Indian Gaming > Alabama AG: No ceding sovereignty to Indians

April 28, 2008

Alabama AG: No ceding sovereignty to Indians

"I took the extraordinary step of suing the U.S. Department of the Interior, not to stop Indian gambling but to defend Alabama against the latest attempts by federal bureaucrats to change state law by the fiat of unaccountable bureaucrats.

The Tribe would mislead Alabamians into believing that the expansion of the number of gambling facilities permitted in our state should somehow allow them to conduct full-scale casino gambling, which is not otherwise allowed for anyone.

That is not the law and they know it.

With no other options left, I filed suit to defend Alabama's rights and to oppose the efforts to subject Alabama to rules that one appeals court had already found to be invalid.

I stand by my decision to defend Alabama with this lawsuit. I will not allow Alabama's sovereignty to be diminished by anyone not the federal government and not the Indians.

If and when Alabamians choose to allow casino gambling in our state, they should do so by amending state law, not by kowtowing to federal bureaucrats, and not by being bullied into it by the Tribe."

Get the Story:
Alabama Attorney General Troy King: Indian gambling efforts about money (The Mobile Press-Register 4/27)

Related Story:
Federal court digest: Judge agrees to let Creek Indians join gambling lawsuit (The Mobile Press-Register 4/28)