 2011, plaintiffs allege that they were seized while inside Mazatzal. Pistor and Abel were handcuffed, and all three plaintiffs were brought to private rooms and questioned. Plaintiffs were eventually released and were not charged with any crime. Defendants seized thousands of dollars in cash and casino cash redemption tickets from plaintiffs. The property has not yet been returned.

Federal Court Enjoins Sault Tribe from Seeking Trust Acquisition for Lansing Casino Property

News coverage here.

Link to opinion here.

DCT Order Granting Injunction

Briefs here.

City of Duluth Sues National Indian Gaming Commission over Fond du Lac Casino Revenues

Here is the complaint in City of Duluth v. National Indian Gaming Commission (D. D.C.):

City of Duluth Complaint

News coverage here.

Complaint in State of Alabama v. PCI Gaming Authority

Here:

126208901-Attorney-General-lawsuit-against-Elmore-County-Poarch-Creek-Indians