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Newspapers want minutes of tribal council meetings
Friday, April 14, 2006

Two newspapers have asked the Maine Supreme Court to order the Passamaquoddy Tribe to turn over minutes of its council meetings.

The Bangor Daily News and The Quoddy Tides were denied access to a council meeting where a controversial liquefied natural gas terminal was discussed. Tribal leaders later denied access to the minutes.

The papers say the tribe must turn over the documents based on a prior Maine Supreme Court ruling. The court found tat the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Penobscot Nation are subject to state laws when they act like municipal governments due to language in their Congressional settlement act. When they deal with internal tribal matters, such as enrollment, they are not subject to state law, the court ruled.

Get the Story:
High court mulls BDN case on access to tribal meetings (The Bangor Daily News 4/13)
Ambassador joins LNG fracas (The Bangor Daily News 4/14)

Relevant Links:
Pasamaquoddy Tribe, Pleasant Point Reservation - http://www.wabanaki.com
Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township - http://www.passamaquoddy.com
Save Passamaquoddy Bay - http://www.savepassamaquoddybay.org