Second Circuit Briefs in Challenge to Seneca’s Buffalo Casino

UPDATE — these briefs have been superceded with final form briefs (whatever that means) available here.

Here are the materials in Citizens against Casino Gambling in Erie County v. Hogen:

CACGEC Opening Brief

Federal Appellee Brief

Seneca Amicus Brief

CACGEC Reply Brief

Lower court materials here.

City of New York Wins Injunction against Seneca-Based Tobacco Wholesalers

Here are the materials in City of New York v. Wolfpack Tobacco (S.D. N.Y.):

7 NYC Motion for PI

35 Opposition

42 Reply

55 DCT Order

From the court’s order:

Defendants WOLFPACK TOBACCO, CLOUD AND COMPANY, ALLEGANY SALES AND MARKETING, and PHILIP JIMERSON are enjoined from: i) Advertising or selling cigarettes to New York State residents at prices that do not include the cost of New York State taxes, and for sales to City residents, do not also include the cost of New York City taxes;ii) Selling or shipping any cigarettes without monthly reporting of the sales and/or shipments (including names, dates, addresses, quantities, prices and brands for each sale or shipment, organized by City, town or zip code) to: (a) the New York City Office of the Corporation Counsel, the New York City Department of Finance, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for sales or shipments into New York State and (b) the respective state tobacco tax administrators for sales or shipments into other states; (iii) Selling or shipping any cigarettes unless the packages identify the contents as cigarettes and the packages are delivered pursuant to an age verification procedure that conforms with the procedure specified in the PACT Act; and iv) Selling or shipping more than ten pounds of cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco in a single sale or delivery.

D.C. Circuit Affirms Injunction against Enforcement of PACT Act

Here are the materials in Gordon v. Holder (opinion link & PDF):

Gordon Brief

DOJ Brief

Anti-Smoking Amici in Support of DOJ

Convenience Stores Amici in Support of DOJ

NYC Amicus in Support of DOJ

State Amici in Support of DOJ

DOJ Reply

Gordon Reply

Lower court materials here.

N.Y. Appellate Division Concludes Tribal Enterprise Formed under Tribal Law Not Immune From Suit

Here is the opinion in Sue/Perior Concrete and Paving Co. v. Lewiston Golf Course Corp.:

Sue Perior v Lewiston Golf

An excerpt:

Other factors, however, including what the Court of Appeals has characterized as the “[m]ore important[]” financial factors, weigh in favor of a determination that LGCC does not share in the Nation’s sovereign immunity (id.). With respect to whether LGCC’s “purposes are similar to or serve those of the tribal government” (id.), we conclude that this factor supports the denial of sovereign immunity to LGCC. In minutes from its August 2002 meeting approving the creation of SGC, the Council declared that “it is . . . the policy of the Nation to promote the welfare and prosperity of its members and to actively promote, attract, encourage and develop economically sound commerce and industry through governmental action for the purpose of preventing unemployment and economic stagnation,” and that “the Gaming industry is vitally important to the economy of the Nation and the general welfare of its members.” To that end, the Council created SNFGC for the purpose of “developing, financing, operating and conducting the Nation’s gaming operations on its Niagara Falls Territory at the Niagara Falls Gaming Facility.” In creating the LGCC, the Council declared that, “in furtherance of the economic success of the Nation’s gaming operations, [SNFGC] has commenced development of a . . . golf course located in the Town of Lewiston, New York[, which] will be developed and operated as an amenity to . . . SNFGC’s casino operations, . . . the purpose of which amenities is to enhance the overall success and profitability of the casino’s operations” (emphasis added). In that manner, the Council believed that the golf course project “may reasonably be expected to benefit, directly or indirectly, the Nation” (emphasis added). Thus, the Council’s own statements reflect that the purpose of LGCC – to develop a golf course as an “amenity” to the Nation’s gaming operations – is several steps removed from the purposes of tribal government, e.g., “promoting tribal welfare, alleviating unemployment, [and] providing money for tribal programs” (Gristede’s Foods, Inc., 660 F Supp 2d at 477; cf. Ransom, 86 NY2d at 560).

These common law tests to decide whether a tribal enterprise is under the cloak of tribal immunity are baffling, generating far too many unpredictable results like this one. It’s fairly clear to me that the wide majority of courts would conclude a tribally-owned enterprise chartered under tribal law is immune without looking toward subjective factors such as what the purpose of the corporation is — tribes just aren’t for-profit entities. They’re governments.

Seneca Nation and New York State Agree to End Gaming Dispute

Here.

The agreement calls for the Senecas to give about $340 million in back payments to the state and local governments, but they will not have to pay about $209 million that was also owed. The deal also allows the Senecas to retain its gambling exclusivity in western New York, stretching through Rochester and the western portion of the Finger Lakes. The settlement will not need legislative approval.

 

 

Federal Court Enjoins Seneca Member-Owned “All Of Our Butts” from Selling Smokes in New York City

Here are the materials in City of New York v. Gordon (S.D. N.Y.):

DCT Order Granting Injunction

City Motion for PI

Gordon Motion to Dismiss

An excerpt:

Plaintiff, the City of New York (“the City”), brought this action seeking injunctive relief, penalties, and damages for violations of the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (“PACT Act”), 15 U.S.C. § 375 et seq.; the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act (“CCTA”), 18 U.S.C. § 2341 et seq.; the Cigarette Marketing Standards Act (“CMSA”), N.Y. Tax L. § 483 et seq.; and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), 18 U.S.C. § 1961 et seq. The City has moved for a preliminary injunction pursuant to Rule 65(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, enjoining Defendants Robert and Marcia Gordon (together “the Gordon Defendants”) from violating the PACT Act and the CMSA; and Defendants Marcia Gordon and Regional Integrated Logistics, Inc. d/b/a Regional Parcel Services (“RPS”) from violating the CCTA. Defendants have moved to dismiss the case for failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. For the reasons that follow, the City’s motion for a preliminary injunction is GRANTED, and the Defendants’ motions to dismiss are DENIED.

Federal Court Dismisses Challenges to Seneca’s Buffalo Gaming Operations — UPDATED with Briefs

Here is the opinion in Citizens against Casino Gambling in Erie County v. Stevens (W.D. N.Y.):

Decision and Order May 10 2013

More details later.

Briefs:

CACGEC Motion for Summary J

Seneca Nation Opposition

United States Opposition

CACGEC Reply

Available Briefs in Second Circuit Appeal of Constitutional Challenge to IGRA and Seneca Compacts

Here are the appellee briefs in Warren v. United States:

Brief for Federal Appellees

Brief for New York Appellees

Brief for Seneca Nation Amicus

Lower court materials here.

Dean Leeds Joins Former NY Chief Justice and Cuomo Donor on Arbitration Panel to Resolve Dispute over Seneca Revenue Sharing ($460M at Stake Now)

Here is the news coverage, via Pechanga.

Constitutional Challenge to IGRA by Anti-Seneca Gaming Advocate Rejected

As first noted on Indianz, here are the materials in Warren v. United States (W.D. N.Y.):

Warren Proposed Amended Complaint

USA 1st Motion to Dismiss

USA 2nd Motion to Dismiss

DCT Order Dismissing Warren Complaint

UPDATE: 01 Amicus Seneca Nation of Indians’ Response to Plaintiff’s Motion to Amend Complaint