News – Page 170 – Turtle Talk

An excerpt:

“One of the basic problems is that not only are they declining to prosecute cases, but we are not getting the reason or notification for the declination,” said Jerry Gardner of the Tribal Law and Policy Institute in West Hollywood, Calif., which works with tribes to develop justice programs. “The federal system takes a long time to make a decision, and when it comes to something like a child sexual assault, the community gets the message that nothing is being done.”

Under federal law, tribal courts have the authority to prosecute tribal members for crimes committed on reservations, but cannot sentence those convicted to more than three years in prison. As a result, tribes usually seek federal prosecution for serious crimes.

NYTs on Economic Consequences for UND in Delaying Fighting Sioux Nickname Retirement

February 20, 2012February 20, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Wind River Student Responds to NYT on NYT Blog

February 17, 2012Kate Fort

We posted the original story here. Here‘s the response:

My Home
By Willow Pingree

The smell of fry bread and burgers, the laughter of friends and family reminiscing about good old times, the sound of music and the sight of people dressed in regalia, dancing inside an arbor while spectators watch from bleachers around the big arena. You’d find all of this at the Annual Eastern Shoshone Indian Days, or the Northern Arapaho Celebration powwow on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

As you walk around the outside of the dance arbor, you’d see crowds of people walking around you, sitting against wooden posts built along the outer rim of the powwow arbor: people sitting around a big circular drum, beating on it together in one rhythm and singing together in harmony. As the singers continue blasting their voices to the sky, the dancers slide and sway to the heartbeat of the people, the powerful sound of the drum. Surrounding them, the rolling hills, the sage brush covering the beautiful prairies, the awe-inspiring view of the towering Wind River Mountains.

This is my home, and it has been the home of my Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho people long before my generation.

Via TT friend CG

Update in Wisconsin Mining Legislation from Bad River Band

February 17, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Band:

Last year, the Wisconsin Senate began preparations to take up the issue of mining by creating a new committee – the Mining Jobs Committee – composed of Senators who have a long history and commitment to the issue of natural resources. After the Wisconsin Assembly passed AB 426, legislation that is widely known to be written by an out-of-state company for the purpose of easing environmental regulations and eliminating provisions that allow citizens to participate in the permitting process, the Senate Mining Jobs Committee introduced a bill that moderated a few of AB 426’s provisions. In a surprise move this week, on Wednesday, the Mining Jobs Committee was dissolved, and it was announced that the Assembly bill would be introduced into the Joint Finance Committee instead. The Bad River Band and other Wisconsin Tribes have come out strongly against the legislation. Wisconsin Indian Tribes have sent representatives to the Joint Finance Committee hearing in Madison. You can watch today’s proceedings here http://www.wiseye.org/.

Here is their press release:

Bad River Media Release on Senatemining bill actions 2-17-12

Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Testimony:

AB 426 LRB 4045 joint finance testimony 16feb12

Lansing Casino Proposal Investors Named

February 17, 2012February 17, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here, via Pechanga.

From the article:

Early on in the meeting, Lansing City Council President Brian Jeffries asked City Attorney Brig Smith for more information regarding the investors in Lansing Future LLC, the developer contracted by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians to finance the casino.

“I have an issue in terms of knowing who the developer is,” Jeffries said.

Smith then introduced Bill Martines, managing director of Lansing Future LLC, who assured the committee that his group wasn’t intentionally trying to cloak itself in secrecy, and listed every investor in Lansing Future.

Besides Martines, president of All Day Interactive, the other investors in the group are Jerry Campbell, CEO of HomeBancorp; Robert Liggett, Jr., owner of the Big Boy Restaurant chain; John Krasula of Decision Consultants; Winfield Cooper, a Flint-based commercial mortgage broker; Mike Garavaglia, a special counsel to Mortgage Investors Corp., and The Sovereignty Group, comprised of Lansing-based lawyer Richard McLellan and Bill Cross Jr.

