Rep. Baird calls casino review process flawed

Rep. Brian Baird (D-Washington) says the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act is flawed but he isn't taking a position on a casino in his district.

Baird says the casino review process is flawed. He said the Bureau of Indian Affairs is biased against local communities in favor of tribes.

"The deck is so stacked right now, in terms of process, against the ­local community." Baird told The Columbian.

The Cowlitz Tribe plans a $510 million ­ casino. The BIA is currently reviewing the tribe's land-into-trust application for a 152-acre site in Clark County.

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Indian gambling law stacks deck against communities, Baird says (The Columbian 1/15)