Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D) is criticizing the media for covering a tribal gaming story, saying a press release from the Northern Arapaho Tribe was "generated by their lawyer."

Freudenthal says the media is following a "nonstory story" about the state's tactics in the tribe's gaming case. After losing three times in court, the state has asked a judge to force the tribe to negotiate a compact even though the 10th Circuit previously found the state to be in "bad faith" [Wyoming tribe wins Class III gaming case again].

Freudenthal says he was surprised by the tribe's response to the request. "Frankly, the release from the Northern Arapaho was as near as I can tell generated by their lawyer. And nobody from the tribe contacted me," he said at a press conference, the Associated Press reported.

Freudenthal says the state is not interfering with the tribe's rights. "The thing that's important that seems to have gotten lost is, nobody's told them not to do anything," he said.

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Wyoming governor takes slap at Indian gambling flap (AP 11/17)