McLellan joined The Sovereignty Group two weeks ago, after telling media he was not involved in Lansing Future or the casino project. He was not involved in the group until after he made the comments, he said.

BLT Coverage of D.C. Circuit Oral Argument in Cobell

February 17, 2012February 17, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

ICT: Tribal Judges Revive National Tribal Justice Resource Center

February 16, 2012February 16, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Courtesy Gina Jackson/ National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges

The National American Indian Court Judges Association recently reestablished the National Tribal Justice Resource Center in Boulder, Colorado. They are, from left, back row: Judges Winona Tanner, Cheryl Fairbanks, Susan Wells, Peggy Bird, and Winifred Thomas. Second row: Judges Gary Smith, Rusty Swan, Julie Yarlott, Darrell Dowry, and James Shepperd; First row: Judges Kevin Briscoe, Jill Tompkins, and Richard Blake.

Grisanti Casino Brawl Grows More Complicated

February 14, 2012Kate Fort1 Comment

From the Buffalo News, which at least one friend of TT points out has corrected this story any number of times.

Police officials indicated Monday that they do not believe any crime was committed during a weekend brawl at a Niagara Falls casino involving State Sen. Mark J. Grisanti and a Seneca businessman.

But a new controversy about the rumble arose Monday evening when another Seneca Nation businessman told The Buffalo News he heard Grisanti yelling racial epithets at a black security officer during the Friday night incident. However, no racial epithets can be heard in a cellphone video of the incident given to the News by an attorney for another Seneca businessman.

The video shows Grisanti being held on the floor and later put in a chokehold by security officers.

The allegation of racist remarks was made by businessman Ross L. John Sr., a former member of the Senecas’ Tribal Council. John said he is certain that he heard Grisanti “at least twice” yelling a harsh racial epithet at a black security officer who had subdued him.

“I was maybe 15 feet away. I heard it,” John said. “[Grisanti] yelled, ‘Don’t you know who the [expletive] I am, you [expletive]?”

John said he is “certain” he heard Grisanti using racial epithets and will tell police that if he becomes a witness in the case.

Grisanti, R-Buffalo, told The News he was very upset during the incident but doesn’t recall making any racial statements of any kind.

“I don’t recall saying any racist word. That’s not in my nature,” Grisanti said late Monday.

WLNS: Gov. Snyder/AG Schuette Opposes Lansing Casino Proposal

February 14, 2012February 14, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher2 Comments

Here.

And here’s the letter:

Eitrem 0207121

An excerpt:

Governor Rick Snyder and Attorney General Bill Schuette put their opposition of the proposed Lansing casino in writing Monday. Their letter was addressed to the chairman of the Sault Saint Marie tribe of Chippewa Indians.

For the casino to even become a reality in the first place it needs to be approved by the federal government. The tribe has to ask the U.S. Department of Interior to take the land into trust and make it tribal land, then it would be eligible for gaming.

One issue facing the proposal to build a casino in Lansing is the fact that there are already 3 off-reservation casinos in the state.

The final decision would come from the federal government, but one expert says the opposition from state leaders could make this all a bit more difficult.

“The governor role I think can potentially be huge in that politics is everything when it comes to off reservation gaming,” said Matthew Fletcher, director of the Indigenous Law and Policy Center at MSU.

The letter made public from the governor and attorney general to the Sault St. Marie Chippewa Indian tribe has Fletcher a bit surprised.

“That’s pretty tough…tough talk,” said Fletcher.

In the letter it flatly says they oppose the opening of the casino.

“If this was a different world and the Governor supported this, it would put pressure on the Department of Interior to act quicker. It would make the other tribes back down,” said Fletcher.

Fletcher says the Department of Interior will listen closely to what the governor has to say and his opposition could cause a great delay in moving forward.

“This is a chunk of land that is right in the heart of the state’s capital and certainly the state is going to have say in what happens when that land completely leaves the state’s jurisdiction,” said Fletcher.